Happy Atheist Forum

General => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Dark Lightning on September 21, 2018, 12:51:47 AM

Title: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 21, 2018, 12:51:47 AM
In response to Icarus' request to see some of my wood carving, I'll present some here. I also smith a bit of copper; I'll lump it in here, too; thus the title. I hope these don't come out monstrous in size.

This is a Tree Spirit carved in the shape of a grape leaf. One of my early projects. It's made from tupelo wood, so it was a real challenge, as it takes special knives that I didn't have. I found out about those knives after I was done. Tupelo is more appropriate for power carving, which I have not attempted yet. While it is a "wood spirit", it holds no mystical value for me. I just like it.

(https://i.imgur.com/jtCl7GU.jpg)

Here is a votive candle holder. It is probably my second project since I started taking classes.

(https://i.imgur.com/0qnZ9sf.jpg)

Here is a figure carved in the flat plane style made popular by a gent named Harley Refsal.

(https://i.imgur.com/SN1mm6a.jpg)

This is it for now. I want to see how these post up before I do too many more and have to repair a lot of them.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: jumbojak on September 21, 2018, 01:11:13 AM
That wood spirit looks really sharp. Very nice work.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 21, 2018, 01:24:43 AM
Thanks! I went and looked through my pictures of projects. Guess I better line up a few and take some pics!
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: hermes2015 on September 21, 2018, 04:38:24 AM
Great work. Are they your designs or are they from another source? I'm sure you find it a therapeutic activity that takes your mind of any current worries.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 21, 2018, 05:36:45 AM
Quote from: hermes2015 on September 21, 2018, 04:38:24 AM
Great work. Are they your designs or are they from another source? I'm sure you find it a therapeutic activity that takes your mind of any current worries.

Thanks! The first and third are from tutorials in books. The second is my own "invention". I can assure you that I consider taking a tool in hand and cutting into the wood as genuinely therapeutic! It's a person, a tool and an idea of what has to be done. Further, it is a nice, quiet activity. I love doing it. Some people come to the carving class with electrically powered chisels, and I just get agitated. :(  And then there are those who have to get into politics. Yeesh. You wouldn't believe how much I detest that cheeto von tweeto was elected. I don't like his competition, either, but dayam. OK, enough politics, sorry.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: hermes2015 on September 21, 2018, 06:10:35 AM
I did jewellery (real silversmithing, not bead work) before I retired and found it therapeutic as well. Another therapeutic activity is wedging clay, which is the process of preparing the clay for ceramic work.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dave on September 21, 2018, 06:29:39 AM
I really like your Tree Spirit, kind of 'Green Man' or 'Jack-of-the-green'. As these things go though it is a pagan thing it is iften found csrved in old churches. The latter is also a Morris Dance Mummer play character.

I too used to make silver jewellery but, unfortunately, now find such detail work causes tension in me rather than relaxation. The relaxion bit comes when the job is finished without accident! Though things like Hermes' clay prep (is that the cutting, stacking and folding thing to get a homogenous lump?) might be good.

Is there a technique with coloured clays of layering, stretching, cutting, stacking and folding,  bit like geologicsl strata folding, until a satisfying result is obtained. That sounds good to me!

Later: oops, confused my ethnic based performance art types!
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Icarus on September 21, 2018, 06:39:03 AM
I am a long time model maker.  At one time I did models of things such as electric  power plants or concrete batching machinery, and traffic layouts for court cases.  Nowadays I mostly do model boats, some of them radio controlled and functional. 

A while back I was playing with one of my RC boats at a local park that had a lake.  Some old jackass accosted me and accused me of being in my second childhood.  My reply was that it was a better hobby than pissing off other old men who are creative as opposed to the exercise of destructive commentary. Little did he know that I was doing some hydrodynamic experiments that would have been beyond his comprehension.

Doing delicate, precise, and even artistic things with wood or other materials is most satisfying.  I once had a friend who was a wood carver who did the most difficult of projects such as a human hand.  He was a manufacturer of orthopedic appliances and he knew his anatomy.  His skill with a carving knife was a beautiful thing to observe. I have no such skills but I do know how to cut and measure wooden or metal parts with considerable precision. .



Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: hermes2015 on September 21, 2018, 07:03:01 AM
Quote from: Dave on September 21, 2018, 06:29:39 AM
I really like your Tree Spirit, kind of 'Green Man' or 'Jack-of-the-green'. As these things go though it is a pagan thing it is iften found csrved in old churches. The latter is also a Morris Dance character.

I too used to make silver jewellery but, unfortunately, now find such detail work causes tension in me rather than relaxation. The relaxion bit comes when the job is finished without accident! Though things like Hermes' clay prep (is that the cutting, stacking and folding thing to get a homogenous lump?) might be good.

Is there a technique with coloured clays of layering, stretching, cutting, stacking and folding,  bit like geologicsl strata folding, until a satisfying result is obtained. That sounds good to me!

