Matt is the guy who does the widest variety of jobs. He has the experience and skill to tackle just about anything we throw his way. His work is complete in the Under Hill Suite and so he has jumped to working on the Copper Crown which is the castle suite. The Under Hill suite was largely organic and so the armature was all welded pencil rod to achieve the dirt banks and twisted roots. The Copper Crown is a fairy tale castle with high vaulted ceilings, large wood timbers and massive stone walls. This means the backing is all fitted plywood and the galvanized mesh will be stapled to these wood backers. But, as usual for our style the ceilings are vaulted, and the walls and beams are curved. Every single piece of plywood needs to be carefully measured, fitted and then fastened into place. Much of the work needs to be accomplished on a ladder or scaffold. It is a tall order but Matt is up to the challenge. With the backers now almost complete in the largest tower, it won’t be long until he breaks out the stapler. The sculpting will soon follow and this will all be looking very much like a castle before long. Stay tuned…
Sculpting a pumpkin shell
Tony had his hands full mixing enough of our special concrete mud to keep Matt supplied as they worked on sculpting the exterior skin of the giant pumpkin today. The result looks fabulous! Now, this piece is ready for us to begin welding the armature for the pumpkin eater seated on top. That work starts tomorrow. Stay tuned…
Lock 'er up!
It is great fun with a whole lot of effort to work on our imaginative projects. They are all based on stories we joyfully bring to life. Our efforts begin with the big strokes, and as the projects proceed, we gradually turn our efforts to the small details. The Under Hill Suite is nearing completion, and we are down to those smaller things. Everything has to work together to look great and function perfectly. Now that the big construction is complete, it is time to freshen up the doors and install the permanent lock mechanisms. Peter first made the tiny hinge adjustments to align the doors. This was no easy task with the curved joint between the two doors. He then fits the new locks, which are high-tech and can be remotely programmed to provide a secure experience for each guest. The painting crew will finally touch up the finishes and add a little last-minute magic. It is exciting as we count down to the open house on June 7th…. stay tuned…
