Two more Gruffles

Scurvy's Wheel is a very tall ferris wheel to be located at Skallywag Bay. The owner and operator of this wheel needed to be tall as well. The tallest character I could think of was a giraff. So, using a giraff as a starting point I created the next Gruffle for our crew. I did take a little licence (which is allowed under artistic law). Meet Scurvy.

Not all pirates need to be mean looking. They do need a keen knowlege of the sea however and who could have more knowlege than a turtle name Webster, the first mate? He's hard on the outside but real soft and cuddly underheath.

More Gruffle characters are in development. Stay tuned...

-grampa dan

Ship shape

With the contract now in effect for the Skallywag Bay Adventure Park project in Trinidad I am beginning the preliminary work. The crew won't officially begin until the beginning of August, after the Cultus Lake project is wrapped up. But in the meantime I can design some files in the evenings and keep the CNC router turning out the pieces for the future. The first pieces were for one of the main signs. It will feature a full on 3D pirate ship, a small version of the one we will build full size for the adventure golf centerpiece.

I built a 3D file of the ship's hull and then sliced it into layers so we could cut it from 2" thick pieces of Precision Board high density urethane (HDU). Today I put a sheet of Precision Board on the MultiCam CNC router and set the machine in motion. Then I headed out to do some tractor work in the yard. When I finished the work the router had done it's magic too.

I couldn't resist fitting the pieces together for a test fit to see how it would look when we were done. I liked what I saw!

There is lots and lots of hand work to do yet of course to add in all of the many details. That of course will have to wait a few more weeks until the Cultus Lake project is complete. I can hardly wait!

-grampa dan

Wet Friday

I went through three changes of clothes through the day as it was raining hard and I got very wet. The crew was scattered over the work site under tarps and cover. A lot of wiring got done and painting too where it was possible. The caves in the Wilderness Adventure got their first coat of paint. They changed in an instant from a dark and dreary place into a wonderful and colorful underground journey. Kids are going to love exploring this place!

A number of the large vertical timbers around the bumper boats got their final coat of glaze today. As eash one was completed the timbers suddendly jumped out from the colorful dirt banks they hold up. There is still a couple of days' work to complete this area but it is looking really good already!

We completed the last of the welding on the frames for the gold and gems panning attraction in the Wilderness Adventure today. Matt and TJ got a good jump on the meshing and on Monday or Tuesday we will finish off the concrete work in this area.

I loaded and delivered the last of the prefabricated pieces today, save for the signs which will go on the buildings.

It is very exciting to watch our ten month project starting to come together at last.

-grampa dan