There are different wedging techniques to prepare the clay. Most wheel throwers use spiral wedging, very much like kneading bread dough. It does two things: it removes air pockets and it increases the workability of the clay for wheel work. My favourite wedging technique is the cut and slam style, where you cut the lump of clay into two equal pieces with a wire cutter. You then lift up one piece above your head and slam it down on the other with great force to merge them into one again, with the cut side facing outward. I used to repeat this at least 15 times, sometimes on a 20 to 30 Kg lump of clay. This caused me to develop very strong shoulders and arms that looked good in tank tops and helped attract new "friends" when I went clubbing. That was another therapeutic benefit, but let's not go there now.

Yes, one can form strata or even get a mille fiori effect with different colours.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: xSilverPhinx on September 21, 2018, 04:16:53 PM
I'm impressed, Fireball Dark Lightining!  8) I especially like the leaf-shaped Tree Spirit.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 21, 2018, 04:34:53 PM
Quote from: Icarus on September 21, 2018, 06:39:03 AM
I am a long time model maker.  At one time I did models of things such as electric  power plants or concrete batching machinery, and traffic layouts for court cases.  Nowadays I mostly do model boats, some of them radio controlled and functional. 

A while back I was playing with one of my RC boats at a local park that had a lake.  Some old jackass accosted me and accused me of being in my second childhood.  My reply was that it was a better hobby than pissing off other old men who are creative as opposed to the exercise of destructive commentary. Little did he know that I was doing some hydrodynamic experiments that would have been beyond his comprehension.

Doing delicate, precise, and even artistic things with wood or other materials is most satisfying.  I once had a friend who was a wood carver who did the most difficult of projects such as a human hand.  He was a manufacturer of orthopedic appliances and he knew his anatomy.  His skill with a carving knife was a beautiful thing to observe. I have no such skills but I do know how to cut and measure wooden or metal parts with considerable precision. .

Heh, there's nothing anyone can do but someone will find fault with it! If I had a boat, I'd just drive it around. I was more in the electromagnetic end of things at my old job for several years (antennas and low observable technology). I got tired of the runaround I was getting, so I transferred to a mechanical job for the last 14 years of my "career".

I'm not that good with carving yet. I won't give up just because I'm not as good as some of the people I see carving. I am just where I am on the spectrum of skill, and I'm OK with that. It has taken me a lifetime to learn patience.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 21, 2018, 05:21:32 PM
Quote from: hermes2015 on September 21, 2018, 06:10:35 AM
I did jewellery (real silversmithing, not bead work) before I retired and found it therapeutic as well. Another therapeutic activity is wedging clay, which is the process of preparing the clay for ceramic work.

There is a ceramics class that runs at the same time as my carving class, so I can't get in there. That looks pretty easy-going. Also, if one takes too much off when working clay, it can be put back on, unlike wood, which can sometimes be put back on, but depending on how the figure is finished, the glue will likely show.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 22, 2018, 01:48:04 AM
More stuff, now with metal-

Meet Petunia, the pink pig (so named by my wife). It's made from a propane tank that had the proof date expire. Since we seem to have accumulated half a dozen of them, this on got sacrificed to the torch. The feet are from an old metal swing.

(https://i.imgur.com/F3tfFuL.jpg)

Here is a rose and vase made of copper that I made for my wife for xmas about 8 years ago. Purple is her favorite color. The colors of the vase, both the brown and green are made using a process called cold patination, which is a controlled oxidation. The rose was patinated with a warm process.

(https://i.imgur.com/FMLrdOf.jpg)


Next is a dodecahedron made from copper strips bent to shape and soldered together. I got the idea from a book titled "The Golden Ratio" by Mario Livio. I was traveling for work and domiciled away from my family for many months at a time, and had time for some hobby work with minimal tools. Patinated with the chlorine given off by household bleach (for the lighter copper chloride green) and ammonia gas (for the dark green). In keeping with the picture on the cover of the book, I put some sea shells with it. The sea shells closely follow the Golden Ratio in the way that they grow. The dodecahedron is sprayed with clear matte lacquer in case someone touches it, as it is pretty nasty- in powdered form it is used as an insecticide.

(https://i.imgur.com/Lp8KFO6.jpg)
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dave on September 22, 2018, 03:09:26 AM
^

I am impressed!
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 22, 2018, 03:34:39 AM
Quote from: Dave on September 22, 2018, 03:09:26 AM
^

I am impressed!

