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Sunday, February 22, 2015

Making a start

On Saturday I made a start on one of the small 3D pieces I'm hoping to do for the Collaboration of Maleny Artists (COMA) exhibition that is to be held from 21 May-18 June.

©2015 Barry Smith - Detail of stainless steel screws set 20mm apart.
I want to do at least one piece that relates to flight and travel - possibly called Fragments of Flight. The idea is to make three small wing tips from wood and partly clad them in polished aluminium. The idea is that they will stand as a group; and reflect travel to inspirational and salubrious destinations.

The task started with some Camphor Laurel timber - an environmental pest.

©2015 Barry Smith - Slices of Camphor Laurel
I cut and roughly formed the three wooden wing tips. The tallest is about 220mm high and the shortest about 150mm high.
©2015 Barry Smith - Wing tips or shark finss?
They were sanded into shape; and I gave the top of the wing tips an oil as this will be exposed in the design.

©2015 Barry Smith - Polished wing tip - you can make out the wing shape - going from a rounded front edge to a fine trailing edge
And then I began the gladding process. I'm using small stainless steel screws as imitation aircraft rivets. Drilling and screwing takes quite a while as there will be at test 100 screws in each of the wing tips.

©2015 Barry Smith - The cladding process well under way on one of the wing tips.
I think the finished group of three wing tips of polished wood and polished aluminium will look quite intriguing. But there is still quite a bit of work yet to be done.

5 comments:

  1. I had no idea how beautiful the camphor laurel timber would be! These look wonderful so far, I look forward to seeing what you do next!

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  2. Hi C - just have to pick the core wood - lovely grain; good contrast for the polished aluminium. Should finish them in the next couple of days. Go well. B

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  3. It might be a pest tree, but it has a beautiful grain, striking with the metal.

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  4. ooh, aah - love those tiny rivets and where you are taking this piece.

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  5. Hi VA & S - as you can see from a later post the wing tips are now finished. VA - yes whilst the tree is a pest it has its beauty. S - I now want to upscale it of course. Go well. B

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Comments are welcomed - it is good to connect with fellow travellers.