SOmething Different II

[Weldon47]

Ok,

Getting a little better at the posting a new thread deal. Hope the picture is a little better on this one.
Again, the piece shown is a mandolin tailpiece & is for a high-end instrument maker from Austin, Texas. The piece itself is bronze & cuts nicely, no soft & hard places like you sometimes get with a poor quality brass casting. I used the hammer & chisel method for this piece: I'm still working on getting used to air tools & am not quite confident of my skill level with them to totally replace the hammer (at this point anyway)!
Thanks for looking!

Weldon

 

[Tim Wells]

That's beautiful!

Is that for my old pal Tom Ellis or that Collings feller. I like the design and I'd bet money the sustain is better than the old Gibson style thin tailpieces. Great job.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Weldon

That is beautiful. Just beautiful

Cheers
Andrew

 

[monk]

i don't know from a tail piece, but i could make avery nice buckle out of that. my initials are jds.

 

[Markofx]

Very Nice

Looks like you're following in the Nimschke style, only you've made it your own design.
Thanks for sharing.
Mark

 

[Weldon47]

Good eye Tim, it's a Collings!

Weldon

 

[Sam]

That's a rich looking tailpiece treatment. Really nice!
Collings are pretty pricy (and FINE) instruments. This does 'em justice. / Sam

 

[Darren]

A very cool and well done piece. Nice Job!!

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Can I get hold of one of these tailpieces? I'd like to do one for my Eastman.

Weldon, this looks great and I like the design very much.

By way of constructive critisism, if I had to be really picky I'd say to concentrate on getting your beaded background really even. When beading each circle should be visible as an individual bead touching (but not overlapping) the next one. It's relatively easy if you get a rhythm going with the hammer and punch. Some materials though can cause the punch to snag not letting it run, which causes the beads to overlap.

Apart from that I'm envious that you were approached to do something like this. I'd love to do this sort of stuff. Great job, keep it up!

 

[KSnyder]

Weldon, really a nice piece, let's hear it for the hammer!
I can see that you'd be hesitant using other methods when you get those results with a hammer.
thanks for showing,
Kent

 

[Steve223]

Very Very Nice thanks for showing it!!

 

[Weldon47]

Thanks to all, guys!

Marcus, I appreciate your comments and understand them completely. In my training as an appretce under my father, I was taught to do the background as shown on the piece. The theory behind that was that the background should not take precident over the foreground. I have noticed others taking adifferent approach and might have to reconsider
I will see If I can get an extra tailpiece for your Eastman. I would love to see what you do with it!

Thanks again,

Weldon

 

[Marcus Hunt]

That explains it then Weldon, if that's the way you were trained that's what you're going to do. My father taught me the way I explained so it's horses for courses! LOL

I rarely use the punched background because over here it was always considered a) a quick, cheap way of darkening the background and b) very 'continental'. So it is rarely used on fine English guns. I consider that it does have it's place though especially on things such as this tail piece and if done well it can look great (more apt sometimes than cutting away).

I'm not bumming a tailpiece off you....I'm more than willing to pay for it and it would be a great publicity piece when I'm on stage with my band. If you'd rather just tell me where I can get one then PM me.

 

[Weldon47]

Marcus,

No problem. It's a proprietary tailpiece made for Collings but I don't know who makes them. I tried to PM you but the system wouldn't let me. PM me with your email & I'll put you in contact with them.

Thanks for the comments,

Weldon

 

[Ron Smith]

Weldon,that puts me in mind of a Frank Hendricks style and techniques. Could he have been any influence in your work? He was a great engraver. Great job! Instruments are kinda fun.

 

[Weldon47]

Ron,

Thanks for the very kind words. In fact, my dad worked with Frank Hendricks from the late 1960's to the early 70's & as a little kid I ran around Frank's shop bugging him & dad & whoever else was around. When I was older, (17) I approached my dad about learning to engrave. By that time he was working on his own & took me on as an apprentice. That was in 1979. I greatly admire the work of both my dad and Frank Hendricks & to be mentioned with either of them in the same sentence is the greatest of compliments. Though I never received instruction directly from Frank, I guess the influence is still evident. Thanks!!

Weldon

 

[aparramoure]

What did you use to darken the background?
Thanks