Thanks!
That dodecahedron was a real sweetheart to solder together, sitting on the stove in the efficiency apartment I was renting at the time. I was in Florida, and if the summer heat and humidity weren't bad enough, I had to heat ALL the copper to solder the pieces together. Copper is such a good conductor that the thing had to be supported the whole time at each joint, since each new solder joint required enough heat to melt the previously soldered joints. Got a couple of burns before I finally settled on wooden clothespins to hold the previous joints together. Then the clothespins started smoking!  :???: Originally, I was going to bury the thing in beach sand that was saturated with sea salt to start the corrosion process, but carrying a couple of cubic feet of water-saturated sand the 1/4 mile back to my place just wasn't going to happen. I did hang it in the screened-in porch for a couple of weeks, which did get some greenish corrosion started, but then I had to move to new digs, so I just gave up and bought a plastic tote. The patination process took about a week for the bleach, and overnight for the ammonia. NB- if you are using strong ammonia, don't stand directly over a large container that has liquid all the way across the bottom! I nearly fainted from the smell when I opened the tote to inspect the thing. What an ignominious fate that would have been, death by ammonia gas inhalation. I used to work in the HAZMAT business, and if one walks into a strong ammonia atmosphere from a large leak, the ammonia will kill you by robbing the water out of your lungs, and will leave a wizened corpse. yeesh.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dave on September 22, 2018, 04:27:19 AM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 22, 2018, 03:34:39 AM
Quote from: Dave on September 22, 2018, 03:09:26 AM
^

I am impressed!

Thanks!
That dodecahedron was a real sweetheart to solder together, sitting on the stove in the efficiency apartment I was renting at the time. I was in Florida, and if the summer heat and humidity weren't bad enough, I had to heat ALL the copper to solder the pieces together. Copper is such a good conductor that the thing had to be supported the whole time at each joint, since each new solder joint required enough heat to melt the previously soldered joints. Got a couple of burns before I finally settled on wooden clothespins to hold the previous joints together. Then the clothespins started smoking!  :???: Originally, I was going to bury the thing in beach sand that was saturated with sea salt to start the corrosion process, but carrying a couple of cubic feet of water-saturated sand the 1/4 mile back to my place just wasn't going to happen. I did hang it in the screened-in porch for a couple of weeks, which did get some greenish corrosion started, but then I had to move to new digs, so I just gave up and bought a plastic tote. The patination process took about a week for the bleach, and overnight for the ammonia. NB- if you are using strong ammonia, don't stand directly over a large container that has liquid all the way across the bottom! I nearly fainted from the smell when I opened the tote to inspect the thing. What an ignominious fate that would have been, death by ammonia gas inhalation. I used to work in the HAZMAT business, and if one walks into a strong ammonia atmosphere from a large leak, the ammonia will kill you by robbing the water out of your lungs, and will leave a wizened corpse. yeesh.

I know your struggles all too well, DL! I bought a bag of stainless steel, one piece bent wire, clothes vlips for similat jobs, ocidised iron "lockingbwire" can be useful as well.

I like the idea of natural substances being used to add some quality to the work. Hmm, since copper is, in essence, a 'natural substance" what of using beeswax to mask, clay to insulate and  other natural substances or processes to modify areas in different ways, patinate or etch. Then polish and protect with linseed oil or similar? A cast piese, using charcoal to melt it and a stone mold, would be nice.

In silver work the deliberate heat oxidation of areas, creating a light grey, slightly matt, layer is a decorative process. I used it once to get the darker top surface for a shallow relief dolphin brooch. Had to cast a rough shape first, lots and lots of silver trimmings and filings were generated even so!
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: hermes2015 on September 22, 2018, 05:22:39 AM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 22, 2018, 01:48:04 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/FMLrdOf.jpg)

The patina on both pieces is very nice, especially this one. I see the lacquer did not affect it too much. I like that pale green, powdery effect.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 22, 2018, 03:42:00 PM
Thanks! It is a matte lacquer designed to not change the way the article looks.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dave on September 22, 2018, 03:47:15 PM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 22, 2018, 03:42:00 PM
Thanks! It is a matte lacquer designed to not change the way the article looks.

Is it the same as the stuff used by photographers to prevent unwanted shine on things?
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 22, 2018, 05:48:10 PM
Quote from: Dave on September 22, 2018, 03:47:15 PM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 22, 2018, 03:42:00 PM
Thanks! It is a matte lacquer designed to not change the way the article looks.

Is it the same as the stuff used by photographers to prevent unwanted shine on things?

Could be, but I don't know, since I know next to nothing about what photographers use.  :-[ This is what I have-

https://sculptnouveau.com/products/clear-guard
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: hermes2015 on September 22, 2018, 06:39:16 PM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 22, 2018, 05:48:10 PM
Quote from: Dave on September 22, 2018, 03:47:15 PM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 22, 2018, 03:42:00 PM
Thanks! It is a matte lacquer designed to not change the way the article looks.

Is it the same as the stuff used by photographers to prevent unwanted shine on things?

Could be, but I don't know, since I know next to nothing about what photographers use.  :-[ This is what I have-

https://sculptnouveau.com/products/clear-guard

Thanks for the info. I checked and it is available here.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dave on September 22, 2018, 07:46:35 PM
Quote from: hermes2015 on September 22, 2018, 06:39:16 PM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 22, 2018, 05:48:10 PM
Quote from: Dave on September 22, 2018, 03:47:15 PM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 22, 2018, 03:42:00 PM
Thanks! It is a matte lacquer designed to not change the way the article looks.

Is it the same as the stuff used by photographers to prevent unwanted shine on things?

