My Bass Project

[Trout]

I would like to use this thread to post the progress of my Bass project.

I started on Thursday 8/24. I only cut one piece that day and the rest of the time was spent figuring out my plan of attack..
Friday and Saturday no work was done due to a family get together here at the house...
Sunday, a little hung over but I did manage to get a few pieces cut....



my shades of green and wood grains is way off but that's ok....

to be continued.....

Trout

[Marcel in Longueuil]

This should be interresting...

Thanks for sharing,
Marcel

[Minnesota scroller]

I'll anxiously be awaiting the final project. At last, a real fish.

[Charlie_1]

Kewl , this should be great

[Greenfield_Bob]

Trout
I can't wait to see it when you are finished.

Bob

[Trout]

Monday's progress...

It was a long day so 2 1/2 hours in the shop is about all I can take.



It still needs some fine fitting before I go on to the next section....

Please hold replies and comments until the end, unless you have a question about the project....

Thanks
Trout

[Gill]

Please hold replies and comments until the end, unless you have a question about the project....

Oh, be reasonable, Trout. You can't expect enthusiastic admirers to withold their encouragement that long !

It's coming along nicely and I can't wait to see the finished item.

Gill

[ChuckD]

Looking good. I always find that the fitting takes the longest time and is the most difficult part of intarsia.
(By seeing the comments, someone may point out something you missed and you could set the record for the longest thread)

[minowevie]

Trout can't help it. i just have to reply. what i wont to say is. thank you for posting what you are doing, and the steps you are taking. pictures, rely help alot. on how it is all put together, and what you are doing next. I for one . have never tryed intarsia. and i am learning from this post. it looks confusing, but with the pictures, i can see how you are going about it all. thanks for doing this. i am sure i am not the only one here that thinks so. please don't leave any pictures out, in the prosses. your doingt great as always. Evie

[workin for wood]

In Minessota there is a famous super size bass that sits on the side of a lake...partially in the water. It is the biggest talking bass in the world. It has been there for decades, a man enters it and he is the one making the voice, while he can move the fishes mouth at the same time. Unfortunately, I think mr big bass is in retirement now due to rot...but i do know that the historical society wants to restore it. such a crazy story, but cool too.

[Trout]

I need to start thinking about...

which way I want to go with this fish before I get into the main head section.
I pretty much need to get the body pieces to their final fit before I move on.



the pattern suggests either leaving it a flat cut which is what it is now or round over the edges on all the pieces??

the pattern also shows that there are only 3 pieces that are raise to a 1/4 inch and they are the 3 fins that run down the back of the fish but in the picture it show several area's that are raised which is probably what I'll do but will it look good with all the pieces rounded over?

I'm even thinking about raising the whole fish a 1/4 inch and really giving the body a shape.....

any suggestions?

Trout

[Charlie_1]

Im not sure if all the pieces would look good rounded off but what about just the outside ones ?

[Trout]

just as I was on a roll....

I guess I better get to the hospital with the rest of the family, our new grand baby is on the way....

Trout

[workin for wood]

Here's my suggestion. Should have done the head first. I would have done the head first, completely profiled, sanded and assembled. as far as the body...remove the fins, masking tape the entire fish together on the backside. Get out the big mean hand grinder...3 inch disk grinder, 30 grit, and go to town on that. where the fins go, grind the top of the fish starting at the center to the top edge leaving 1/2 height at fin edge. at the bottom of the fish, grind it round to 1/4 thick at that edge. taper the neck to where the head will be just a little. Grind a long valley at the back of the stomach to where the tail starts. that is the thinnest part of a fish...taper the tail outwards so that the end of the tail is the thickest. taper the back fins so they are thickest on the outside, and thin to the fish to meet that approx 1/2 inch height. remove tape...slightly round every piece on a drum or end of a belt sander. Sand every piece smooth as you can. That's how my stuff comes to be. It only sounds a bit intimidating. I am using an air grinder, same one I use to sharpen the blades on my mower.

[ChuckD]

Trout
I am with you in that it should be shaped. If it is intarsia it should resemble what you are doing. Have you ever seen a flat fish? However you can shape parts of the fish at a time. For example the whole body could be taped together (or even Glue gun, that can easily come apart) then shaped with the colors looking natural. Save the flat work for the others who call their work "intarsia". But you won't see any flat parts on any creature. The lion I did and was posted on another thread wasn't finished.. That is why there was so much flat spots showing. But with the great work you do you don't need me telling you how to do anything.