| Project by Blake | posted 696 days ago | 1357 views | 2 times favorited | 30 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.
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com































30 comments so far
RobS
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1231 posts in 1185 days
posted 696 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 971 days
posted 696 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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128 posts in 1016 days
posted 695 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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7466 posts in 1097 days
posted 695 days ago
A gift befitting such a talented artist! Nice work, Blake.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Daren Nelson
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518 posts in 784 days
posted 695 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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1700 posts in 759 days
posted 695 days ago
wow ! very sweet. you definately go to the front of the line with this . great work blake
RobG
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71 posts in 700 days
posted 695 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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3415 posts in 942 days
posted 695 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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6396 posts in 861 days
posted 695 days ago
nice work Blake. Exotic mirror, both design and material,
-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever
dennis mitchell
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3785 posts in 1193 days
posted 695 days ago
Looks Good! I’ve always liked Rogers designs.
-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com
Thos. Angle
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4015 posts in 841 days
posted 695 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
miles125
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1414 posts in 884 days
posted 695 days ago
The mirror was a wonderful idea Blake…Great job!
-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""
Blake
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2715 posts in 753 days
posted 695 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.
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
cajunpen
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5970 posts in 944 days
posted 695 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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14090 posts in 1039 days
posted 695 days ago
yah, “ouch”.
the mirror is very beautiful .. and I can imagine a few tears of joy being choked back over receiving this!!
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Dadoo
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1724 posts in 869 days
posted 695 days ago
Lookin’ good bro!
-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!
Damian Penney
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1022 posts in 870 days
posted 695 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 A. DeCou
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1533 posts in 1284 days
posted 694 days ago
cool mirror, I am a fan of Roger’s work also. Is this a gift, or a trade?
-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com
Blake
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2715 posts in 753 days
posted 694 days ago
A gift.
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
Nils
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138 posts in 743 days
posted 694 days ago
Blake, you always do such beautiful and unusual work!
-- Nils Davis, Menlo Park, CA
Krisztian
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89 posts in 778 days
posted 692 days ago
Beautiful mirror!
-- Krisztian VA My website: www.vacarpentry.com
Blake
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2715 posts in 753 days
posted 692 days ago
Thanks everyone!
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
GaryK
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9497 posts in 867 days
posted 666 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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2715 posts in 753 days
posted 666 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.
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
mot
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4901 posts in 915 days
posted 666 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 716 days
posted 650 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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120 posts in 608 days
posted 606 days ago
Fantastic work!
Scott Bryan
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20068 posts in 700 days
posted 605 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.
GaryBuck
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108 posts in 104 days
posted 96 days ago
Wow very nice mirror, I’ve just came apon your work and Altho I think you do really nice work I read several times that you used boiled Linseed oil??? Is that what it is called? Or do you actually boil the linseed oil before applying it and if so what is the purpose of it,ex. does it change the look of it compared to just using linseed oil? Just courios I’ve never heard of any one using Boild linseed oil before, Thanks for any info you can give me and thanks for sharing, I’ve learn so much from you and all the other LJ”S on here, It’s greatly appreciated to you and to all, Thanks again for your advise and tips and help.
GaryBuck
Blake
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2715 posts in 753 days
posted 96 days ago
Thats just what its called. Its the same thing. It comes in a can and I just wipe it on.
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com