Winchester on my mind...

One of the projects I'm finishing up before a Walldog event next week (more later) is an oversized padlock based on one manufactured by the "Winchester" company many years ago. Yes, they did more than make guns!  Although I have an English Bulldog named Winchester, this isn't for him. It's for a person who collects Winchester memorabilia.
I found a good piece of reference online and then built up the layers in illustrator, including the logo which is rather wonky compared to the original...a bit arched.  It's made of several layers of Azek pvc..and boy is it heavy! Super fun and easy project.
It needs some final shaping, some primer and paint...then I'm off to Plymouth, Wisconsin!

 

And you gotta have a key for a lock !

Paint process

Starting paint is an exciting stage for me.  I enjoy the carving and sculpting, but as the first coats of paint go on, there is so much detail that suddenly comes alive...I look forward to it every time.  This piece will get several more coats of glaze and final touch-ups in the next couple days, but it's coming along!

High Gear

This Steampack has been a side project between some other projects, but I'm making the push to get it completed this week.  I spent a bit of time this morning finishing some sculpting on the handles.  One trick I use to get relatively similar "ribbons" of Magic Sculpt is to run it through the pasta machine to the thickness I want, then to roll over it with this wooden tool (I found these at Dick Blick art supply).  I have several of them in different widths and shapes. I've found them to be very handy!

The ribbons were put on in the places I needed them and some buttons were added.  All systems are go!

Next up was some work on a "tube" that will mount to the pack.  I plan to put some colored cast acrylic in it once everything has dried. It's about 6" long and is made up of plumbing parts and a plastic tube from a toy my daughter discarded (recycling can be steampunk!).

And lastly, here is some paint work being done on the steam exhaust nozzle for the bottom of the pack.

I can't wait to get all the pieces together in the next day or so and finally see it come together. Stay tuned!

And Now...A Treat.

You may be looking at that picture and wondering "What the heck is that?" It's something I've wanted to try for awhile.  I heard about a chef doing this and just had to take a stab at it myself.
The PVC product I've been carving isn't very porous...and I thought it might make a good material to make a master for a candy mold. The idea is to carve a master shape, then make a mold of it with a foodsafe material.
Once the mold is prepared and cleaned, a little chocolate gets melted and put in...then you pop it in the freezer for a bit and VOILA!  But what shape to make my candy? Hmmmm..........

To be efficient, the best bet would be to make a big sheet with multiple masters, so that you could prepare a dozen or more at a time.  Yet another unique way to use your CNC machine! Sweet!

You drew it..now ya gotta make it.

One of the exciting parts of the work that I do is coming up with how to make the things I draw.  There are many ways to get to a similar result, but part of the fun is picking a path and seeing what the problems and successes turn out to be.  A piece could be carved, sculpted, welded or a combination of some or all of those.
For this Steampack, I drew a "nozzle" for the bottom of the pack that would be somewhat decorative.  When I drew it, I had a couple ideas for how I'd make it, but that all changed with my experiments with Azek.  I went back to my CarveWright patterns and remembered one that might just work.  Sure enough, I found it and knew instantly it would be just right.
I didn't see any reason just to carve that single piece, so I took the opportunity to carve up some other decorative items that will be used on the pack.  Several of these will be molded and then multiple Magic Sculpt copies will be made.

This set of elements was carved out of 1/2" Azek and came out very well. I continue to be amazed at how well it carves and how easily my machine handles it.  I will tell you, though, that additional cutting has a learning curve.  If you cut too fast (Like I did with my Scroll Saw) the cuts are hot enough to reseal as they cool behind the blade.  You have to set the speed low enough to cut, but not get too hot.  Once I figured it out, it was smooth cutting.

So my plan is simple...I will heat this shape up, and bend it over a round object to form it into the nozzle shape I want.
 As I looked at it, though, I realized that the leaves were so close together that they would overlap during the forming-so I went in and cut some additional space, so there would be room for them to form.

It took about 5 minutes of heating and then over the form it went.  Once I dunked it in some cool water, it was instantly rigid.

Now we're pretty close.  I decided that the tips needed to flare out a bit, so I hauled out my handy heat gun and warmed up the tips...a little forming with some gloves on and then cooling.  I've put a base coat of paint on it to begin getting it ready to attach inside the pack.