Making the mine

The sculpture will be made, initially, at half-life size.  This is so that the composition, movement and details can be read in the studio as if one were looking at the finished work from afar.  Also, at this scale, it is a lot easier to make changes as the work develops.

The first stage, before scaling too half-life size, is to work out what the dimensions are in reality.  We do this by taking the basic dimensions of the Mk XV11 mine, that I took on my visit to HMS Collingwood, and superimposing them onto photos.  From this, and with George's kind help, the finer details can be worked out.



We construct a jig from which to create the basic form

Then we make an armature to support the clay...the galvanised horizontal pole going away from you here will, once the mine is complete, be welded to a supporting back iron to hold the mine aloft.

The first clay coat is applied and left to harden off for a few days.


...and in the meantime, we make a half size trigger.

Jig to fashion the top and bottom plates

Turning the top cover



The clay hardened off, the final skim is added.


Body of the mine in clay is moulded.




Fibre glass jacket being applied over the rubber mould.
Details of the mine are ready for assembly.
Top and bottom plates being marked out for bolt positions

Plates and the Hertz horns being fabricated













Comments

  1. UnknownMarch 26, 2019 at 5:58 AM

    Great news to get this finally settled so the CD Branch can have the monument we deserve and in the right location (HMS Vernon).

    Lew.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownMay 24, 2019 at 12:29 PM

    I note that both divers are wearing wide vision masks could one of them wear an oval mask as in the old days

    ReplyDelete

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