Could be, but I don't know, since I know next to nothing about what photographers use.  :-[ This is what I have-

https://sculptnouveau.com/products/clear-guard

Thanks for the info. I checked and it is available here.

Ah, specialist stuff!

Thinking about the photographic matt spray: It would need to be something easily removable, so not tough enough for your purpose.

You have to hunt through the phone screen protectors and nail varnishes with similar names to get to Glear-guard sculptor finish here. Not cheap, about £40 for a litre, or £1+ per flounce. but I guess a litre goes a long way. Compared to the little bottles of special art and fabric protectors Jane buys that is, pro-rata, quite cheap.

I am sometimes wary of things being aimed at niche markets then being given fancy names and high prices, when the local decorator, say, buys a bucket full for a fiver at the trade outlet.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 22, 2018, 11:29:33 PM
How "specialist" the stuff is, I'm not certain. I only paid $8 for a can of it. It's up to $13 now! I've probably had that can for about 7 years or so. When I ordered the patinating chemicals (I bought quite a variety of colors, to experiment with) from SculptNouveau, they threw in a can, gratis!
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Tank on September 24, 2018, 09:03:50 PM
Love your work. Thank you for sharing.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dave on September 24, 2018, 10:10:16 PM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 22, 2018, 11:29:33 PM
How "specialist" the stuff is, I'm not certain. I only paid $8 for a can of it. It's up to $13 now! I've probably had that can for about 7 years or so. When I ordered the patinating chemicals (I bought quite a variety of colors, to experiment with) from SculptNouveau, they threw in a can, gratis!

I think sculpture counts as a bit of a 'specialist' field, compared to doing the washing up or something! Not noticed that kind of stuff in Tesco recently.

And  I second Tank. Wish I had kept some of the pictures of my silver work.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 25, 2018, 02:11:05 AM
Thanks, guys!  :D I have done a lot of woodworking and metal working over the years, but my camera skills basically just suck channel water. I've had people bag on me at woodworking websites about not publishing projects, but it's the camera (in)capability that caused that. I now have a cell phone with stabilization and stuff that helps me take pretty good pictures. Since there is some interest, I will take more and post them! :D I was also into high power rocketry for a while. Here's a piccie of the certification (for me as a Level 1 High Power rocket user- have to have the cert to buy motors) flight. It's a 1/4 scale model of an AIM-120D AMRAAM "Slammer" rocket. AMRAAM meaning Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile. Picture taken by some guy in the club whose cameras skillz were orders of magnitude better than mine. It's about 6'-6" long.

(https://i.imgur.com/V3jMHSm.jpg)

Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Tank on September 25, 2018, 12:33:28 PM
It's a 1/4 scale at 6' 6"!!!
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Tank on September 25, 2018, 12:34:51 PM
Quote from: Tank on September 25, 2018, 12:33:28 PM
It's a 1/4 scale at 6' 6"!!!
It's half scale at 6'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-120_AMRAAM
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 25, 2018, 03:27:37 PM
Quote from: Tank on September 25, 2018, 12:34:51 PM
Quote from: Tank on September 25, 2018, 12:33:28 PM
It's a 1/4 scale at 6' 6"!!!
It's half scale at 6'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-120_AMRAAM

That's what I get for believing the guy who sold me the kit!  :-[ I stand corrected.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dave on September 25, 2018, 03:44:59 PM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 25, 2018, 03:27:37 PM
Quote from: Tank on September 25, 2018, 12:34:51 PM
Quote from: Tank on September 25, 2018, 12:33:28 PM
It's a 1/4 scale at 6' 6"!!!
It's half scale at 6'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-120_AMRAAM

That's what I get for believing the guy who sold me the kit!  :-[ I stand corrected.

Kit? Kit!

You mean you didn't hew it by hand, and with the sweat of your brow, from raw materials?

Tsk, you'll be painting by numbers next . . .

:sadshake:

(Was it a scrap job on landing or did it have a decent parachute system? I fitted a parachute release system to a tripled firework rocket when I was still at school - had to drill a hole through the top of one and pass a string through that which held on a spring loaded 'nose cone' containing the parachute (made from genuine surplus parachute material for me by my mum). Problem was  one rocket burned longer, the 'chute dragged behind and got melted! Belatedly thought up a delay mechanism (involving 'Jetex' fuse) but had no more rockets)
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 25, 2018, 11:36:25 PM
Quote from: Dave on September 25, 2018, 03:44:59 PM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 25, 2018, 03:27:37 PM
Quote from: Tank on September 25, 2018, 12:34:51 PM
Quote from: Tank on September 25, 2018, 12:33:28 PM
It's a 1/4 scale at 6' 6"!!!
It's half scale at 6'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-120_AMRAAM

That's what I get for believing the guy who sold me the kit!  :-[ I stand corrected.

Kit? Kit!

You mean you didn't hew it by hand, and with the sweat of your brow, from raw materials?

Tsk, you'll be painting by numbers next . . .

