Meat Pod: The Meatening

With the steel pieces formed, fitted, and clamped together, I tack welded a few spots inside to hold the whole structure together.

Ran out of MIG wire and had to oxyacetylene a few tacks.

Then I applied automotive body-filter putty to the interior to hide some seams, the interior of the outside texture, and the tack welds.

While the Bondo was curing I drilled holes along all the adjacent outer seams.

And started threading copper wire through the holes.

Once the Bondo had set I sanded it roughly and sponged black paint over the whole interior.

Then I glued in the silicone 'meat' I had made to the inside.

And it was ready to display, hanging from water pipes by copper and aluminum braided wire.

Needs more meat.

Warka mask Final

After the copper sheets were shaped and fitted I stained the wood a nice dark color.

After staining

Stained, with copper

Then I raised the details into the copper with a hammer and chasing tools.

The coffee table is a great place for metal working

 To fasten the copper to the wood I made copper nails, by cutting lengths of copper wire and placing them into the vise.

Then gently hammering them down to form a flat head.

The last thing left was a display method, so I made a spear which could stand unsupported (screws to a flat tripod, hidden by sand), the tip has a rounded strip of steel that conforms to the chin of the mask. The mask is held in without fasteners, friction from the pinching strip holds it steady.

Warka mask III

With all the copper pieces made and fitted, I can start fine tuning the edges, and then putting details in.

Starting to remind me of Odin.

Warka mask II

After cutting the shape with a wood grinder, I chiseled the big bumps off and got some finer detail into the nose, and drilled out the eyes and chiseled them as well. Then I made a paper template and cut out one side of the copper for the face, which I began forming over the wood.

When forming metal, remember to anneal it frequently to avoid gardening and work cracks.

The arms sticking out are screwed into the back, and allow me to clamp the whole mass down while I form the copper. Once all the pieces are formed I will begin raising the details and decoration into the copper.

Warka mask

Doing research to recreate an African Warka mask, associated with the people of the Mali area.

They are constructed of hammered metal sheet (usually copper or brass) over carved wood.