Walking Tiger

[Goonyella]

I am going to try and do the Walking Tiger by Judy Gale. I was wondering if anyone else had done this design and if so have you any tips.
Thanks
Steve.

[Bob H]

Hi G/Y
Pretty ambitious project you taken on.I ahve been considering the sam pattern but procrastinaing is my middle name. I haven't seen too many posting of this particular pattern so you may not get many responses.
However.a geneal question is hard to answer. If you asked specific questions I might be able to help. While I have not yet done the tiger I have done several of JGR's oversized patterns. ie.50 inch eagle. buffalo, "out on a limb" racoon. and the only diference I have found in dealing with these is the extra worktable space needed for assenbly.
With the tiger being freestanding, that is no frame, assembly will be somewhat easier.
I would also suggest that you not get carried away with rounding the edges of the interior pieces.they should "flow" smoothly from one to the other.Try for a rippling effect where it would naturally occur and then heavily contour(round over) the perimeter of the beast.
Tough to put into words but, in my opinion too much emphasis is put on "rounding over" every piece which then has the effect of a JigSaw puzzle.
If I can help.....holler.

[Sir Stinkalot]

Any chance of a photo? .....
I think I know the plan and would like to attempt it one day .....
I thought I might just buy the plan and add it to my things to do list.

[Tikki]

Hi Steve (and good to hear from you again :) )

I can't see any difficulty with the project other than perhaps the cutting of the backer due to the size of it (25" x 38") - but that depends on the throat depth of your SS, and the need for very loooong arms! The number of pieces (226) should not deter you ... the largest I have done is 895 pieces and apart from the extra time required to complete it, did not pose any additional problems. The pattern comes with a set of basic instructions, hopefully you can pick up a few hints from them. Good luck, and look forward to seeing pics of the completed project. :)

Stinky ... tiger pic here
http://www.intarsia.com/Judy%20G.%20Large%20Intarsia%20p6.html

Cheers
Tikki :)

[Sir Stinkalot]

Thanks Tikki ..... I did a search for Judy Gale and found it. Bloody amazing bit of work that .... looks like a photo.

I was at a combined club night do and one of the show and tell items was a walking tiger. The maker said it was made from an american plan but was disappointed it wasn't the 3d form. I took a photo and will post it. I hope the maker doesn't mind ..... after all I took the photo because I thought it was so good.

[Tikki]

I was at a combined club night do and one of the show and tell items was a walking tiger. The maker said it was made from an american plan but was disappointed it wasn't the 3d form.
Same pattern ... after all that precision cutting, just a shame the extra effort wasn't put in to make it an intarsia instead of a flat nothing. :rolleyes:

Cheers
Tikki :)

[Goonyella]

Thank you one and all.

Yea Bob it is my biggest project to date. I was just wondering if there are any special things (don't know how else to put it) I should look out for.

The directions are very basic, no hints on where to raise, lower etc. But I consider that another hurdle to cross.

I have already bought the timber and will start to take photos when I start the project and try and keep everyone posted on the progress. Could be over a longish time though.

Don't worry I will be asking for advice on this forum as I go.

Steve.

[Bob H]

Hi Steve.
I think the size of the beast needs extra thick timber to start with.
The larger projects I did (Buffalo & Racoon) both needed 1.5 inch thickness at the widest part. In the case of the buffalo it was at the shoulder and for the racoon, the whole animal was 1.5 in. (3.5- 4 cm) to start.
Anything less will not allow you to shape it naturally and will end up flat overall.
The 2 left legs,(furthest away) should be thinner , 2 cm maybe and the thickest parts being the right front shoulder-leg and right rear shoulder-leg. Also the head, tapering the neck back to the shoulder. Same applies to the belly in front of the RR leg.
If you start with a "thick" tail you willl be able to shape it sufficiently to actually make it almost round.

If your cutting is accurate and the stripes fit togehter tightly. you might consider just a bare minimum of "rounding over" each segment. So that they blend together a touch more naturally. Saving the heavy shaping for the thick bits and the perimeter.

Bob.

[Bob H]

On the subject of cutting the backer for intarsia projects.

My preference is to Not cut the backer out to the final shape of the pattern prior to glue-up.
I find that unless sawing and fitting is exceedingly accurate and every piece fits exactly there is too much possibility of a single piece shifting which in turn causes a domino effect. Backers have few pefectly matching areas where a specific piece will fit as a guide upon which the remainder can build. The larger the project the greater the likelihood that the final pieces will not fit properly.
I am of course speaking only of un-framed intarsia. Where the perimeter wanders all over.
I prefer to deal with backers this way.
I cut out a piece of plywood only to the overall dimensions plus a couple of centimeters.
Then on this surface I glue up the whole project. (Some groupings/sections have been previously joined together).
Then when the glue is set, I tilt my saw table approximately 3 degrees and begin sawing the backer to fit the artwork.
The 3 deg. tilt is to bevel the backer so it is hidden.
In the case of projects that are too long for the saw's throat. I will tilt my table in the opposite side and continue the cutting from the other side. On occasion I have had to reverse the blade in the holder and draw the piece towards me instead of feeding it forward.
One could always consider "Spiral" blades as well although I am not a fan as they tend to leave fuzziness. And if worst comes to worst a coping or fret saw could be pressed into service.
When all my "Trimming" of the whole is done. A light sanding of the plywood's edge then a broad, black, felt tip marker is drawn all around the backer's edge to further camouflag the laminates.

Bob H