End Grain Floor #13: Leviathan Part 2

While the Epoxy was curing on the Mother of Pearl, I started cutting out the body. I started with the lips which I cut out of Tulip. (I have to admit, the mouth looks creepy here:) )

I then started cutting the body out of the Snakewood. There was a small challenge here. I had to break the body up into section so that it would follow the pattern on the Snakewood, otherwise as the body of the Leviathan bent and curved the pattern would not follow it. I actually messed up on the first section and did not make my sections small enough!

I had to go back and do it again…a valuable lesson but a waste of valuable wood:(

It was actually so cold in the shop that the patterns were not sticking to the wood with the spray adhesive.

Anyway, I cut out the mouth from Gaboon Ebony.

Then, once the glue was cured I cut out the teeth from the White Mother of Pearl.

NOTE: When you are cutting Mother of Pearl or any kind of shell, make sure you were a respirator! The dust is very bad for you!

I got the teeth cut out and glued them to the Ebony, then to the Tulip.

I needed to order a set of custom blanks that were all 1in by 1 1/8in for the head. So while I was waiting for those to arrive I moved on to cutting out the chest. (I order all my Pearl from ExoticHandCraft on ebay. They are excellent! I have never received a bad blank!)

With the chest done and the blanks for the head ready. I drilled out a hole for my blade so I could cut out the eye and did the scroll work.

It had a poor fit but I was still missing a few parts.

I went ahead and cut out the eyes from Gaboon Ebony. If you look closely you will see a slight sliver is removed for a piece of red wood. I was not sure what yet, but I did order several different materials to see what I would like. I also ordered Buffalo Horn for the spine but it had yet to arrive. I was originally going to use ebony but I stubbled across the horn on ebay and loved the wet look of it. I thought “Perfect!” I also order a Sterling Silver sheet, 1/32 thick by 5/16 wide by 8in to be the spines in the fins to the actual spine itself. (I chose silver because it will tarnish over time, and I want that. It will make the Leviathan look even better, older, and meaner… as if it did come from the great depths.)

So while I was waiting for my red materials, Horn and Silver. I started cutting out the other side of the body.

More to follow….

-- "With a little bit of faith, and some imagination, you can build anything!" Nate