Dogsoldat Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Slow day at the craft sale, only thing that moved was one small copper rose in trade for a visit to the hairstylist for the wife. But did have a request for a grasshopper for one ladies grandkid. Guess his nickname is grasshopper :) Anyways my google fu is coming up with absolutely everything but what I'm looking for. So who has a few pics of something they may have done to get my brain rolling in the right directions. Thinking maybe 3-5" in length. Can be real robust to something delicate, she's not picky. I'm thinking take a piece of 3/4sq and make a body up. forge the rear legs separate weld them on and split a small piece of strapping to make the front legs, texture up some wings and weld it all together with the wire feed. Anything I might be missing here? I know I have seen fabricated ones with nuts for feet and on the ends on the antenna but I no even finding that at the moment. ( having complained....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I do a lot of scrap art but a grasshopper is one thing I haven't done. I should make it a priority. There are plenty of scrap objects that would lend themselves to a suitable design. The patterned end of a kitchen knife would be a good starting point for the abdomen. Or, as you suggest, shape it out of 3/4 round bar. Very small reo bar makes nice legs with the ends flattened and textured in the forge. For wings I would go for old knife blades perhaps. If you use stainless, be careful of the fumes. Nasty.I'll post a pic here if I make one soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
781 Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Maybe a large lag bolt for the body and head with legs and wings welded on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimsShip Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I make these cricket/grasshoppers from old forks. I don't have a good pic of one of mine, but the first pic is from the interwebs and gives you the general idea. The second pic (the one with the flower) is a pic of one I gave my wife. They are fairly easy to make, and are quite popular! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted April 13, 2014 Author Share Posted April 13, 2014 now those look really neat. Thanks Jim. Rebar does sound like the way to go for the legs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Google images for "steel grasshopper" brought up this one I thought looked nice. https://www.google.com/search?q=steel+grasshopper&client=firefox-a&hs=81q&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=9_NJU4rxJ_StsQS9moDoAw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=675#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=yVZp_Be7l08hXM%253A%3Bbd6YyitTrlxxGM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fsdgallery.com%252Fcatalogs%252Fkalman%252Fgallery%252Fimages%252FKenKalman-grasshopper%27.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fsdgallery.com%252Fcatalogs%252Fkalman%252Fgallery%252Findex.htm%3B210%3B210 Metal grasshopper brought up some good ones as well. https://www.google.com/search?q=steel+grasshopper&client=firefox-a&hs=81q&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=9_NJU4rxJ_StsQS9moDoAw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=675#channel=sb&q=metal++grasshopper&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&imgdii=_ Grashopper sculpture, probably some of the best examples... https://www.google.com/search?q=steel+grasshopper&client=firefox-a&hs=81q&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=9_NJU4rxJ_StsQS9moDoAw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=675#channel=sb&q=grasshopper+sculpture&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&imgdii=_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted April 13, 2014 Author Share Posted April 13, 2014 Thank you for those links DSW. sure makes a difference when the right question is asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Mullins Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I make these cricket/grasshoppers from old forks. I don't have a good pic of one of mine, but the first pic is from the interwebs and gives you the general idea. The second pic (the one with the flower) is a pic of one I gave my wife. They are fairly easy to make, and are quite popular! I like those! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Ausfire's 'shifty lizard' was the first concept that leapt to my mind, using a small wrench for the body and the business end already has the droopy face for a grasshopper. I thought I had seen a grasshopper come up in that thread but I guess I was imagining things :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyanchor Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I did some praying mantis from RR spikes and masonry nails, same sort of critter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahoo2 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 The little fellas that visit my garden are happy to do some modelling work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Thanks for asking the question Michael, lots of eye candy is showing up! Insects are popular items at demos I just never got good at the critter thingies, Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyanchor Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Frosty, Dumb question: Do you get grass hoppers up your way? Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted April 14, 2014 Author Share Posted April 14, 2014 Well I tried one. Don't know if I am entirely happy with it. But it's pretty close. Thinking the legs should be further forward and the wings just don't feel quite right. If it wasn't for the long rear legs I could have a nice flying carpenter ant :) Slightly flattened RR spike made for a pretty good body though. So what does everyone think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyanchor Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Works for me. My critters are not perfect representations of things, but as long as people recognize it, it's all good. I improve with each one I build, they get better looking and easier to make. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 put it on a window ledge where it will be a silhouette and judge by how pale your kids get when they see it ;) id say that looks pretty good :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted April 15, 2014 Author Share Posted April 15, 2014 Well the neighbour boy and my daughter both did a double take when they walked in the yard after school so it passes that litmus test. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Michael: I think it looks just fine. You are thinking much along the same lines as I was. Yesterday I shaped a railway spike in the forge for the body and made some wings from flat bar and rear legs from 1/2 square bar. The little fron legs I made from 1/4 threaded rod flattened for the feet.All was going quite well as I welded on the front legs. I was bending the legs with the oxy torch when I got careless and burned my hand with the oxy. Spent the rest of the afternoon with ice water and painkillers. Oxy is savage.Anyway, I hope to get back to it later today (wearing gloves) and I'll post the result. Very similar to yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 Sorry to hear about your burn. Rather curious to see how yours turns out. What I did for the antennae was drill the smallest hole I could and peen in a little piece of fairly heavy copper wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 OK, here's my first shot at a grasshopper. Started with a railway spike with the 'ears' flattened in the forge and drawn out a bit.Made the upper back legs from square bar and welded on some light rebar. The wings were made as for leaves in the forge. Front legs were short threaded rods (very rusted) and the antennae were 3 inch nails.This is mostly forge work, but I'm going to make one out of junk soon. An old stilson wrench would be a good starting point.Anyway here 'tis:Didn't happen - see next posting.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 It's here now: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 That turned out very nice ausfire really feels like a grasshopper when I look at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Thanks. I would like to find a better way of making the spiny section of the back legs. Can't find a suitable piece of junk steel. However, I have found a nice old rusty stilson wrench that will make a good grasshopper body. I'll scrounge around for some more likely pieces today and make a junk hopper. Watch this space... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 So, here's the junk version of a grasshopper. It's actually more like a plague locust. I was going to use a shifter like the 'shifty lizards' but the head was too upright. A stilson wrench was better as the head is more robust and the teeth' look down. I started with the wrench and didn't alter it at all, except to weld on the eyes and two nails for the feelers. The rear legs are sections from the middle of old spanners (I like to keep the maker's writing) and the other legs are small threaded rod bars. I was going to find something for wings but I'm happy with it as it is. Here's a picture: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 That looks sharp. not all hopper have long wings many just have short stubbs. so the back of the wrench adjustment works perfect for that. All in all a very nice job. Guess I'll have to find some time to keep up with the 'Jones' :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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