Some Woodland Critters

[eSCHEn]

We're making presents again this year for xmas and after the deer we made last year was so well received we've decided to do more of the same.

Here's this weekend's work.

First step is to get the design onto some lining paper. It's thick enough to provide a nice edge to trace a pen against but thin enough to cut easily with a stanley blade.
Now I get to try out my new neodiddlywiddly magnets, bought for the job. Gonna look daft if they don't work
Off to the Bat-Plasma and some time later a pair of the wee buggers cut out.
Base was shaped from an offcut that I liked the shape of. Countersunk for fixing on a wall/fence etc. The plan here is to keep the patina in place as much as possible - minimal grinding back to anything fresh! You can see the plan I've had...
..and here's the back. Looks as rough as but I wanted good access for the tungsten.
At this stage the other half decided a nice heart would set this whole affair off nicely. I cut it out of our old back boiler which I decommissioned last year. Quarter inch copper is very nice to work with
Turns out it's too big so I have to make another really really tiny one Here they are dressed up ready for soldering down.
Everything jigged up (which was a total pain) and a few tacks later at 105A with some 316 filler and it seems to have worked. No special reason for the stainless just happened to be the handy.
Did another three passes at 120A, letting it cool between each to keep distortion down. After that I soldered the copper heart in place from behind and linished it to an inch of its life. Could have done with a bit more but I was tired and the paint will hide it
Finished job.


Stay tuned for the remaining members of the menagerie being made soon ^_^

 

[Migmac]

Nice squizzers, who ever gets them will be well chuffed

 

[Richard.]

Very nice D.
The best gifts are the ones we make................................................ cos they cost us ........ all.

 

[Parm]

Looking good there Darren. Did you ever get the deer straightened out ?

 

[eSCHEn]

Looking good there Darren. Did you ever get the deer straightened out ?

Cheers Parm. Yeah after much judicious use of J.B. Welding's flypress we got it "flat enough" Lesson learned about distortion lol!

Very nice D.
The best gifts are the ones we make................................................ cos they cost us ........ all.

Wish the sheet of 6mm mild from the stockist cost us ........ all

 

[Richard.]

Wish the sheet of 6mm mild from the stockist cost us ........ all

Good point.
But at least they should each be coming in under the price of crap perfume or aftershave gift set from boots.
You should make the cards too D. My daughter makes her own Christmas cards from bits of string and tubes of glitter. If I ask her nicely she may share some of her ideas with ya

 

[arther dailey]

good job,they remind me of the tin targets you used to get at the plink plink stalls at the fairground.

 

[MCKDAVID]

@arther dailey

+1, exactly the same thought went through my mind, a wee air rifle - happy days

 

[eSCHEn]

So been hard at work making more critters. Unfortunately the poor plasma gave out its magic smoke and made that horrible aroma whilst cutting this fella

Took it apart expecting mangled mosfets at best but amazingly it was just the main power switch that had gone. Fitted a new one from stock and it's up and cutting again - now with cool blue light!

After that narrowly averted disaster it's time to get some foot plates on this roe deer. First step is to jig everything up. I've not got any flat surfaces to work from so everything has to be levelled

Then it's a case of welding a small run as hot and fast as I can then swapping between a couple of rags wrung in freezing cold water (thanks Langy for the idea ) Repeat this for what seems like forever and you end up with these. Not the best as I'm out of practice from not doing this as often as I'd like but should be plenty strong enough to stop it falling over.

Learnt from the previous ones and did the bead behind the brace before welding the brace in

Finally, here's the deer in place in the garden temporarily whist it awaits delivery

 

[AdrianH]

I thought you had a cut 50?

Good on the repair, very good on the animals and 6mm stuff. Bet it's fun shifting the steel around I find it bad enough with 4mm.

Adrian

 

[eSCHEn]

No, just the 40 Adrian. That's 28A on the dial and other than eating 13A fuses it's great. If anything it's the compressor that lets it down. Too small, too noisy and the occasional lump of water really spoils my day.

Thanks for the kind words

 

[AdrianH]

Luckily I have not popped a fuse yet, I did buy a cheep 100 litre petrol generator as the small 25 litre 2HP SIP could not keep up. and i was pushing the garage supply to it's limit's. But yes noise is an issue.

I got some of that hydro something acid from Brewdexta at one point, it meant I could de-scale steel, was generally done prior to powder coat, but my word does the steel flash rust afterwords if if left out side, quickly gets that patina finish although in my case UN-intentional.

You are doing a wonderful job there I am sure anyone would be proud to have them.

Adrian

 

[eSCHEn]

You can feel the 13A plug getting warm from a sustained draw and I have to take a lot of breaks but the compressor is exactly the same as your old one other than brand. Just cannot keep up unfortunately. Usually I'm fine but it gets your goat sometimes when you're doing a a tricky bit!

I'm very limited on space even when I finally get into the new shed but an external fuel driven one was my thought as well.

I've been just letting nature take its course with the rust/patina but I have a plan for a squirrel army and that's going to need some fresh steel so I'll be trying all sorts Might not try hydrofluoric acid if it's that like, scary scary stuff!

 

[eSCHEn]

Finished off the footplates on the dog fox here. We wanted to keep the topside nice and clean and flush so I decided to put the braces underneath. Adds a bit more mass so total's about 20Kg.
Upright with a couple of the crew out for some bother.
Was fun getting him wrapped up I'll tell you. One old server box that was destined as a chicken brooder, another box, a large knife and judicious duck tape later...
Present was very well received. Here he is in place along with the deer from before.

 

[fizzy]

Lovely work really is but - probably just me - I hate the word "critters" - sounds so American.
Like people these days saying bugs instead of insects!

 

[eSCHEn]

Thanks very much

BTW "critter" is not American - https://www.etymonline.com/word/critter

 

[Richard.]

They look great mate. Your welding looks very tidy also.

 

[eSCHEn]

Thanks very much mate, as I got more time with the tungsten I got more muscle memory back so could concentrate on where I was going and planning rather than just the arc and filler

 

[eSCHEn]

So to cap this off for the year. I got a bit obsessed with the idea of a squirrel army after they turned out so well. I went ahead and made a few more. Same procedure as the first one.

Who'll save the wee squirrels?

Ach! Save me from the wee squirrels, they were too quick for me!

And yes. Five is not an army, especially when two have gone to new homes. I do have a lot of steel left though