:sadshake:

(Was it a scrap job on landing or did it have a decent parachute system? I fitted a parachute release system to a tripled firework rocket when I was still at school - had to drill a hole through the top of one and pass a string through that which held on a spring loaded 'nose cone' containing the parachute (made from genuine surplus parachute material for me by my mum). Problem was  one rocket burned longer, the 'chute dragged behind and got melted! Belatedly thought up a delay mechanism (involving 'Jetex' fuse) but had no more rockets)

You have to meet certain parameters with the rocket to get the cert. That kit was $180 and the motor casings were about $80. Then there's the propellant charge that the maiden flight used. That was just under $40. I got out of the hobby because where I live I have to drive about 150 miles for a pace to launch.

It has a 6 foot diameter parachute, so it's reusable. It hangs from some hooks in the garage, now. It gets some puzzled looks and comments. I haven't flown it since '07, but can't bear to throw it out.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: xSilverPhinx on September 26, 2018, 12:09:26 AM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 25, 2018, 02:11:05 AM
Thanks, guys!  :D I have done a lot of woodworking and metal working over the years, but my camera skills basically just suck channel water. I've had people bag on me at woodworking websites about not publishing projects, but it's the camera (in)capability that caused that. I now have a cell phone with stabilization and stuff that helps me take pretty good pictures. Since there is some interest, I will take more and post them! :D I was also into high power rocketry for a while. Here's a piccie of the certification (for me as a Level 1 High Power rocket user- have to have the cert to buy motors) flight. It's a 1/4 scale model of an AIM-120D AMRAAM "Slammer" rocket. AMRAAM meaning Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile. Picture taken by some guy in the club whose cameras skillz were orders of magnitude better than mine. It's about 6'-6" long.

(https://i.imgur.com/V3jMHSm.jpg)

Whoa! Should we be worried? :P :grin:
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 26, 2018, 01:21:56 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on September 26, 2018, 12:09:26 AM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 25, 2018, 02:11:05 AM
Thanks, guys!  :D I have done a lot of woodworking and metal working over the years, but my camera skills basically just suck channel water. I've had people bag on me at woodworking websites about not publishing projects, but it's the camera (in)capability that caused that. I now have a cell phone with stabilization and stuff that helps me take pretty good pictures. Since there is some interest, I will take more and post them! :D I was also into high power rocketry for a while. Here's a piccie of the certification (for me as a Level 1 High Power rocket user- have to have the cert to buy motors) flight. It's a 1/4 scale model of an AIM-120D AMRAAM "Slammer" rocket. AMRAAM meaning Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile. Picture taken by some guy in the club whose cameras skillz were orders of magnitude better than mine. It's about 6'-6" long.

(https://i.imgur.com/V3jMHSm.jpg)

Whoa! Should we be worried? :P :grin:

True story- some Hollywood producer approached our user group on gmail to make some rockets that would do zany stuff. We ALL turned him down. Rocketry lives on a tenuous thread in the US and probably elsewhere because of the perceived danger. We launch out in the middle of nowhere, have to get fire authority and landowner permission, and have to carry $2M worth of insurance. Nobody wants to jeopardize that, because the claimants go after your homeowner's insurance first. The "payload" in that rocket was a parachute. One even has to have a license to purchase the propellant, though there is an experimental group that makes their own. I wouldn't go near those folks with an 11-foot pole. Don't have to worry about, me, I'm just a harmless old man.  ::) Now, when I was young, especially in my teenage years...the Lightning family had a bit of rep. If you had a fence that needed tearing down, for instance, one of my brothers and I were the go-to people.  ;D Now, immigrant workers have all those jobs and the puffy Stay-Puft rich white boys hire them, instead. I and my sons did all the work around our house for two reasons- 1. I wanted to make sure that they understood that brown people aren't the only ones who have to do physical labor. I see too much of that attitude. 2. We were poor and had to.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dave on September 26, 2018, 10:19:59 AM
Perhaps I am just too British but, thinking of an idea and wanting to know more about patinating copper, I looked on Youtube.

I was out off by this man within seconds.

Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Tank on September 26, 2018, 10:38:48 AM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 25, 2018, 03:27:37 PM
Quote from: Tank on September 25, 2018, 12:34:51 PM
Quote from: Tank on September 25, 2018, 12:33:28 PM
It's a 1/4 scale at 6' 6"!!!
It's half scale at 6'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-120_AMRAAM

That's what I get for believing the guy who sold me the kit!  :-[ I stand corrected.

Well when you said 1/4 and 6' 6" I thought 'That's 26ft! That's fucking big!' so I had a look. :D I'm OCD like that.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: hermes2015 on September 26, 2018, 11:12:16 AM
Quote from: Dave on September 26, 2018, 10:19:59 AM
Perhaps I am just too British but, thinking of an idea and wanting to know more about patinating copper, I looked on Youtube.
I was out off by this man within seconds.

