Turtle

Initial sketches based off customer pictures.

Translating the hand sketches into CAD models.

The fins were moved to a swimming position to reduce customer interaction and improve access to the desk.

This is the view customers will see upon entering the facility.

First attempt at sculpting the face.

This was my test to give me confidence I could make it look as intended.

1/24th scale model of the shell structure.

1/24th scale model with fins, head, and shell pieces.

This will be the customers view of the turtle upon entry.

I scanned the model head and sliced it in 2 inch thick clices.

Each slice got traced and cut out of foam.

Once traced, each layer was cut out.

Layers were glued together in stages using gorilla glue and water jugs as weight.

Gluing was done in about 5 stages.

Completed stack matches the CAD.

Using the scale model head as a guide for carving.

I used a pneumatic rotary carver to cut the detailed features.

A side view of the detailed eyes and mouth.

The large fins were 4’ wide and 10’ long.

Fins were carved with a grinder and super course burr wheel.

Gluing the fins with gorilla glue and weight. Back fins are 4’ x 4’.

Smaller, but just as messy as the front fins.

I made the fins as symmetrical as possible.

Progress shot of all the foam components before fiberglassing.

Smaller, 1” tubes between the larger tubes

Laser cut tabs for mounting shell pieces.

Each piece was cut approximately 1” from the tubing to allow some light through and show segmentation.

Once each piece was cut, they get drilled to mount to the tabs.

Shell pieces were test fit before painting.

The top and bottom of the shell were painted with different patterns to mimic a real turtle.

The streaky-ness of the shell was created using a straw broom as a paint brush.

A simple device to get even spacing between the shell and the frame even with tricky geometries.

Added structure, painted white, was mounted in the ceiling to hang the turtle.

The head was built around a welded structure, then bolted back on when completed.

Head was mounted to the shell before hanging due to access issues once in the air.

The shell and head were hung together. Each fin was hung and leveled separately.

The Shell was mounted and bolted last due to the weight of lifting the plywood already in the shell.