Been a long time.

It's been a while, and I promised more axe photos and such.  While lacking pictures of its current state of completion, I do have a decent spread of build shots.

I document my process, and no one is surprised!

Step one.

First I drew out a pattern and prepared the world for an axe made of such RAW AND BRUTAL METAL.  I had a bunch of reference shots from around the internets.  It's a surprisingly (not really) huge axe.

Fleshing out the pattern, the ruler (for scale) is 18 inches.

Step two.

Step two: cutting the roughs out of ethafoam (soft, sort of spongy, but reasonably sturdy foam).  The handle is PVC.  Now, the problem I'm going to have at this point is painting the thing.  Ethafoam is a smooth closed cell foam and takes paint poorly.

Step 3.

Ahh, now we're getting somewhere.  More carving and cutting.  The blades as well as center spike have been shaped and the center fit to the PVC.  Next, I have to begin attaching it, more detailing and preparing the handle.

Step 4.

Oh, look.  Attachment!  The blades are supported and attached with aluminum flat-stock.  This was it's got some sturdiness.  At this point, I had found better reference material, and Michael of Puppet Kitchen gave me the advice to use charcoal foam for the top.  So, that whole top had to go.

Safety tip, kids, always be careful when you carve INTO foam to insert your support rods or flat stock.

Fuckin'...ow...

Moving on!

Step 5.

It's starting to come together now.  The detailing on the blades was a pain and I neglected to use a pattern (always make a pattern, kids) which meant each one is a little different.  They aluminum also gave me some problems where it angled and popped through the foam where it had been carved out for flames.  OH, WOE IS ME.

Damn, what a sweet axe.

And now some detail!

Step 6.  Also: huge dork.

After problem solving adhesives and carving down the charcoal foam (and making a new, accurate top), the thing's really coming together.  Yeah, I'm a huge dork.  Oh, and I gave it a stupid little face because we had a spare tongue lying around.

Ppptthhhbbbb.

...Well, it IS a puppet studio.  We're professional five-year-olds...

"Stab!  Stab-stab!  I have a traumatic past!"---Carl.

And a HUGE thanks to the Puppet Kitchen for putting up with me and letting me use the space while they're between gigs!  Michael, Emily, Eric, you guys ROCK!

Stab stab-stab.