Me to, from the first time he called it a "pateena".
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 26, 2018, 03:30:46 PM
My learning of the word, it is pronounced with a long e sound in the second syllable- pa-TEE-na. I guess that's a US thing. I see two pronunciations on the Wiki page. That guy isn't really going it right, either. And that vaping affectation is annoying.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: hermes2015 on September 26, 2018, 03:45:17 PM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 26, 2018, 03:30:46 PM
My learning of the word, it is pronounced with a long e sound in the second syllable- pa-TEE-na. I guess that's a US thing. I see two pronunciations on the Wiki page. That guy isn't really going it right, either. And that vaping affectation is annoying.

Yes, I also looked it up after and saw that it is an alternative pronunciation. It just sounded odd when I heard him say it.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dave on September 26, 2018, 03:57:10 PM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 26, 2018, 03:30:46 PM
My learning of the word, it is pronounced with a long e sound in the second syllable- pa-TEE-na. I guess that's a US thing. I see two pronunciations on the Wiki page. That guy isn't really going it right, either. And that vaping affectation is annoying.
I have always used as in 'teen', but no dwell on the 'e',. Have heard it is in 'tin', never as in 'tyne'

Though the latter may be 'Strine!
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: hermes2015 on September 26, 2018, 07:10:06 PM
Quote from: Dave on September 26, 2018, 03:57:10 PM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 26, 2018, 03:30:46 PM
My learning of the word, it is pronounced with a long e sound in the second syllable- pa-TEE-na. I guess that's a US thing. I see two pronunciations on the Wiki page. That guy isn't really going it right, either. And that vaping affectation is annoying.
I have always used as in 'teen', but no dwell on the 'e',. Have heard it is in 'tin', never as in 'tyne'

Though the latter may be 'Strine!

I can remember my mother telling me that the stress was heavily on the first a, so that's how I've always pronounced it. But then she also told me that spirits and beer should never be served with a meal (except when eating curry). Only wine and water allowed!
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on September 27, 2018, 01:10:16 AM
Different strokes, eh? Did that water get changed into wine during those dinners?  :D
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: hermes2015 on September 27, 2018, 04:19:42 AM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on September 27, 2018, 01:10:16 AM
Different strokes, eh? Did that water get changed into wine during those dinners?  :D

:rofl:

Luckily she was also very irreligious, so that trick was never attempted.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on February 13, 2019, 07:56:00 PM
OK, here's a pic of the oak clam shell carving in progress, as requested. I have some more shaping to do, then I'll carve the channels. I'm using oak as I have a fair supply of it and I think that the grain may contribute to look of the thing when done. If it's too much "character" I'll simply fill the grain and make it relatively smooth.

(https://i.imgur.com/EZaC0V7.jpg)
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Tank on February 14, 2019, 07:57:36 AM
Lovely use of material and tools.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: hermes2015 on February 14, 2019, 08:26:31 AM
That's a good start. Please post more as it progresses.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on February 14, 2019, 02:19:00 PM
OK
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: xSilverPhinx on February 14, 2019, 04:04:04 PM
Looks cool so far. 8)
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Icarus on February 14, 2019, 11:45:54 PM
Have you taken note of the miraculous profile image  of our Lord and Savior  that is so evident in the middle of the carving?   Egads man, that thing will bring a lot of money if you list it on Ebay.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on February 15, 2019, 04:11:01 AM
Quote from: Icarus on February 14, 2019, 11:45:54 PM
Have you taken note of the miraculous profile image  of our Lord and Savior  that is so evident in the middle of the carving?   Egads man, that thing will bring a lot of money if you list it on Ebay.

Eeehhhh, it looks kind of like that kid on "The Simpsons" (I haven't watched that show in, as a guess, 15 years) that has the blue hair(?), reaching for something. It's been a long time, so I don't remember the name, for sure. Milton? As much as I like to be an honest person, if some religious dope came up and offered me a pile of money for some of my schlock, it wouldn't be a location where two fools met, I can assure you.

I bought a book, "The Element Encyclopedia of Secret Signs and Symbols" on a lark, many years ago. I bought it for the amusement factor, much like one of my mother's friends, who bought the "National Enquirer", calling it her "smut" magazine. I could make some of the stuff in it (the "Encyclopedia") and sell it at some woo-woo site, but I really need to be able to sleep guilt-free at night. Mulcting the credulous, while perhaps a victimless crime, just doesn't seem right to me. P.T. Barnum notwithstanding.

I'm pretty sure that I posted this item here, before. I'd be happy to sell them to anyone interested at $4 a pop, plus shipping. Lot prices available. :D I don't have many, if any, of the ones with the angled legs. if one really wants a batch like that, I could tool up for it. It's a lot easier to make them with straight legs coming out of the seat.

(https://i.imgur.com/MAlcjJ7.jpg)
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Tank on February 15, 2019, 07:58:57 AM
:rofl:
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on February 15, 2019, 08:21:04 PM
 :( I'm bummed. I started carving the channels, but don't have the hand strength back yet from my carpal tunnel release surgeries going on two years ago. I don't want to drop many hundreds of dollars on power equipment to do this carving. That means my ultimate goal of making one out of black walnut is also off the table. I'll procure a block of basswood (AKA lime wood or linden) by Monday and carve it instead.


