Saturday, November 27, 2010

Buffing

The work on the roof is pretty much done. I think it needs some kind of plaque with the name of the place and a few other fripperies. I have spent a few hours sprucing up the sculpture. It was in some ways heartening to see how a few of the visitors concentrated their attention on the sculpture rather than the roof over it. With my own attention so much on the structural element the sculpture has taken a back seat for the past few months other than my efforts to get it secured to its newly made foundation. Now that it is sheltered from the elements it should gradually accumulate a more favorable patina as long as I keep paying it a little attention every now and then. It has now been given a stern buffing with some mild sanding and couple of grades of fine scouring pads. Then a liberal couple of coats of preservative with just a hint of reddish colour. Then more buffing with leather gloves and then just the bare hands.
A higher definition image than usual, so perhaps worth clicking on to zoom in.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Scaffold free



A friend came yesterday afternoon to help remove the scaffolding. I spent the morning today fitting the last two bits of copper and then started setting stones for the steps. Thanks to some digging work by my daughter while I was tapping nails we got quite a long way with the steps before darkness fell.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Copper

The majority of the surrounding arboreal culture is of cedar, but there is a sprinkling of the deciduous and the tree on the opposite side of the valley is being echoed in the newly attached copper edging of the roof. I still have a few days of work on that and then the shingles to nail on. Within spitting distance of being able to tear down the scaffolding.
Perhaps the maple that lies on this side of the roof will also turn color and I will be in time for some more seasonal imagery with my little creation in a state of moderate completion.

Saturday, November 06, 2010

Cap and mitten fund

I have been busy on the roof project and on gathering in firewood for the coming cold. The double planking is on and a single layer of thick asphalt roofing is in place. I painted the undersides of the first layer of cedar planks with a dilute mix of charcoal ink that makes the rafters and other timber work stand out nicely looking up when under the shelter of the roof.
I needed to see these end planks in place to check that they would do as a design. The two round ended beams seemed like they needed some kind of echo in the main roof so I made a negative circular element there, which looks OK with a little bit of subtle emphasis lent by some edge carving that fades quickly away, these planks around the edges will be scorched and stained to give them a little different flavor to the main structure. I wanted my daughter to see them up as well to have a second opinion and had her bring along the camera in case we were in any doubt and needed to draw onto some photos, so, a rare personal appearance in the usual work garb.
Having these planks back down and in the shop once they are finished up I will be able to add a little more overhang and coving and whatnot to the units and make the covering copper pieces that will form the top edge. The heads of the purlins that poke out down below the planks will also have little copper mittens fitted over them. The circular ends to the beams will just get tidied up a little and maybe a coat of something to stop them checking too much, I prefer them showing without caps or mittens.
The other day I placed the spare foundation stone at the foot of the sculpture where it will support a little fixed vase of some sort for floral offerings. Someone had place a 100yen coin on the rock, so the suggestions that I should put a collection box somewhere seem to have been well founded and the place already has sufficient shrine like presence to inspire the devotee.