The Dragon JMP/SLP headshell build - maybe... Hopefully...

[Geeze]

I have long been fascinated by HH Giger's geometric patterned fingers/tentacles - he did the conceptual art for Alien. I attempted to bring that flowing pattern to an amp shell for the 2018 Dallas Guitar show.

While it pushed my wood skills further I was not happy with the 2D sorta flow of that design. So I've contemplated using 1.75" x 1.75" thick curly maple cut into semi random triangles to have the wood figure 'follow' the curves of the fingers/claws. Oh yeah and in 3D.

I finally sketched a concept solid enough that I felt compelled [this is a pathology] to jump off the design cliff.

Maybe even an eyeball powered by an LED or some such crazy thing peeking between the fingers.

So 1.75" x 1.75" thick curly maple

Random planning of angles

Angle cutting fixture

Mainly between 30° and 45° - no reason just experimenting

Glue up was a challenge and I won't bore you with all of the setups but the last one.

Which is currently drying for shaping tomorrow.

Insanity never sleeps...

Russ

 

[Jon C]

 

[neikeel]

(ps where is the popcorn emoticon?)

 

[LRT#1]

This will be a cool one to watch come together. I've watched a few builds and you do nice work. Has to be nice to have a bigger shop.

 

[Geeze]

Has to be nice to have a bigger shop.

It's awesome.

Finished glue up

After about an hour of shaping with an oscillating drum sander

I get the shapes I expected but it doesn't look like much figure made it through. So on to black dye to hopefully pop any figure that survived

Which I'll sand back and hit with another color and then contemplate the next move which may be to find maple with more figure.

Russ

 

[Gunner64]

Brain Salad Surgery.

 

[Geeze]

Serendipity [or sheer dumb luck] happens even though the design concept fails.

I hoped for the curly figure to follow the curves - nope. But the way I sanded as I shaped it gave me an option. Lightly sanded back on the black dye with 220 grit

Then hit with RIT scarlet dye

I liked this the best so far, but of course I had to go too far with steel wool which muted the scarlet too much. And worse still with gloss lacquer.

So at this point I have more of a plan - first I need to plot out how the four fingers need to flow and the angles needed for that. Figure out how to sand in the geometry that looks like sinew/tenons and scales.

Find some ebony like wood I can polish then coat in a gloss finish for the claws. Then minor details like how the fingers transition from the sides or 'appearing' from the back. I'm itching to cut the rips in a face plate I think that will sell the dragon concept - OK, I think they will look cool...

Russ

 

[Geeze]

Resanded, dyed scarlet and lacquered.

More of what I am looking for, for now.

Russ