Barking Spider?

[Curt Fuller]

The "Wasatch Mountain Gambel Oak Barkbacked Spider" is what I turned for the "Beast" part of the WTA's Beauty and the Beast contest. This is turned from what is probably the most abundant natural wood around where I live, Gambel Oak. The only parts that aren't Gambel Oak are the eyes (all 6 of them) and the jaws, or what my wife says looks like a Fu Manchu mustache, which are Cocobolo. The eyes are rounded pegs and the fangs are similar to the jewelry pendants with the offset portion cutting the bottom part off (if that makes sense). The body is a multi axis turning, with the 2nd axis giving the head an oval shape and leaving a little of the bark for the back. The legs are pinned to the body using some small brass pins (brazing rod) and the rest of the leg joints are round mortise and tenon joints. The two front legs have 3 sections, the remaining 6 legs have 4 sections, and they're assemble in the full attack spider fighting position. The pedestal is also a mulit axis turning, just for the heck of it. And the base is segmented which with the grain in the oak gives it somewhat of a spider web appearance. The finish is just rattle can deft semi gloss lacquer. The whole thing stands about 15" tall and the leg span is about 12".

[Tim Rinehart]

I like it!!:p

[Roger Chandler]

Totally ghastly :eek: in a pretty sort of way! ;) A lot of work went into this I am sure...........very whimsical!

[dennis kranz]

Now thats thinking outside the box. Very nice.
Dennis

[Jim Underwood]

eeeeEEEEEEEKKKKKK! a SPIIII-DDDDERRRR!

Looks pretty cool. Just don't want it's web slapping it on my face unexpectedly...

[Scott Hackler]

Wow thats a lot of reproduced turnings. I am lucky to make two things similar, let alone 8+! Really neat and a good entry for the contest.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Very ingenious Curt! Very nicely done.

[John Keeton]

Curt, the originality of this piece is over the top! Not only is it well conceived, but well executed! Great turnings - all 36?? of them! I would say this entry is going to be a tough one to beat!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Curtis that is just to cool. I am like Scott in that I might get two alike but 8?????

[Baxter Smith]

Curt, I can't say that its pretty... but I suppose thats the point!:) It is pretty cool though! A very memorable turning. Great job from start to finish!

[David E Keller]

Wow! Wonderfully playful and yet beastly! Great job!

[Mark Hubl]

Nice beast. Couldn't wait to see it when I saw the title. Love the spiders and this one is way cool. Has a great sense of motion. Good luck with this beast!

[Kathy Marshall]

Very cool looking beast! Looks like it was alot of work and a very high imagination content!

[Norm Zax]

A spider with a mustouch = a mexican tarantula! Well executed sir.

[Hank Wangford]

Lovely intricate design and work.
Being quite the arachnophile, I totally love it!

:)

[Michelle Rich]

:-) eek :-)

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Quick, Where's my really big broom. Great entree. Lots of imagination there as well as skills. If the award is given literally, you win hands down. Can't wait to see your "Beauty".
faust

[Aaron Wingert]

I don't even think my size 16 boot would take that thing out! Great piece of work Curt.

[Don Orr]

Very Beastly-and well done!

[Curt Fuller]

Thanks everybody! If you could see this up close instead of a photo, you'd see that none of the leg pieces are really identical. They're similar but all in different sizes. The only thing I bothered to measure was the tenons so that it would all fit together.

Thanks again!