Chameleon finished, a year late.

[chunkolini]

A year ago I started making a sculpture of a Mellers Chameleon skeleton, inspired by this photo.

Google Steve Huskey, amazing stuff.
Got this far

And did not know what to do next or how to do it.
Things here are quiet and I was getting bored, I needed something to do.
I made myself pick up where I left off, with the ultimatum get this finished or admit to being a failure.
I shudder to think of the time involved, but I was a happy chappie today when I finished.
The head took a stupid amount of time, a lattice of 3mm bars and lots of welding, measures about 100mm long.

Knew I was getting there.
Twenty welds in each foot, am I going mad?

But sexy feet.

He stands up, and can be rotated 90 degrees around the bar he stands on so he can be wall mounted or stand on a table.

Yes i was a happy chappie when I clocked off today.

Chunko'.

 

[Shox Dr]

you only play at been daft don't you

 

[pete23]

very very nice, but wheres the tongue?

 

[madkayaker]

must have been a cider free day

 

[troppo]

Love your work mate, theres a quote i`m fond of that fits here nicely
" He who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands, and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands, and his head, and his heart, is An Artist. "
St. Francis of Assisi
And you my friend are an artist

 

[chunkolini]

Thanks for the comments guys, the last couple of days were those rare ones where competence reigns, solutions present themselves and it all works out, I only had to amputate one leg, some days I would have been fiddling about with them forever.
Tongue?
I had debated doing something like this

Using old brass cutlery but wonder if it might look a bit contrived.
Oh I forgot to say the head is articulated using a link of motorbike chain hidden inside it.

Next stage is to get the mountings finished.

Chunko'.

 

[Shox Dr]

How did you cut the backbone?

 

[chunkolini]

Backbone?
I remember drilling a line of holes in a piece of strip, getting smaller as I neared the tail, I think I then opened them up with a 1mm slitting disc and shaped the vertebrae with an angle and die grinder. Took ages.

Here is a link to Steve Huskey's website, the guy who asembled the original, amazing work.
http://asm.wku.edu/faculty/huskey/

Chunko'.

 

[Shox Dr]

Cool, you've given me an idea, there fella. I used to keep fish, and was very proud of my Sailfin Pleco. Sadly he died, but fortunately I found him before the rest ate him.

Much to my wives disapprovement I hung him from the washing line, and he dried out a treat. That must be over 15yrs ago, now he lives in the cupboard, as soon as I take him out and place him somewhere the wife sees and off he goes back in the cupboard.

If I make one heavy enough there'll be booga all she can do about it

 

[chunkolini]

Like the idea, I love spiky fishes, that one has a profile that would not be too hard to make as well.
Build up a frame like on the chameleon then working forwards from the back lay on individual scales with the welds covered by the next line of scales.
My master plan is a fish made like this using plough blades as scales, lets see her move that one.
Chunko'.

 

[Shox Dr]

That picture doesn't do him justice, the colour is wrong he's more Grey, looks like an organic 1000 leagues under the sea submarine

 

[chunkolini]

Just had a message from Steve Huskey, the guy who set me off on this one.
"Absolutely awesome! Very nice work. Rebuilding a skeleton, as I often do, is probably very similar to building one out of metal from the ground up. Excellent artistry, man. I could see that beast hanging on the wall in my office."

That was nice.
Chunko'.

 

[Shox Dr]

Get a room

 

[alanrob]

I started making a sailfin plec out of some 18mm round bar I had kicking around.

Made the outline and the bones of the top sailfin. Was gonna use some sheet to fill with.

Stopped working on him tho when I realised he was about 6ft long. Only meant it to be about 18ins. oops. Maybe I need to use a tapemeasure.

Still got him sat on the lawn in the back garden. Dont know whether to finish him or not.

 

[chunkolini]

18mm bar?
Mrs C laughed out loud at that one
That is going to be some fish.
Get him finished. then try using 6mm bar.
Nice one.
Chunko'.

 

[Norm]

Just had a message from Steve Huskey, the guy who set me off on this one.
"Excellent artistry, man. I could see that beast hanging on the wall in my office."

Kerrching!!! £££$$$$$ he's on the hook chunko, just need to close the deal now and excellent work as always.

 

[chunkolini]

Got him mounted today, a piece of oak with wall mountings underneath it.
he can be sat on a table or facing left or right on the wall or even vertical.
I went for the tongue in the end, this is the third version, I used the handle off an old spoon. The real thing does not have a wiggly tongue but this looks better.



Job done, what's next?

Chunko'.