Hi Rick,
Thanks.I'm having fun.I'm wondering about having it galvanized to make it durable enough for out doors. I don't know of any place near by that offers the service.Maybe somewhere around Green Bay.
Frank

What if you found a container of the right diameter and shape, sprayed it with release, and poured clear epoxy to the desired depth? I don't remember the eye of an eagle having much detail, so your metal work should show through nicely. You are creating a great looking bird (again).

Don

Hi Don,
Great idea! An aluminum beer can just might be the ticket for the pupil.I'll be flipping over everything I see. Thanks, Don.
Frank

Your eagle is developing.....thanks for posting your steps.
The sketch really didn't convey what was in store. Your eagle is intense, strong. I love the eyes . What about using polyester resin? I've never cast any myself but I've had it made for some of my furniture. Janet R.

Hi Janet,
Thank you very much. I'll be exploring the resin approach. I remember, in college, casting a huge cockroach in resin as a gift for the head cook in the dorm kitchen I was working at.
Hopefully the intensity of this predator will be amplified as I progress.
Frank

Hi Randy,
I wrote a response to your comment already, but it somehow got sucked into a cyber-black hole. Thanks for your support. I'll google galvaneal and see what I can learn.
Frank

Frank,

I have to apologize, galvaneal is a coated steel as hot dipped galvanized is. Its not a paint. Once again I apologize. Have a good day

Randy

Hi Randy,
No biggie. I found that out by googling the term.I appreciate your good will.I made a stand today so I can continue with the armature.
I'm wondering if anyone knows if a sculpture that is made using sheet steel(.032"), as is this Eagle project, can be galvanized. Thanks.
Frank

Hi Frank, the eagle head is looking really good. You really do seem to have a knack for these birds. You should be able to galvanize almost any thickness of steel. The problem is that with thinner sheet metal there is the risk of warping do to the rapid heat change. If the sheet metal is securely welded to a sound framework and the gaps in the frame aren't too large, you probably shouldn't have a problem. I'd definitely show it to the galvanizers first though. I've only had problems with it once on a giant window well cover. It had expanded 11 ga sheet metal over ribbing spaced every 20-24".

Jake

Hi Jake,
Thanks for the compliment and good info. The closest galvanizing business I've found so far is Milwaukee, so when this project is done I'll give them a ringee dingee first.
Frank

Hi Frank, I`ll just say great, as usual! As you remember, I`d like to make the macaws I toll you about. Don`t know when...anyway; in sculpture, it seems that getting the profile shape is the main step towards achieving a sound work. Do you Frank template the bird`s head profile of one side to the scale you want, and also have a front plate to figure out the thickness so to speak? Once you`ve got your armature correct, the rest will flow on, won`t it ? Thanks to the bird master! Nelson.

Hi Nelson,
Each time I look at a bird or an image of the bird, I see so many differences that I truly get confused. To make things more understandable for me, I look at the skeleton. The dimensions are pretty consistent.You can see things like how long his neck really is and how his head can move.I do make my armature based on a profile as if seen from the side, them try to apply additional components of the armature based on other views.With "Trickster" the first component of the armature was a spine. One of the mysteries a skeleton view solved for me was the legs. I was amazed how differently they look depending on what the bird is doing. With all those aerodynamic feathers gone you can see the actual bones and joints where they really are.
It seems that as the scale increases, the armature can better be used to describe the final shape.
I need to make clay models all the time. Aluminum wire is wonderful. I make a mock up for an armature piece, then I can straighten it out to get a true length.When I bend the piece of steel I can lay it over the aluminum mock up for comparison. I make so many mistakes that I'm embarrassed to say how I construct something, but its good to share. I hope this was helpful to you. The beautiful, intelligent Macaw should be a good study indeed.
Peace, eh?
Frank

Yes Frank, those birds and other animals are very intelligent, more than we think.I think intelligence permeates everything, we`re just too busy, or dumb to notice it at times. Anyhow, I think I`ll take pictures of my macaws in natural positions and from every angle, then I will start the study and also refer to a bird anatomy source. That should be a start. And nothing to be embarrassed about, anyway you skin the cat is fine. I`m making a sculpture of a man sitting and gee, I had to do major surgery in one arm and back to adjust the scale. Thank you Frank. I know the eagle will be done before the macaws for sure, but no hurry... ciao. Nelson.

Yes Frank, those birds and other animals are very intelligent, more than we think.I think intelligence permeates everything, we`re just too busy, or dumb to notice it at times. Anyhow, I think I`ll take pictures of my macaws in natural positions and from every angle, then I will start the study and also refer to a bird anatomy source. That should be a start. And nothing to be embarrassed about, anyway you skin the cat is fine. I`m making a sculpture of a man sitting and gee, I had to do major surgery in one arm and back to adjust the scale. Thank you Frank. I know the eagle will be done before the macaws for sure, but no hurry... ciao. Nelson.

Hi Fleur,
Thanks. I made the armature for this sculpture from 3/8" re-rod or re-bar.This is the material used to reinforce concrete. The beak, face and all the feathers are made using mild sheet steel that is .032" thick. The eyeball is made from brass sheet.I probably overdid things a bit with the armature as you can observe by viewing later images of this piece on this site. I believe any steel rod would be just fine as armature material as long as you can bend it with some ease. I use a simple jig to bend the rod. It is two parallel pipes welded to a plate which is held in a vice.Good luck to you ,Fleur, with your adventures in metal art. Please share your art with us here. Welcome friend.
Frank

Hi Chuck,
No problemo.. Ya know, I've half a notion to make a whole bird from re-rod.
Frank

Hey Frank,
You know with the price of steel as expensive as it is.
I wonder if ReBar isn't cheaper?
Obviously you are having great success with it, Why not?
Chuck

Hi Paula,
This group is about sharing. You probably already know this, but if you type medicine eagle in the site search box, you'll get many phases of construction via different posts.You will also see plenty of mistakes.
Frank

If you don't make at least ONE mistake a day Frank, then how are the rest of us suppose to know if you're human?? :)

Paula
Guthrie, MN

No problem meeting that quota. he he he he
Frank

Hi Rob,
The Eagle head is around thirty inches long including his neck. I still haven't gotten him galvanized yet.
Frank