Almost ready for a test drive

Today the Hailey, Kendra, Peter and I worked on the truck, bringing it almost to completion. I only have one more coat of paint to do on the lettering and then outline it in white. Once that is done we'll tie it down securely and make it ready for transport. If the owners are working Sunday the truck will make the journey to Squamish then. Jeff and Janice will have the honor of the first test drive (photo oportunity) on the finished truck.

I can only imagine the looks we'll get as we travel to the golf. It's going to be fun!

-grampa dan

More logging

The whole crew was busy today on various features for Whistle Punk Hollow. The giant log on the truck got it's last base coat of paint. Then Hailey and Kendra started in on the glazes. Tomorrow the lettering will get i's first coats pf paint.

Little Matt and Peter worked at applying the fiberglass reinforced concrete on the first of the log features. The inside of the forked log was the first to get the treament. Once cured the log will be flipped and the top side will get done.

Peter also mudded and sculpted the stump with the axe stuck in it. 

Things are proceeding quickly now.

-grampa dan

Rusting but not rusting away

The 'historical' artifacts we love to build are often made from anything but the original materials. We use Precision Board High Density Urethane and fiberglass-reinforced concrete for much of what we fashion. This means we have to get creative as we age and even rust the final project. Even though our projects are very much a fun cartoon style they have to look believable when we are done. Thankfully we have a paint that actually rusts. The key is to apply it judiciously to our regular paint using brushes and sponges. The 'metal' surfaces have to look like they are many, many decades old and well used when we are done. After we apply the iron paint we spray on the rust reactive liquid and then wait for the real rust to form. The result is magic. It is real rust but it will never rust away. Amazingly all the paint we use is water based acrylics - no dangerous chemicals here.

These rusty relics will last for many years of hard service yet.

-grampa dan

Instant old

Welding, wiring and sculpting our pieces always seems to take a long time. With the painting process however the sculptures come together in a hurry. Today the logging truck and steam donkey started to get the treatment. The steam donkey started to look pretty cool as it got it's iron paint. 

When we applied the rust activator it got real interesting and started to look it's age in a hurry. It is now hard to believe it is made from concrete.

While Matt was working on the steam donkey Peter was busy with the logging truck. It was first painted nice and shiny.

Then it too got the aging and rust treatment. The full effect on both pieces won't be evident until tomorrow.

Tomorrow the log will get it's base coats and perhaps the start of the glazes. It won't be long until it is ready for the drive to Squamish.

-grampa dan

Logging!

With the logging theme of the WhistlePunk Hollow Golf we will incorprate a number of log features. One is a forked hollow log which will be played through. A whipsaw will be part way through the log. We finished the structure today.

The second log feature has three legs. In this shot it is laying upside down as the wire lath is attached.

The third log is a favorite feature of mine. Although the hole through the middle of the log is more than twice as wide as a hole it somehow psychs out most golfers making the hole shot tricky. This feature was mudded and carved yesterday.

Things are coming along quickly!

-grampa dan