He then created a lower height relief around the oval which would effectively cut the shape out in a fashion. Our bit was only 2.5″ long so it wouldn’t cut all the way through but it would give us a guideline and a head start.

We then merged the pieces to the outside ‘bowl’ one at a time using the replace command. (Please not that merge highest is shown in the picture below. The Replace command s the one on the fair right.

   

The outside of the oval would have another layer added. This would be undercut so we could place a ring of LED lights there to create a glow on the domed background behind the tree. This would be routed upside down. We first created a relief that was 2″ thick.

This relief was then modified by using the subtract command.

Lastly we created a 2″ filler layer. This was done as a simple offset cut file. We cut this in sections which would allow for the welded structural steel frame to be put inside the outer layers.

With the design for the Hazelnut Inn finally in hand we set to work in EnRoute. I had done the design using Adobe Photoshop using my iPad as an interface. I based the lettering on an actual font but modified it a fair amount. Now that needed to be done using vectors. So Peter imported the jpg image of the sign and tweaked the lettering vectors using the image as reference.

Since we were going to add a fairly high bevel to the letters we knew they would be very thin and fragile. To change that we needed to thicken up the tapered ends of the letters. To do this Peter first did an inside offset of .05″ .

Hw then created a second offset around the letters to create a shaped background.

Two legs protruded out of the back of the sign for mounting.

We glue our signs using Coastal Enterprises PB Bond 240 glue – a one part urethane glue which is activated by a spritz of water mist.

The lettering was curved to the shape of the scroll using the warp tool. The only thing not settled was the ornamentation on the scroll as the debate had not yet been decided.

I handed the vectors over to Peter at this stage. He created a second and ultimately a third version of the lock vectors and built the reliefs for two of these versions before they settled on the second one. The lock was built in three layers with structural steel through the middle. The loop of the lock was welded 2″ pipe – very much overkill but in scale for this lock. The top layer of the lock was built as a flat relief and then modified using an oval. A custom bitmap was used to generate the inlay texture on the front of the lock.

The folded ends of the scroll were created in the same fashion, as flat reliefs which were then modified using an oval vector and the dome tool. One further thing Peter did was to create a pocket for the upper piece in each segment so they fit together.  He did this by creating a flat relief and then merging lowest with the piece that needed to be modified.

First off we applied a primer to the metal. Then we used Coastal Enter

prises FSC-88 primer to add a little more texture to the sign. This makes glazing much easier later.

Then everything was welded up into once assembly.

A coat of sculpting epoxy was hand formed over thee plasma cut steel to formed a beveled form.