| Project by Blake | posted 269 days ago | 645 views | 2 times favorited | 28 comments |  |
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I have to admit, this project was inspired by Roger’s beautiful Hand Mirrors. But I had always wanted to make one and I thought it would be the perfect gift for my Tattoo Artist. Next week he will be expanding on a tattoo he gave me earlier this year. My tattoo will be a complete half-back (right side) when he is done. What you see in that third picture represents about ten hours of work. I am probably about about half way done.
He is an amazing artist, as you can see, specializing in traditional Japanese tattoo art. He doesn’t advertise, has a tiny sign which barely catches your eye from the street, and yet he is in so much demand that I was on a waiting list for more than a year before I could get an appointment. His shop is not like most tattoo parlors, it looks and feels more like an art gallery. Framed artwork by the artists lines the walls.
When he last worked on my tattoo I noticed that he had a very small, cheap, plastic hand mirror (along with a full floor to ceiling wall mirror). Not only was it difficult to see my back in the small hand mirror, but I thought he needed something with a little more character for his shop.
It is made from bird’s eye maple and purple heart laminated together. The maple has a subtle difference between the sapwood and heartwood. It was cut to shape on a band saw and scroll saw, as well as a lot of “whittling” with a knife and sanding on the edges. It is fairly large, about 16 1/2” long with an 8” round mirror. I spent a lot of time on the 6” belt sander shaping the profile. If you look at if from the side you would notice a gentle slope down to about 1/4” thick near the top and sides behind the mirror. This cut down considerably on weight and gave it a much better balance.
The edges/sides are airbrushed with red transparent paint. Finished with boiled linseed oil and three coats of General Finish oil & Polyurethane.
By the way, yes, it hurt.
-- Dust collectors suck.
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28 comments so far
RobS
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1087 posts in 758 days
posted 269 days ago
Nice work and thoughtful, he will be impressed and appreciative I’m sure.
-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX
Chip
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1058 posts in 544 days
posted 269 days ago
A piece like this ought to cut down on your waiting time for the next appointment. Great stuff as always Blake
-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt.
Muzhik
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106 posts in 590 days
posted 269 days ago
That’s a pretty cool-looking mirror, Blake. Nice ink, too. I can see why this guy has a year-long waiting list.
CharlieM1958
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3990 posts in 670 days
posted 269 days ago
A gift befitting such a talented artist! Nice work, Blake.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Daren Nelson
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316 posts in 357 days
posted 269 days ago
Nice work (by you and your tattoo guy). That is a very thoughtful gift. I am sure he will use it/display it with pride.
-- Urban logger, http://nelsonwoodworks.biz/
mrtrim
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1525 posts in 332 days
posted 269 days ago
wow ! very sweet. you definately go to the front of the line with this . great work blake
-- if you aint the lead dog the scenery never changes
RobG
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72 posts in 274 days
posted 269 days ago
Very nice!! Great job on the finish I would have never thought of mixing a little paint in like that.
-- Woodworking is Life. Anything before or after is just waiting.--S. McQueen sort of
Douglas Bordner
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2468 posts in 516 days
posted 269 days ago
Quote: He is an amazing artist, as you can see
Guess what, Blake. You are too.
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
DAN
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2918 posts in 435 days
posted 269 days ago
nice work Blake. Exotic mirror, both design and material,
-- ..... art for lifes sake
dennis mitchell
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2914 posts in 766 days
posted 269 days ago
Looks Good! I’ve always liked Rogers designs.
-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com
Thos. Angle
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3244 posts in 414 days
posted 269 days ago
A great piece of work, Blake. I really like it. I hope your wife likes the tattoo since she can see it and you can’t. LOL It’s very artistic as well.
-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon
miles125
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907 posts in 457 days
posted 269 days ago
The mirror was a wonderful idea Blake…Great job!
-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""
Blake
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1902 posts in 326 days
posted 269 days ago
Wow, thank you all for the nice comments. This was a fun one to make. Different than anything I had ever done before.
Thos.: my wife got one from the same artist at the same time I got mine (floral, color, on her foot/ankle/lower leg). She says she likes mine better but hers is just as well done.
I will post a picture of the finished product when he finishes it.
-- Dust collectors suck.
cajunpen
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5352 posts in 518 days
posted 269 days ago
Beautiful mirror Blake – I think it is very artistic and great finish. As for the tattoo I got one in 1964, not nearly that big, and realized that it hurt. Have not had a desire to do that again :-)).
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
MsDebbieP
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11662 posts in 613 days
posted 269 days ago
yah, “ouch”.
the mirror is very beautiful .. and I can imagine a few tears of joy being choked back over receiving this!!
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Dadoo
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1511 posts in 442 days
posted 268 days ago
Lookin’ good bro!
-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!
Damian Penney
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627 posts in 443 days
posted 268 days ago
Cool, really like the red on the edges.
-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso
Mark DeCou
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1271 posts in 857 days
posted 268 days ago
cool mirror, I am a fan of Roger’s work also. Is this a gift, or a trade?
-- Mark DeCou - Kansas Flinthill's Artisan
Blake
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1902 posts in 326 days
posted 268 days ago
A gift.
-- Dust collectors suck.
Nils
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106 posts in 316 days
posted 268 days ago
Blake, you always do such beautiful and unusual work!
-- Nils Davis, Menlo Park, CA
Krisztian
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83 posts in 351 days
posted 266 days ago
Beautiful mirror!
-- Krisztian (from Hungary) VA
Blake
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1902 posts in 326 days
posted 266 days ago
Thanks everyone!
-- Dust collectors suck.
GaryK
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8414 posts in 440 days
posted 240 days ago
Nice tatoo. Basic black. You plan on getting any color?
BTW excellent mirror. I’m going to have to make one of those.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
Blake
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1902 posts in 326 days
posted 240 days ago
Thanks, and thanks. But no color… It’s a half-back piece at this point. I’ll post new pictures when its done healing.
-- Dust collectors suck.
mot
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4839 posts in 488 days
posted 240 days ago
That’s a pretty nice mirror, Blake.
-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)
motorhawg
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15 posts in 290 days
posted 224 days ago
This is a beautiful mirror Blake. Awsome ink on your shoulder!! Thanks for your comments on my lamps. I really appreciate it. Take care.
-- motorhawg
zebrano
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72 posts in 181 days
posted 179 days ago
Fantastic work!
Scott Bryan
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8585 posts in 274 days
posted 179 days ago
Hi Blake,
I am glad that this one came up on the list. Obviously I missed it originally. Your design is very artistic. Being “artistically challenged” myself I appreciate seeing this talent in others. Airbrushing the edges added a nice detail to the mirror.
Well done.
Thanks for the post.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.