Transfer to ply and the first cut...

The next step is to transfer the scanned plans from the computer, where the components have been carefully rearranged and modified in Photoshop, to the plywood.  For my previous large sculptural object, metal giant owl, I used a grid trace method.  I like this method - although slow, it is relaxing.  Really I should project the plans directly onto the ply and trace them, this being the 21st century, but events are conspiring against this, and anyway, I feel more connected to the project tracing freehand.  It is summer, and 2011, a most disastrous year in general, is nearly over.  I think the slower relaxing contemplative method has most appeal.  So grid tracing it is.

Transferring Plans to the Plywood Sheets

I am listening to Oumou Sangaré to get into a suitably African frame of mind while tracing.  Eventually I trace in silence though, as music as background never really works for me.  Any music I would want to listen to soon takes the foreground and steals my concentration, and if it doesn't do this I wouldn't be listening to it.

Shapes transferred.

Having transferred the shapes, the next step is to cut out the first rib.  It has been a year or so since I used the jig saw, so I start with a small rib.

Rib the first...

The first rib is done.  The elephant is breaking free of the wood at last.  Looking at the rib, it is a slightly strange shape, but comparing it to the original, this is mostly because the original was a slightly strange shape.  I think I'll look more closely at the next ribs before cutting.  

To make sure the curves are clear, I outline the next ribs with a Sharpie and flexi curve.

More ribs

More ribs and the base of the head are cut.  Each shape seems to be easier than the last.  The project is progressing nicely, but dinner with friends beckons.  I should have the rest of the ribs done and the long bones transferred to ply by tomorrow evening.  

The long bones will be more difficult.  These are going to take the weight of the instrument and need to be sturdy, so I will be laminating two sheets of 25mm ply together.  This will make the wood much harder to cut, although the shapes are generally easier.  I am debating whether to glue the sheets together before cutting, or hold them together with screws and laminate afterwards.  Laminating before will use more glue, and require drying for several hours, so I really needed to have done that already.  Laminating afterwards gives more options for cutting out hollows simply, without requiring a router, and will also leave me with easily manageable offcuts for other parts of the project.

I think I'll go with screwing together before cutting, and glueing later, although I think that might be slightly harder on the blade.