The armature for a pirate shipwreck stern is a complex piece, full of nooks and crannies with many different shapes. It is a tricky piece to apply the mesh to. Jay is relatively new to the meshing job and is quickly discovering that this is a great piece to learn on. For every ‘rule’ of the craft, there is an exception that will make the process easier and quicker and still make for a great foundation for the fibreglass-reinforced-concrete application, which will soon follow. The most complex section is the top, and it is also the most difficult to reach. That part of the wiring is now largely complete, and things will go faster from here. Stay tuned to watch this beautiful feature come together…
The meshete
The giant skull rock armature is now fully welded, and this week the crew will begin wiring on the galvanized diamond lath mesh. This is a tough job that is not for the faint of heart, and it is much more difficult than it appears at first glance. The mesh is razor-sharp and tricky to handle, especially when tucking it into tight crevices. The more complex the armature, the tougher it is to wire and sculpt, but the payoff is huge when we are done. To help the crew work the mesh into the deep cracks, they have invented a tool dubbed the ‘meshete’. It is actually just a flat 2” wide piece of 10-gauge flat bar with a custom tape-wrapped handle, but it does the job perfectly. Stay tuned to watch this skull rock come together…
Character trees
In the evenings and on weekends, I often draw for fun. The drawings are done on my iPad, and they’ll be reproduced on the CNC laser, burned into wood panels, which I will then hand colour. I’m experimenting with many different subjects and having a lot of fun. The latest series I’m working on is character trees. As I ride my bike along the forest trails and observe the myriad of trees, especially the large, ancient ones, I can imagine faces peering back from the shadows. These imaginings inspire these creations.
