As summer slowly fades, we have begun work on the first of next year’s exciting projects. Today, I started creating the router and plasma files for these features. Over the next few days, we will begin cutting and welding steel to form the armatures that will be the backbone of these sculpted beauties. The first project is a sign for one of the stages at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch. Stay tuned…
Short straw
We’ve kept the crew super busy for many weeks building the fence, repainting the outside of the shop and doing a hundred other tasks around the yard. We’ve also had a list of long-overdue projects inside the shop as well, in case we had some rain. Each time the weatherman promised precipitation, it seemed to miss us, at least during work hours, so these tasks are yet to be done. One of the projects was to disassemble the FastCut CNC Plasma cutting bed for a thorough clean. We’ve been using it a great deal over the last two years, with many thousands of pieces cut. The slag and scrap had slowly built up in the bottom, and the well-worn slats needed replacing. With new projects now due to start, we could no longer procrastinate. Jay drew the short straw. The good news is that he had dressed in black today, so the soot and rust didn’t really show (much). The machine was easy to disassemble and cleaned up in a hurry, and we are now ready to jump into production once again. Stay tuned…
Kraay exit barn light fixture
Last year we designed and built a one-of-a-kind light fixture for the Kraay Family Farm's new exit barn in Lacombe, Alberta. It looked great in our studio as we built it on a custom-welded steel stand. As we sculpted the piece, we knew it would be viewed from underneath when mounted high in the barn, so we focused our efforts there. To get a proper view of the feature as we worked, we had to lie on the floor. The Kraays are of Dutch heritage, and their name translates to crow, hence the crow motif throughout the farm. One of the three crows was sculpted to hold a loop of the light fixture wire. This past week, I loved seeing the completed fixture for the first time. The Kraays had fulfilled my vision perfectly, with the installation and accessories. The rustic chandelier looked spectacular in the giant vaulted ceiling space.
