With all the tile work done its was time to move on to the details. The first inlay that I decided to work on was the Old Sailing Ship. I searched high and low for a good scroll saw, marquetry pattern that would work, but as many of you know, there just isn’t that many out there. The ones that are out there are not suitable for this project. So I had to find a picture and make my own pattern. It took awhile but I finally found one I liked on the web. I made my pattern and used patternresizer.com to make it larger.
I new I wanted to do a ship so I ordered some Blue Mahoe from Catherine at CookWoods.com awhile back so it has had plenty of time to acclimate to the shop. Blue Mahoe is the the worlds only naturally growing blue wood. There are others that are blue but they are caused by fungi. Blue Mahoe is from the Caribbean. It has a peppery sent when cut and is alittle stringy but it is a beautiful wood and has become one of my favorites.
I cut the water out of Blue Mahoe and Blue Pine. (I was lucky enough to get some tight grain Blue Pine from a pallet but it does grow here to, my father has several timbers in his house) I cut the ship from Blue Mahoe, Katalox, Cherry, Ebonized Madrone and Holly. Everything was resawn down to 5/16in thick on order to be glued down to 1/2in Baltic Birch Plywood. This size keeps the wood stable and insures that it will stay in place throughout any season.
I actually maxed out my new saw the first month I had it:).
I had to take the whole ship to the saw and make a fix cut as I forgot a part!
Once I was finishing the ship out I had to cut out the Birch Plywood substrate and get the ship glued to it. I used Gorilla Polyurethane glue because of its holding strength and foaming attributes. It would foam up and fill the small undulations and variations of each of the differing parts.
I did have to go back and use a razor blade to cut off the foam that oozed out.
I then marked out the ship and used the same down spiral router bit to cut out its shape as I did for the “lands and islands”. (Remember it needs to be down spiral in order to avoid tear out)
I then had to take out all the waste wood.
Because it takes at least two passes to cut through the floor, the side is often uneven. Before I could glue the ship in I had to clean them all up with a carving gouge.
Once everything was cleaned up the ship was ready to be glued in. I used Titebond Construction Adhesive.
And here she is…
And here she is with cables drawn on. I was not able to inlay them yet. I have to wait to until I sand down the entire floor, then I can use my 1/32 router bit in my Dremel and Stewmac base.
Next, I will detail the Leviathan, or Sea Monster…but I have to finish it:)
More to follow soon…
-- "With a little bit of faith, and some imagination, you can build anything!" Nate
63 comments so far
DocSavage45
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3017 posts in 1038 days
#1 posted 399 days ago
HAHAHAHA…wow!
-- Cau Haus Designs, Thomas J. Tieffenbacher
Bob817
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609 posts in 578 days
#2 posted 399 days ago
That is Friggin Awsome!! (pardon my Irish)
-- ~ Bob ~ Newton, N.H.
chonroy
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13 posts in 404 days
#3 posted 399 days ago
wow that is super super cool…! i continue to pick my jaw off the floor!!
-- welding is for the birds, where's the lumber pile?
David Craig
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2128 posts in 1304 days
#4 posted 399 days ago
I am really enjoying this thread. Thank you for posting so much detail regarding this project. It seems to be a task within many tasks, each one would make any of us proud alone. To think of that ship as just being a small part of a much larger puzzle is almost overwhelming.
-- There is little that is simple when it comes to making a simple box.
Nate Meadows
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904 posts in 402 days
#5 posted 399 days ago
Doc,
No really I am really working on a Sea Monster, I am currently waiting for the Buffalo Horn to arrive from England so that I can finish its fin/spin. I hope to finish it within the next two weeks or so, crossing my fingers. I will definitely keep you posted.
-- "With a little bit of faith, and some imagination, you can build anything!" Nate
patron
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12165 posts in 1537 days
#6 posted 399 days ago
what incredible work nate
a true honor just to see this work
thank you again
and again
-- david - only thru kindness can this world be whole . If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure. Dan Quayle
Nate Meadows
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904 posts in 402 days
#7 posted 399 days ago
Thank you very much Bob! (No need to apologize! I was in the Army;) )
-- "With a little bit of faith, and some imagination, you can build anything!" Nate
Nate Meadows
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904 posts in 402 days
#8 posted 399 days ago
Thanks Chonroy, that is very kind of you!
-- "With a little bit of faith, and some imagination, you can build anything!" Nate
Bearpie
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2475 posts in 1214 days
#9 posted 399 days ago
Wow, the ship looks awesome! And this is going to be in your workshop?? I’d be scared to move any tools for fear of scratching the beautiful floor!
-- Erwin, Jacksonville, FL
Nate Meadows
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904 posts in 402 days
#10 posted 399 days ago
David Craig,
Thank you very much! You are very correct, the floor is job, within job within job. Each one waits on the other before it can move forward. That is part of the fun:). I am definitely having fun and definitely pouring myself into it. I know what you mean about the overwhelming part. I try and stay focused on each task. I live by lists because of my brain injury so that really helps me, I think. I can really only handle one task at a time, but the lists help me keep track of everything while seeing the larger project.
-- "With a little bit of faith, and some imagination, you can build anything!" Nate
Nate Meadows
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904 posts in 402 days
#11 posted 399 days ago
Erwin,
Yeah, I do get that allot:). I wanted to design a space that would continue to inspire me to create beautiful things. Its also a good home for all the tools those wonderful, kind and generous people from around the world gave to me while I was in the hospital.
-- "With a little bit of faith, and some imagination, you can build anything!" Nate
gfadvm
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6905 posts in 886 days
#12 posted 399 days ago
Nate- I am in awe of your talent. You are going to have the coolest floor in America (maybe the world). This needs to get ‘discovered’ by some home design publication. Then you’ll be famous.
-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm
Nate Meadows
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904 posts in 402 days
#13 posted 399 days ago
gfadvm,
No, no, there are floors in out there that deserve that more than mine. Charles Peterson, the man who inspired me has some incredible floors. Then there are the floors in Europe. But thank you so much for your kind vote:). I am having fun and pouring myself into it. No need to be famous, as long as I can help or inspire some of you here than I am very happy.
-- "With a little bit of faith, and some imagination, you can build anything!" Nate
eddie
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4742 posts in 810 days
#14 posted 399 days ago
nate ,a friend wanted me to check your build and its is inspiring , i got to see the rest of this blog .great build .look forward to seeing it thanks he was right its awesome
-- Jesus Is Alright with me
Ryan Haasen
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341 posts in 597 days
#15 posted 399 days ago
Amazing, i have never seen anything like it!
-- Ryan
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