Category: Elfs Lodge

a return to the Elfs Lodge

6/4/2014

The last blog post I did on this sign was all about the post and structural support.
This image shows the overall sign concept.
This blog post is focused on the circular sign itself.

As most jobs go, the router plays a significant role in the fabrication process, This is a two sided sign so I routed each side separately. then glued them together along with a steel hanging bracket encased inside.
This sign is a total of 4" thick and 50" ear to ear.

The center of this sign is a full sculptured piece depicting a reindeer with two elves on it's back .
you can see the basic shapes as they are exposed from this block of foam.

This is where I realized I needed to split up these two elves

Things are really starting to take shape now, some final details and we are ready to start adding color.

The results even had me impressed.
I delivered this sign before Santa's Village was ready to set it up, therefore I need to get up there and take some good pictures of it in place.

I have to assume they liked it, This is a image that was posted on there face book home page.

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post about a post

3/23/2014

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So here is the concept sketch that I was given to price this sign for Santa's Village In Jefferson NH.
For the purpose of this blog post I will only be concentrating on the support post for this piece.
The way this is drawn the designer specifies a stained wood 6"x 6" post magically coming out of this masonry base, then a 4"x 4" horizontal piece also stained wood to pierce through the center of the vertical post.

Well the problems, to list a few are:

wood coming out of a masonry base will rot out in a very short period of time.
if it was to be pressure treated post it would shrink, split and twist as it dried out.
the joint were the 6"x 6" and the 4"x 4" meet is somewhat impossible to achieve and have a strong joint that won't trap water and again rot over a short period of time.

The solution: use steel for the sub structure and then make it look like wood.

I used a 4"x 4" steel tube for the vertical, and a 2"x 2" for the horizontal pc. Plasma cut holes through the 4" pc. then slid the 2" piece through it and welded it in place.

To the left is my drawing of how I saw the guts of this support to work.
The masonry base has a piece of 3-1/2"x 3-1/2" steel tube set in the stone work. then the post that I make slides down over the 3-1/2" post.
Done! no rotting, shrinking, twisting, it's easier to fabricate as separate components, easier to install and easy to remove for winter storage or refinishing. Hopefully the latter will not be for quite a few years.

How do you get the steel to look like wood?
Using My Multicam CNC Router and Enroute software I was able to route the wood grain texture into the surface Of High Density Urethane foam.
I mitered the corners and wrapped the steel with the texured foam.
see the pictures below:

working towards the finished product here is the connection were vertical and horizontal meet.
In this shot the post has been primed and the first base coat of paint has been applied.
It will get another base coat, then a glaze coat that will really make it look like stained wood and finally a couple of clear coats for protection.

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Donald A. Johnson

This is an on going story of my explorations into the artistic world,chronicling the process of this journey. Highlighting my successes as well as my failures. I'll try not to focus on the failures, but they are what has taught me the most.
I Owe the ability to take this journey to; My Mom
(for she bred in me a drive and creativity required for this type of trip) My Incredible Wife and Children for their support, and to the world of creative people that inspire me everyday.
One in particular is Dan Sawatzky (click here to meet Dan) This Guy has Changed the way I look at things. He is truly an artist and a Visionary with passion.

a return to the Elfs Lodge

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