More updates. We lost power due to the stupid hurricane so I spent the day sculpting (and having a whiskey or two). I added scales and texture to one of the feet. More to do of course. And how neat is this. My mother found an old wine holder rack and we bent it slightly to accommodate my wax torch. No more rolling around the table burning things...
I do like the look of that wax you are running there. The lighter color seems easier on the eyes to me than that dark shit I use. Where ya getting it? Got a link? Thanks
It's from remet corporation in utica NY. Same ppl who sell the ceramic shell material. It's apparently reclaimed and reprocessed wax. It's about $1 per pound in cost. So I just buy 3 or so #55 bags. Comes in small beads in the bag. I think its called "Premiere Backup pastel wax." I order it via phone or email LSchlaepfer@remet.com T: 315-797-8700 ext 6369 I tried samples of their other waxes, I don't like them very much. They are mostly too sticky or have other strange properties I don't like. This wax is good and it burns out without cracking molds as it is actually a casting wax rather than a specifically designed sculpting wax. Only issue with it is that it will shatter when cold and hit against hard surfaces. But then again I guess that's why it isn't as sticky (flexible) as the other waxes. Finished with the first foot. Total time is 18 hrs of sculpting to finish the first leg.
Incredible! I still hope to hell ceramic shell shows off your hard work. I think you should make a pair of matching lamps out of each chicken leg! How cool would that be? Fritz tells me many times, they reuse previous molds and art for future projects. Just change the details and save buttloads of time!
I am hoping as well. I feel like shell is sometimes hit and miss with casting. If there is shell separation then the inner layers flake off and you get shit results. I want to build a slurry mixing machine to see if it improves the outcome. I think mixing by drill and allowing it to settle doesn't let the silica properly wet and leads to a weaker shell. But I won't know for sure until I make a mixer. I've got some ideas on what I want to do. I'll get to building it over the next year or two in my new work shop paradise. Yeah I could easily use the feet for other projects. Maybe a pair of lamps or something. I might try my hand at some gas lamps later on and see if I can generate some pocket money from selling them. Maybe some octopus themed ones or claw feet lamps? Still need to figure out the ignition mechanism though and do some tests.
Thatd be cool. Let me know when a need the hookup on burners. I just finished rebuilding the ones on my house. That storm we had messed them up pretty good. Now I can easily remove the glass for cleaning or replacement. And AGAIN, my tig welder came to the rescue on these 80yr old lamps. Funny how we missed not seeing them for 3months. Place seemed empty and foreign. There is something welcoming about them.
Any pics of the mechanism? Or links to where they are sold? I'm curious to see how they all work. I like the idea of gas lighting at night. Flames lend a very nice atmosphere to an area. I've got to be careful. You might tempt me over to the dark side. In a year or two I might find myself casting glass...
Both feet done. About 30 hrs for both. Will work on tail next before going back to head for final details. I think I'm going to play with the expression and make it look super pissed off. Because they always look angry.
Started the tail feathers. I'm thinking I'll leave them glossy and flame polished rather than texturing them but I may change my mind. Spent most of the day casting equally thick sheets of wax and cutting them to the same width.
Here's a shot for you. my sister has 37 chickens in florida. Went for a dip in the pool yesterday and Nigel decided to join us. He is a riot. Let's you pet him and he's very friendly. Does a good job looking out for all the ladies.
Haha. A swimming eagle that's something you don't see every day. Now what I really need is a couple HD pics of a rooster while strutting with his tail up from directly behind and directly head on to see how all the feathers attach/are arranged at the butt and from the back. I'm pretty surprised but it seems everyone takes photos of roosters from the side and there are precious few pics of decent enough quality to see the nuts and bolts of how the feathers attach. Might have to resort to youtube screen captures to get the pics I need...
Yeah pretry birds but their crowing is annoying. I managed to find one picture showing a chicken butt in strutting position. So I can probably go off that, but always nice to have a few for references. That way you can average out the weird individual traits and feel confident you're sculpting what should be there.
Our new neighbours as of this month inherited all of the people who moved out's "eagles". So far I have only met the husband. It might still be too early to go ask him if I can take a few snaps of his rooster's ass to post on an internet hobby forum. I definitely think it's too early to ask his wife... If I can figure out a way to safely navigate through it, I'll see what I can do. If you think a rooster is an ear-sore, you clearly haven't lived across the street from a turkey! The rooster took maybe 3 days tops to get used to enough that now it's just barely noticeable background noise. Jeff
If you google "cock fight" images you will find a lot of action shots that might show the features you're looking for. Pete
Zap is tough, he can take it, he's an MD, I'm sure he's seen lots of stuff that most of the rest of us would consider ourselves lucky for never having seen.