Clydesdales and Cart 40"

[Claymore]

Hi,
Every year I try and do at least one gert big Intarsia and this year is not only big but technically challenging to an halfwit like myself  
As you can see from the photos its two Clydesdales pulling a cart and driver and the finished size will be 40" x 28" x 2" and I have been working on it for around 8wks and finally at the stage where I can cut wood....careful planning should make the actual build easier (fingers crossed)
The wood will be mainly Oak and Beech (all the red on the cart will be dyed Beech) plus Iroko/Walnut and sycamore maybe even a bit of Corian.
As you may guess this will be a long project but I have around 2 months to finish it and I will be working on it alongside the usual wildlife projects so don't hold your breath, what i usually find is you seem to spend ages on one section and then all of a sudden the project starts to take shape.
If your interested I will keep posting updated photos as it progresses , I think it will as difficult as the motorcycles I make due to the many tiny parts which will all need shaping (every black line on my pattern is a cut line)
Anyway for an idea of the project here's a couple of photos, ignore the thickness of the cut parts placed on the pattern as they will be having multiple spacers on the back to give a full 3d picture)
Cheers
Brian

 

 

Edited November 27, 2018 by Claymore

[rjweb]

Wow this is some project, would really like to see the progress as time goes, RJ

[don watson]

This is certainly a project for a full WIP gallery of pictures.

It will be very interesting to see where you start although you have already started with making up the design from a photograph. That could be a subject on its own.

Don W

 

[Chunkthekid]

WHOA! Good luck with that, and keep us posted.

[Rob]

Looking forward to seeing this develop.    Would be very interested in your process for creating the pattern from the photograph too. 

Rob

 

[ScollSaw Slasher]

Whew! You got my attention for a project. Keep the photos and progress coming.

[amazingkevin]

On 10/26/2017 at 1:28 PM, Claymore said:

Hi,
Every year I try and do at least one gert big Intarsia and this year is not only big but technically challenging to an halfwit like myself  
As you can see from the photos its two Clydesdales pulling a cart and driver and the finished size will be 40" x 28" x 2" and I have been working on it for around 8wks and finally at the stage where I can cut wood....careful planning should make the actual build easier (fingers crossed)
The wood will be mainly Oak and Beech (all the red on the cart will be dyed Beech) plus Iroko/Walnut and sycamore maybe even a bit of Corian.
As you may guess this will be a long project but I have around 2 months to finish it and I will be working on it alongside the usual wildlife projects so don't hold your breath, what i usually find is you seem to spend ages on one section and then all of a sudden the project starts to take shape.
If your interested I will keep posting updated photos as it progresses , I think it will as difficult as the motorcycles I make due to the many tiny parts which will all need shaping (every black line on my pattern is a cut line)
Anyway for an idea of the project here's a couple of photos, ignore the thickness of the cut parts placed on the pattern as they will be having multiple spacers on the back to give a full 3d picture)
Cheers
Brian

OMG,what an undertaking!

[meflick]

That will be a stunning piece of artwork when you have it completed. Look forward to seeing the progress. Thanks for sharing.

[Bpardue]

Looking forward to seeing the finished piece

[Frank Pellow]

That's quite a project you are undertaking.  I very much look forward to seeing progress reports.

[wombatie]

What a challenge.  I cannot wait to see the finished piece.

Marg

[Wilson's Woodworking]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't wait to see the progress on this one!

[Claymore]

Cheers I have been making the red signs on the cart this week (and most of last week) I wanted them to look as near to the ones on the actual cart so experimented with various materials techniques until i was pretty happy with the final result.The largest sign is approx 7" wide and the smaller one is 4", I have dyed the background bright red and then hand painted the gold and blue lettering before finishing with satin varnish. I will post some updated photos this weekend.

Its been slow going as I have also been making a couple of 6" tall Intarsias of a Male Bullfinch and a Goldfinch, although tiny designs i made my pattern as detailed as possible so think there's around 100 pieces in each one....still got a weeks work to do on them and will post some pictures on here soon.

Cheers

Brian

 

[meflick]

Sounds like you are making good progress on this and the other projects - will be looking forward to seeing those projects soon. Thanks for the update.

[Claymore]

Hi,
I have finally made a little progress on this project and one of the important stages is done (the lettering)
One my pattern there are 2 boards on the cart both with lettering, thanks to the help of some guys on here I managed to find a font that suited the project and although not identical the customers likes it and they are always right? .
My first attempt at the logo was terrible mainly down to my shaky hands so the computer needed to be used to draw a more accurate logo....once the lettering was approved all i needed to do was transfer it onto my wooden plaques (one is 8" and the other is 4") I printed the reversed outlined text on my laser printer and attempted to transfer it but after trying all the techniques on Youtube using Acetone etc none worked, I didn't have any Mod Podge but i did have some Polyvine Acrylic varnish and did this.
1: Painted wooden plaque with red acrylic paint... 2 coats and then gave it 2 coats of Polyvine and left to dry overnight.
2: Painted a coat of Polyvine onto the red painted plaque and placed a reverse print of the text face down in the varnish and gave it a good rubbing with a roller to get any air bubbles out, then left it to dry overnight.
3: using plain water and a sponge i wet the attached printed paper and slowly rubbed it away until there was no sign of the paper but the text was nice and clear.
4: Paint inside of the text with metallic gold acrylic paint using very fine brush before using some blue acrylic paint to add the drop shadows and finally gave it a couple more coats of Polyvine to seal it in.
I know it seems like a slow process but i think it was worth putting in the effort to get it right so i can move onto the real Intarsia stuff. The Polyvine should work for other projects and is available in the UK (print and paint your own clock faces? hmmmm that's another project )
As far as the Intarsia I have cut a few pieces of the Clydesdales and the driver and hopefully it will start taking shape soon. As usual I am juggling projects and this week its a couple of 6" but plenty of detail birds a Male Bullfinch and a Goldfinch.....plus a couple of Pheasants phew  but its better than having nothing to do  so have to keep plodding away on them.
Hopefully the attached photos will explain the above technique.
Cheers 
Brian

 

 

 

 

Edited November 27, 2018 by Claymore

[Scrappile]

Brian, thanks so much for taking us on this project with you.  I love progress projects and I always learn so much.  I would never have the fortitude nor skill to take on a project like this, but I love to see how it is done.   This is going to be great.

[GPscroller]

Coming along nicely, thanks for the update and please keep them coming.

Jeff

[Bpardue]

coming along nicely