Here's a pic of the dog I carved to be a companion of the guy I posted up thread. The carved texture is an attempt to give it a deep coat kind of look. I wanted a sturdy water dog for the Scandinavian guy.  It's ~4" long. :)

(https://i.imgur.com/pMwbAoO.jpg)


Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Icarus on February 17, 2019, 12:54:08 AM
Amazing that we have so many artistically talented HAFers.  That is nice work DL.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on February 17, 2019, 02:14:40 AM
Quote from: Icarus on February 17, 2019, 12:54:08 AM
Amazing that we have so many artistically talented HAFers.  That is nice work DL.  :thumbsup:

Thanks! I started on a bigger clam shell out of a softer wood (bass wood). I'm sitting here at the ripe old age of 66, regretting the rigors I've put myself through during the course of my life, back when I needed to bust my ass and other parts to earn a living for my family and myself. I'm paying the price, now. Back, feet and hands. They'll never be the same. :( One thing I will say about it though, my sons have it way better than I did, as a child.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Tank on February 17, 2019, 09:03:57 AM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on February 17, 2019, 02:14:40 AM
Quote from: Icarus on February 17, 2019, 12:54:08 AM
Amazing that we have so many artistically talented HAFers.  That is nice work DL.  :thumbsup:

Thanks! I started on a bigger clam shell out of a softer wood (bass wood). I'm sitting here at the ripe old age of 66, regretting the rigors I've put myself through during the course of my life, back when I needed to bust my ass and other parts to earn a living for my family and myself. I'm paying the price, now. Back, feet and hands. They'll never be the same. :( One thing I will say about it though, my sons have it way better than I did, as a child.

And you earned them that improvement. Well done.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: hermes2015 on February 17, 2019, 11:13:04 AM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on February 17, 2019, 02:14:40 AM
Quote from: Icarus on February 17, 2019, 12:54:08 AM
Amazing that we have so many artistically talented HAFers.  That is nice work DL.  :thumbsup:

Thanks! I started on a bigger clam shell out of a softer wood (bass wood). I'm sitting here at the ripe old age of 66, regretting the rigors I've put myself through during the course of my life, back when I needed to bust my ass and other parts to earn a living for my family and myself. I'm paying the price, now. Back, feet and hands. They'll never be the same. :( One thing I will say about it though, my sons have it way better than I did, as a child.

I admire you for that.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on February 17, 2019, 04:40:43 PM
Thanks, guys. :cheersfortwo:

I got the wood for the new shell glued up and cut to size. It's time to start shaping it. It's just a rectilinear block, not really worth posting a picture of that.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: hermes2015 on February 17, 2019, 05:16:38 PM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on February 17, 2019, 04:40:43 PM
Thanks, guys. :cheersfortwo:

I got the wood for the new shell glued up and cut to size. It's time to start shaping it. It's just a rectilinear block, not really worth posting a picture of that.


"The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material."

― Michelangelo
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on February 18, 2019, 01:08:45 AM
Quote from: hermes2015 on February 17, 2019, 05:16:38 PM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on February 17, 2019, 04:40:43 PM
Thanks, guys. :cheersfortwo:

I got the wood for the new shell glued up and cut to size. It's time to start shaping it. It's just a rectilinear block, not really worth posting a picture of that.


"The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material."

― Michelangelo

Michelangelo was a far better man than I. Carving marble? And as smooth as the statues ended up? I'm defeated before I start, on something like that. I do like that phrase, though!
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on February 18, 2019, 03:20:28 AM
One of the things about carving is that one has to have the proper tool, like any other endeavor. When I worked as a mechanic, the Snap-On(TM) truck was like drugs. In any given week, one discovers what tool one needs, and then when the "crack" truck rolls in, us mechanics stagger in to buy tools. I have an unbelievable amount of money in mechanic's tools. Don't get me started on woodworking tools. I will say, though, that my wife has easily 5 times what I have spent on those tools, in her quilting tools. Let's start with a $15k sewing machine that can actually scan in a picture and then embroider (or whatever it's called) it on cloth. I'm working on that clam shell carving, and am going to buy about $300 worth of carving chisels to make it. I'm quite reticent to spend that kind of money, since i was so poor as a kid, but WTH, my kids will get the tools when I die. I will always remember watching my dad carve roses in the arms of some arm chairs in our house. Those chairs were picked up curb-side where the neighbors were throwing them out, due to deteriorated upholstery. But my dad was able to make something nice out of them, even so.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on February 21, 2019, 02:45:05 AM
Got tired of all the chisel and mallet work on the clam shell, and took it to the band saw. Got a little too aggressive, and I'm going to need another chunk of wood to start over.  :-[
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: jumbojak on February 21, 2019, 02:53:09 AM
Damn, that sucks. I wonder if something like a power scraper would work. They're designed to make surfaces flat but with custom cutters it could be the cats pyjamas.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on February 21, 2019, 04:51:47 AM
I'll be honest about it. I treat my carving as therapy, but I was asked for some pics along the way, and I got eager to provide some results, soonest. It's entirely my persona and my fault. I'll see what I can salvage, but I may just have to start completely over. Not the end of the world, just the loss of some wood. I have maybe one hour of work in it. Just a little swerve of the band saw blade was all it took.  :-[ I've tossed other carving projects in the fire place before. It's an "occupational" hazard, I guess. :lol:
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on February 23, 2019, 12:17:37 AM
After thinking about it, I realized that I can make a half-shell out of the remainder. It means I wasted a lot of the wood. That's not too painful, it's about $10 worth wasted.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: jumbojak on February 23, 2019, 04:25:12 AM
It's a $10 lesson. Pretty cheap in the grand scheme of things.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on February 23, 2019, 02:31:03 PM
Quote from: jumbojak on February 23, 2019, 04:25:12 AM
It's a $10 lesson. Pretty cheap in the grand scheme of things.

