This echidna has spines that used to be the pegs from a piano. The things that the strings attach to. We had a whole bunch of old pianos and I rescued these pegs after they were burnt. His body is a catalytic converter from our local mechanic. A couple of ball bearings for the eyes, some tappet rockers for claws and a brass air fitting for a snout complete the echidna.

I took the photo on an ants' nest in our paddock. He's about life size and looks real from a distance as in Pic 1.

This one is a lot easier to handle than one I made previously with nails for spines. He's going to be a present for our mechanic. I have free rein over his scrap bins and he often leaves bags of stuff in my car after the services. I'm grateful for these catalytic converters because apparently they have some internal component highly valued by scrap dealers. Indium perhaps, I'm not sure.

There are 116 of those pegs on this guy and I have enough left to make another. I haven't put a finish on him yet - probably just a coat of rustmaster. I was going to bead blast it but I don't want him silver. I like the patina.

Here he is:

 

super cool. whats an echidna???? looks kinda like a spiney armadillo...

An echidna is an egg laying mammal. The Platypus is the only other one that I am aware of.

Try  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echidna

for a fascinating read.

SLAG.

Cool echidna Aus.

Catalytic converters have platinum in them. Is that the echidna that lays the platinum eggs?

Frosty The Lucky.

Looks great Aus! what Frosty said on the cats. they are expensive and even bring good scrap money. 

Now about all those free piano ads I've seen on craigslist?................

Yes, the echidna is a monotreme. There are only two monotremes (egg-laying mammals) - the echidna and the platypus. Legend has it that the first platypus to be sent to England was met with disbelief among scientists who thought it was a hoax - an animal stitched together from parts of a duck and a beaver. Platypuses (and please not platypi) look like cute little fellows but few people know that the males have a spine that can inflict a painful wound.

Anyway, back to the echidna ... harmless critters that live solely on ants. Aborigines ate them as a delicacy. Built-in toothpicks.

 

Very cool Aus, talk about patients! How heavy is it?

4 hours ago, CTBlades said:

Very cool Aus, talk about patients! How heavy is it?

Sometimes that's a problem for me, in that I don't have a lot of patience. I like to get things done and finished and onto the next one. Now, if I were really patient I would have made sure each of those piano pegs was welded with the little string hole upwards.

As for the weight - easily picked up by the beak with one hand. About a tenth of the weight of an echidna I made from gearbox cogs.

Ha, patience is my downfall to, like you I just want to get it done and move on to the next. I literally have to remind myself to slow down, step back and think a little lol.....

Here's the echidna after a coat of Rustmasters.

 

Lovely Echidna. Very well proportioned. 

Echidna got a new coat!  Looks only slightly different. Is that a flat clear?

6 hours ago, Daswulf said:

Echidna got a new coat!  Looks only slightly different. Is that a flat clear?

A bit shinier than flat, Das. It's thick stuff - looks like dark honey.

So it's a brush on?

13 hours ago, Daswulf said:

So it's a brush on?

Yes.

The emperors new close look great. Does this brush on coat stay very thick Aus? Or does it spread and thin as it coats the piece?

8 hours ago, CTBlades said:

The emperors new close look great. Does this brush on coat stay very thick Aus? Or does it spread and thin as it coats the piece?

When Rustmasters is new it flows really easily and covers a big area quickly. We buy it by the 200 litre drums for treating our vintage machinery. If you leave some in a smaller container for some time it tends to thicken and takes on the consistency of honey. Well, not quite that thick, but it's pretty sticky. It goes on thickly but spreads with some brushing. It does take some drying time in cooler weather, but it's very hot and dry here right now so it's not a problem.

Oh ok, sounds like pretty good item to work with.

On ‎21‎/‎12‎/‎2016 at 9:29 AM, CTBlades said:

Oh ok, sounds like pretty good item to work with.

Yep. Expensive though. About $4000 a drum.

4K a drum, uh yeah I think I'll pass lol!

From other conversations here I think it's similar to pentrol in the usa.

10 hours ago, wpearson said:

From other conversations here I think it's similar to pentrol in the usa.

We have Penetrol here too. Not as good in the weather as Rustmasters.

13 hours ago, CTBlades said:

4K a drum, uh yeah I think I'll pass lol!

$150 a gallon. No need to by 44 gallons.

Yes but still a 2x buzz can of Rustolium for $4.00 goes a long way.

That's a really good lookin porkypin!