Daswulf Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 Here is the start of an Armadillo. last night I forged the claws and started the ears out of pipe. tonight I started assembling the head. still a long way to go and I really underestimated how much bicycle chain I had. I will have to hunt down more. The legs will be valve springs. the rest of the head is a steering u joint and some large valve keepers and some sort of cutter blade. More to be added there as well. I have some tin to shape so that I can weld the chain from the backside for the body. I will cross my fingers that it turns out well.it helps that I picked up a chain buster in my travels. tho it dosnt work on the gear chain I plan on using for the joints in it's mid section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 Great job with the head, Das. That uni joint is a good base. Nice how you have the diagonal on the end of the snout. Attention to detail like that makes these things! Now we eagerly await the chain body! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeroclick Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 That looks really cool can't wait to see the rest of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 That chain break should work with all of the chain pictured. What are you calling gear chain....gears don't use chain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted February 15, 2017 Author Share Posted February 15, 2017 More like timing chain. It has smaller pins and the chain break can't clamp on it or pop the small pins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 Ahhh, OK. The chain that is solid width wise with just plates, no rollers. Grind the outside plate off, and punch the pins is how we dealt with that situation. I saw the head in the picture of then roses you did, and figured you had something in the works. I have been grabbing the old chains from work. I have a couple long lengths of #160-2 (double wide) that came off of the 200# dough mixer. They tossed the #80-3 (triple wide) that I had set aside to bring home. I recently got some SS woven conveyor belting (it looks like miniature chain link fencing) that may end up getting used on the Weber BBQ for items that are flaky, or just small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted February 15, 2017 Author Share Posted February 15, 2017 That will be the clean way to do it or just cut through with a cutoff. I have a bunch of critters in the works. Some are waiting for that right part to come along and some for motivation/inspiration. There's a cat like critter that has been lounging on the back of my welding table or on the shop floor for some time now lol. I have feelers out for more bicycle chain and it's looking promising. That stainless conveyor mesh is great for grills. I know someone who used a big piece for a half 55 barrel grill. They gave me a piece of it as well. Those other bigger chains sound fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodnMetalGuy Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 Some older garage door openers used chain in the lift mechanism that is close to if not the same as some bicycle chain. If you can find someone scrapping one of those you can get about 14 feet of chain that way... -- Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 I have a raven head, and basic body that I wanted to do, then lost for a loooooooooong time, then found when I was moving to NV in 05, and I am still on the look out for parts...........hahahahaha! The head is a bucket tooth, and the start of the body is a clutch fork out of a Chevy LUV that fit into the head perfectly. It is one of those when it happens it happens projects. I have a ton on my plate right now that is keeping me from all of my fun things I used to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 I once had 160 pounds of steak to cook for a wedding feast; so I went to the local scrapyard that got all the chicken processing stuff and got a roll of stainless belting that I could use over the concrete block BBQ trough---about 20' long, burning hickory; I also got to do the pig roast as that guy overindulged the previous evening and was unable to be within sight or smell of food for most of the day. By the end of the night all the leftover steaks were jerky and went home with me---not ONE went to waste! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted February 15, 2017 Author Share Posted February 15, 2017 Thanks Dave. I'll keep my eyes and ears open. Lol BigGun. That raven has been waiting a long time. Thats a serious bbq trough Thomas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 Yup, Agri Park where the Ag school holds their wingdings. BBQ is nearly a college requirement for them. I hadn't planned on being a cook that day; but when a friend's getting married you like to help things along! (Last time was in CA where I ended up being an Usher wearing an aloha shirt and my Bib overalls...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted March 3, 2017 Author Share Posted March 3, 2017 Little more progress on the little guy last night. Two nights ago I welded up most of the front section of the shell. To do over again I would weld up a skeletal structure of the final shape I wanted for a better picture and fitment. The form I used to be able to weld the chain from the back side deceived my mind a bit and I used more chain then I needed so I will need to trim the lower portion. Live and learn. Also the shape wasn't quite right so I took it to the forge and worked the shape over the horn of the anvil. Next will be to weld up the chain parts that are right by the head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 I was taking compass bearings for the Ordinance Survey On an army training camp on Salisbury plain, I had packed up my theodolite, was calling it a day, When I heard a voice that sang a sad refrain: 'Oh, my darling Armadillo, Let me tell you of my love, Listen to my Armadillo roundelay; Be my fellow on my pillow, Underneath this weeping willow, Be my darling Armadillo all the day.' I was somewhat disconcerted by this curious affair, For a single Armadillo, you will own, On Salisbury plain, on summer, is comparatively rare, And a pair of them is practically unknown. Drawn by that mellow solo, There I followed on my bike, To discover what these Armadillo Lovers would be like: 'Oh, my darling Armadillo, How delightful it would be, If for us those silver wedding bells would chime, Let the orange blossoms billow, You need only say 'I will'-oh, Be my darling Armadillo all the time.' Then I saw them in a hollow, by a yellow muddy bank - An Armadillo singing ... to an armour-plated tank. Should I tell him, gaunt and rusting, with the willow tree above, This - abandoned on manoeuvres - is the object of your love? I left him to his singing, Cycled home without a pause, Never tell a man the truth About the one that he adores. On the breeze that follows sunset, I could hear that sad refrain, Singing willow, willow, willow down the way; And I seemed to hear it still, Oh, Vive L'amore, vive l'Armadillo, 'Be my darling Armadillo all the day. Be my darling Armadillo all the day.' ("The Armadillo Song", by Flanders and Swann) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted March 3, 2017 Author Share Posted March 3, 2017 Lol. I'll have to look that up when I get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 Great progress there Das. The chain will give an excellent texture, but I see your problem in achieving the complex shape. Not sure how I would go about it either. No doubt you will come up with a solution. We await your brilliance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted March 3, 2017 Author Share Posted March 3, 2017 It has been a bit of a challenge. I Am pleased with the way the chains look tho. It is getting the pattern I was looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 I'm more familiar with the 9 banded ones AKA inverse potholes due to their affinity to roads and vehicles travel thereupon.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted March 3, 2017 Author Share Posted March 3, 2017 Mine will be a 9 banded. well it's what I'm working at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 Das: If it's too out of shape to really please you just flatten the down side and put a BBQ spit and a bottle of sauce behind it. It'll be interpretive art any Texican will appreciate. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott NC Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 This looks like a fun project, I love the feet you have made up for him. Dont know how i would approach the chain part, mabey a cardboard or foam form for tacking and then jusy burn it out ha ha. Not so good on the environment with the foam tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Not so good on the body with Styrofoam either. The fumes off that stuff are really toxic. I speak from experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott NC Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 Ahhh yes. Had a bad "fume" experience once myself. Now i use a respirator with the best of cartridges that i get from my work. Plus I have a full face for really bad stuff. Not that I'd mess with anything like that, mind you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted March 8, 2017 Author Share Posted March 8, 2017 Frosty, I'm sure I will make it work out no need need for bbq armadillo on the half shell. Nodebt, Welding on that stuff would be bad news. It was bad enough just from the oils left in the chain. So yeah , respirator and fan blowing the fumes out was necessary. I just used some non- galvy tin for the form. Worked out fine just had the shape a bit off but it's better now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott NC Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 (edited) Im a fan of the type of art that you do. Its part of why i logged on here, because i wanted to comment on your work. I do some similar things and may post them in the future. Foam BAD!!! Scott. Edited March 8, 2017 by Nodebt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now