True enough. I just don't like to waste things.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Tank on February 24, 2019, 10:28:16 AM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on February 21, 2019, 02:45:05 AM
Got tired of all the chisel and mallet work on the clam shell, and took it to the band saw. Got a little too aggressive, and I'm going to need another chunk of wood to start over.  :-[

:rofl:

Oh dear :(
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on April 03, 2019, 04:41:22 AM
The thing is still awaiting my pleasure. There are some concerns with the way the wood comes off with the chisels- it sometimes splits out, which usually means that the tools are dull, but they are razor sharp. I may have to use a different piece of wood. I really like the finished product, so I'll be thinking about how to execute it. In the meantime, I've carved a couple of stylized angel fish and am working on the third for a composition of fish shoaling. It's a loosely made copy of a project in a carving magazine. Meaning that the fish pretty much look what the author presented in the tutorial. The base is "coral" in the tutorial, but I'm not certain how I'm going to make the base for my "copy". The author power carved everything, but as I mentioned before, machinery just jangles my nerves. It seems that my hearing sensitivity has increased in the last few years- meaning that noises bother me more. I have to take earplugs to the movies. I can't believe how loud things are in movies any more. Is it just me? I think not. On another note, I went to the podiatrist today to discuss the foot pain I've been having. Surgery is being scheduled. The doctor tells me that It'll be 12-16 weeks before I can walk comfortably on that foot.  :o Once that is OK, I go under the knife for my right foot.  :( It's going to be tough doing anything with my foot propped up all day. I'm going to get one of those cool scooters one sees with people riding them around after having had some sort of work done on their lower extremities. I despise crutches!
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: hermes2015 on April 03, 2019, 04:59:46 AM
Quote from: Dark Lightning on April 03, 2019, 04:41:22 AM
The thing is still awaiting my pleasure. There are some concerns with the way the wood comes off with the chisels- it sometimes splits out, which usually means that the tools are dull, but they are razor sharp. I may have to use a different piece of wood. I really like the finished product, so I'll be thinking about how to execute it. In the meantime, I've carved a couple of stylized angel fish and am working on the third for a composition of fish shoaling. It's a loosely made copy of a project in a carving magazine. Meaning that the fish pretty much look what the author presented in the tutorial. The base is "coral" in the tutorial, but I'm not certain how I'm going to make the base for my "copy". The author power carved everything, but as I mentioned before, machinery just jangles my nerves. It seems that my hearing sensitivity has increased in the last few years- meaning that noises bother me more. I have to take earplugs to the movies. I can't believe how loud things are in movies any more. Is it just me? I think not. On another note, I went to the podiatrist today to discuss the foot pain I've been having. Surgery is being scheduled. The doctor tells me that It'll be 12-16 weeks before I can walk comfortably on that foot.  :o Once that is OK, I go under the knife for my right foot.  :( It's going to be tough doing anything with my foot propped up all day. I'm going to get one of those cool scooters one sees with people riding them around after having had some sort of work done on their lower extremities. I despise crutches!

I know exactly how you feel about the operations, because I went through the left hip replacement 10 months ago. While you are recovering, you could try to design some new projects using 3D software to do virtual carvings. Part of the fun doing that is learning how to use the software. I use three different packages: Rhino, Cinema 4D, and the dreaded ZBrush.

Have you seen how ancient, broken Chinese and Japanese ceramic bowls and teacups were repaired with metal inlays? Perhaps you could use that technique on your broken carving.
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: hermes2015 on April 03, 2019, 05:37:45 AM
Title: Re: Some of My Arts and Crafts
Post by: Dark Lightning on April 03, 2019, 04:13:18 PM
That's an interesting technique! My carving had too much cut off, not really broken. But the techniques exist for repairing them, usually wood glue or maybe crazy glue. I was really disgusted with the result from the band saw, so I threw out the cutoff pieces. In retrospect, I could have potentially glued them back on. Oh, well. I'll have to justify the expense of those software packages in my head before I purchase anything. We'll see.