Our friend and mentor, Bill Welch, passed away in November 2020. He often shared his modeling work on the RCW blog. I was searching through my email recently and realized I had many of Bill’s messages discussing incomplete projects and ideas. Let’s kick off 2022 with an email and photo from Bill.
February 5, 2015
Eric, the other day you mentioned your frustrations with the ladders included with the C&O kit you are building for a friend. I think ladders are often the weakest part of a kit and I try to keep multiples of ladders from various sources around just in case. Even then it can be hard and over the last several years I have found myself scratch building ladders for projects I find myself heavily invested in. Attached is an example that I am very pleased with. I forgot to include a photo showing how I got there but I will try to take a photo tomorrow and send it to you. The model is a Sunshine Models Illinois Central Single-Sheathed car.
(Bill shared more ladder modeling ideas in a June 2015 blog post. His note above was received a month before the first RCW blog post.)
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I think Bill would be very pleased to know his ideas, innovations, techniques and modeling were accessible to many so that they can learn, be inspired and build.
I miss Bill.
Bill was very nice to me as well and here at Cocoa Beach they are selling some of his inventory. I bought some and got some he had started and will enjoy seeing them and being reminded of his tremendous modeling skills and remembering him
What a great way to remember Bill. His techniques never get old. For those who are wondering about the rungs I seem to recall, from some of his posts, that Bill used .010 plastic rod, and preferred Plastruct to Evergreen, as he thought the former more consistent and uniform in its shape.
I always found Bills photos taught me so much. Is that at a bit of verdigris (rust oxidation) in the photo on the side sill, and up the edge of the end panel? Was he aging the copper wire before paint application?
Rob, I think those are pen marks. Bill used a fine tipped drafting pen to mark location on models for details attachment points. As for the wire on the roof corner grab, he may have soaked his supply in vinegar so paint would stick better. – Eric H.
Thank you for this post. Bill was very nice to me and always answered my questions and shared tips. I never had the opportunity to meet him in person. There is a lesson here that even with all the things in the last few years that have disrupted our person to person visits we must strive to do everything we can to share, smile, and respect. RIP Bill, you have passed from us but the stories and the memories will linger for many years.
Wonderful to run Bills thoughts again