Yard art - Reindeer

[Will Goodwin]

This past weekend, I started my Reindeer project.

I spent Saturday shopping for materials. I rented the truck at the BORG in Garner and learned that I didn't know anything about plywood. Now I know a bit more. I purchased materials for the Reindeer, the Sleigh and a bookcase project (some nice hardwood ply and some banding). LOML told me to make the truck rental worth my while, so get enough wood for a few projects. A Benjamin+ later, I headed home. Before we left for our Florida trip, I convinced my wife to stop in to HF. I purchased some clamps that were on sale and some folding sawhorses (please no comments....I'll build some eventually, but LOML has been waiting a long time for me to build these reindeer).
We ran some errands Saturday afternoon, so I didn't get started on the project until Sunday afternoon. I opened the plans and the carbon tracing paper and started laying things out.

I messed up laying out the patterns and I'm missing a leg because that part of the layout is a lot tighter than the rest. And since I can't erase the marks from the carbon paper, I thought I'd turn that section over and try to lay it out correctly on the back after I finish cutting the rest of the pieces.
I don't have a lot of experience with my jigsaw, so when I started cutting, this was fun. Lots of curves and small areas. I cut a few of the smaller pieces first.

After I burned my saw blade trying to turn a corner, I remembered hearing somewhere that if you drill a hole at the turning point, it helps. And it did especially in the smaller areas with tight turns.

I still have lots to cut out and fine tune after a dry fit.
(Adjusted the brightness/contrast on this one so you can see the fun I'll have with the antlers).

Then I'll need to paint and seal everything. Just wanted to post so you have proof that I been doing something. :nah:

thanks for looking,
Will

 

[toolferone]

Looks like fun! Are you using a exterior grade plywood? I would use a oil base primer to seal the wood from the elements, then you could use a latex enamel top coat. Keep us posted on Rudolph's progress

 

[Gotcha6]

We're all waiting to see that red nose! :thumbs_up

 

[Will Goodwin]

Looks like fun! Are you using a exterior grade plywood? I would use a oil base primer to seal the wood from the elements, then you could use a latex enamel top coat. Keep us posted on Rudolph's progress

I got lucky! I couldn't find anything on the store labels that said "Exterior", so I just grabbed some sanded pine plywood and found it stamped on the wood itself after I got it home. Thanks for the advice on finishing....I'd be asking about that before too long.

 

[DaveO]

Looking good Will :icon_thum One of my first projects was a set of saw horses that came out of one sheet of 3/4" ply. All I had at the time was a cheapo jigsaw and cordless drill. I still use them to this day :wwink:

Dave

 

[erasmussen]

Looks like your having great fun:eusa_danc
But better keep busy only 316 days left till christmas

 

[TBone]

You might want to consider using epoxy to seal the edges of the plywood, particularly the edges the might sit on the ground.

 

[mcoston2]

Sounds good so far Will. Keep on keeping on.:icon_thum

 

[Trent Mason]

Looks great! Those antlers look like a lot of fun (hint of sarcasm). Can't wait to see how they turn out! :icon_thum

PS. And thanks for the advice on my stain in the carpet thread. Carolina is playing right now and I'm procrastinating on trying to clean it up. Don't have any of the Murphys stuff that you mentioned at the house, but I'll ask the LOML if she knows where to get it. Thanks!

Trent

 

[ScottM]

Will, there is something wrong with you.:rotflm: Every good woodworker knows you don't start on Christmas projects in February. Those have to wait until after Thanksgiving and then of course you don't have time to get them done. :wsmile:

It looks like you are off to a good start on that project. Yell if you need a hand.

 

[sapwood]

Great to see the sawdust is flying, Will!
You definitely chose a challenge with the antlers. But by December you should have herd of reindeer :icon_thum

Roger

 

[Will Goodwin]

Will, there is something wrong with you.:rotflm: Every good woodworker knows you don't start on Christmas projects in February. Those have to wait until after Thanksgiving and then of course you don't have time to get them done. :wsmile:

It looks like you are off to a good start on that project. Yell if you need a hand.

I mentioned this response to Joel last night at the Flying Saucer, Scott - my wife asked me to take on this project 4 years ago and I bought the plans 4 years ago, so I'd say I'm right on schedule :rotflm:.

I did some more work on them this past weekend and boy my back and legs were sore from being bent over those saw horses for like 3 hours!

I got one of the reindeer cut out (need to tidy up the legs and cut the notches). I still need to cut out the antlers, antler attachment and shoulders for the second reindeer. I flipped the remainder of the plywood over when it came time to do the legs and found out it was just too hard to get the pattern laid out tracing on the carbon paper. I ended up cutting one each of the two different types of legs and then tracing around the cutout onto the plywood. It was a much tighter fit than on the layout diagram. In some places I just have some football shapes between the two legs. But I was victorious and I have limited my two reindeer to a single sheet of plywood! :icon_thum

Here are the pics from this past weekend:


Question about painting...do I need to sand between coats?

Will

 

[Ray Martin]

Will,

This project can be declared a complete success... the reindeer are looking good and you seem to be having fun. (and I think the second is more important than the first) I'm looking forward to seeing them all painted up.

You know you will owe us another set of photos... when you set these up at the house in December, we'll want to see that too.

Ray

 

[Trent Mason]

Will,

The reindeer are looking good! :eusa_clap

I'm not expert on paint, but I'm pretty sure you don't have to sand between coats. Probably one coat of primer and one or two more coats of whatever you decide.

One question, are they mountable? :rotflm: j/k. Great work. Can't wait to see the finished product. :icon_thum

Trent

 

[jsjordan]

Great job Will! :eusa_clap Looks like Rudolph is coming along just fine! :eusa_danc

 

[Will Goodwin]

Sunday afternoon I finished cutting out the parts and assembled the second reindeer. I'm going to start now on the sleigh. The wife suggested waiting to paint them until closer to Christmas so that I can start on the sleigh and then the project after that. :eusa_danc

So this will be the last post to this thread with pictures. I'll post again as Ray said when they are set up in the front yard. :icon_thum



By the way, notice the old sweatshirt I'm wearing...already got in trouble for making sawdust in good clothes :slap: Good thing I wasn't staining or painting!



thanks for looking,
Will

 

[sapwood]

Fine looking reindeer and on-schedule :icon_thum
Apparently you have a nice camera, too. Enlarging the photos reminded me of looking at a 60 inch TV :week:

Roger

 

[DaveO]

Man Will, those are sharp!!! Some of the best looking yard art reindeers I've ever seen. They are quite realistic. I wouldn't mind having a look at your plan or source of the plan once you're all finished.
My wife would love a pair.

Dave

 

[Will Goodwin]

Actually Dave, I think this plan is more you:
http://www.thewinfieldcollection.com/display.aspx?id=179&catid=108

As you can see they have a lot of great plans. That is the site I got them from but you are welcome to use mine. I have plenty of carbon paper left. The great part is that both deer come from one sheet of plywood. :eusa_clap

Will

 

[DaveO]

Actually Dave, I think this plan is more you:
http://www.thewinfieldcollection.com/display.aspx?id=179&catid=108

Will

Got them already. Is there a non beer-guzzling model
:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Dave