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Whelk

Stephen Fitz-Gerald - Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - 2:51am

I've been visualizing this piece for several years,trying to figure out the best way to make it.
Finally gained the skill to manifest my vision.
This will function for awhile as my model for a much larger piece.
I am aware that it is not really a whelk, but I have been unable to identify the model which is a real shell brought back from Fiji by my brother.
It's not a tulip shell,nor a conch,not a murex nor volute.
The closest I found was a Dog Whelk but it truth the dod whelk is much smaller than this shell.
I'll nail it eventually,I'm fairly good at research. but in the meantime I'll call it "whelk".LOL

Forged and welded stainless steel with heat patina. I've been visualizing this piece for several years,trying to figure out the best way to make it. Finally gained the skill to manifest my vision. This will function for awhile as my model for a much larger piece. I am aware that it is not really a whelk, but I have been unable to identify the model which is a real shell brought back from Fiji by my brother. It's not a tulip shell,nor a conch,not a murex nor volute. The closest I found was a Dog Whelk but it truth the dod whelk is much smaller than this shell. I'll nail it eventually,I'm fairly good at research. but in the meantime I'll call it "whelk".LOL Forged and welded stainless steel with heat patina.Whelk: I've been visualizing this piece for several years,trying to figure out the best way to make it. Finally gained the skill to manifest my vision. This will function for awhile as my model for a much larger piece. I am aware that it is not really a whelk, but I have been unable to identify the model which is a real shell brought back from Fiji by my brother. It's not a tulip shell,nor a conch,not a murex nor volute. The closest I found was a Dog Whelk but it truth the dod whelk is much smaller than this shell. I'll nail it eventually,I'm fairly good at research. but in the meantime I'll call it "whelk".LOL Forged and welded stainless steel with heat patina.


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enchanted iron's picture

very nice...

enchanted iron - Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - 11:41pm

hey showoff.....lol, very nice work there, by the way did you ever go any further on the pine cone?


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Stephen Fitz-Gerald's picture

The Pine Cone

Stephen Fitz-Gerald - Thursday, November 12, 2009 - 8:02pm

Stephen Fitz-Gerald
The client came and loved the pine cone,and took it away...


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eligius1427's picture

The shell looks fantastic

eligius1427 - Saturday, November 14, 2009 - 12:51pm

The shell looks fantastic Stephen.

Jake

Jake Balcom
Mettle Design
Lincoln, NE


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Stephen Fitz-Gerald's picture

Whelk

Stephen Fitz-Gerald - Sunday, November 15, 2009 - 3:10am

Stephen Fitz-Gerald
Thank you Jake!
What I learned doing this fabrication
will allow me to try the TRUE TULIP SHELL next.
It'll be a great contrast to this gnarly specimen because it's completely SMOOTH which will tend to feature its SHAPE,so I'll have to spend more time on the forming...


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warren's picture

Textured

warren - Sunday, November 15, 2009 - 11:43am

Stephen, I really like your shell, has a nice texture to it and looks like it just rolled up on the beach. What does the other side look like for the hole?

www Metalrecipes -- heat and beat to the desired shape, repeat as necessary.
warren


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Stephen Fitz-Gerald's picture

Whelk

Stephen Fitz-Gerald - Monday, November 16, 2009 - 3:11am

Stephen Fitz-Gerald
Hey Warren,
Thank you...
I intended it to be viewed down on a tabletop so I have not spent time to make the inside .I did forge the spiral from one piece though so if you can imagine the inside of a cone...
But I will have to go further if I make the TRUE TULIP SHELL because that piece will be a hand held sculpture,and thus tactile and rotated by whoever possesses it. Doubtless they will look inside it. I'm just moving with baby steps here. Trying to recreate such an immaculate form from Nature is a challenge (as you know so well). I try to learn with each piece so that I can make progress with the next one. I learned how to forge the spiral on this one,The surface treatment of nubbins camouflages it's angularity. But the next one I must learn how to SHAPE that spiral because the TULIP SHELL is smooth but with convex helical turnings.


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