# A tough one



## Jesse James

Hello guys, I've been working on this stick for a while now and it's had it's ups, downs, added costs, and errors.

Anyways thought I would share.

the square part is for a hand rest have not decided on which one yet which is why it is still rough.


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## Gloops

That looks like one mean snake, looks like a good bit of work has been put in and coming along great, keep posting looking forward to seeing it grow.


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## CV3

Well done. What is the wood you are using.?


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## Jesse James

quaking aspen wood, I have been getting pointers from the forum here and I went to a lumber yard. Though I bought green wood instead of dead wood. That was mistake #1 with this stick that was in july. To find out they hide the dead wood in a back corner of the yard so I will know better next time. I dried it out some and did bad things to it. The wood seems nice and dry now so there shouldn't be and cracking.

The dimensions are not as perfect as i would like on it. The body has been pretty difficult in shaping.

But I think I have finally turned the corner on it being something that I don't like to look at to seeing what it will turn out to be. I'll post progress as it comes along though it might be slow going.

Then again this is my first stick like this, a bit ambitious but it has been teaching me a lot.


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## Batakali

Well, if you don't try you can't succeed! Are you sure you want the hand rest? It might look cleaner without. Check out stinnet sticks on YouTube, he does a lot of snake carved sticks, you might get some inspiration.


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## Rodney

I like it with the hand rest. Either way works though.

Nice looking work so far. Should be a great stick when you're done.

Rodney


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## RandyL476

Nice looking work.


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## BigDaddy

Can tell you put a LOT of work into tgat... dont give up even though it hasnt turned out perfect. Its a good learning process.


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## MJC4

Looks good to me. I work with a lot of aspen it's nice wood to carve and finishes well.

There is a fella on you tube that has a very informative vid on carving a snake walking stick. I believe its Stinnett Syicks. Google him and perhaps you may pick up a few pointers on adding the scales.

Yours is coming along nicely keep posting


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## Jesse James

from the last post I have worked on the rattles but instead of carving or shaping I have found the aspen burns nicely into shape. Just trying stuff but it seems to have worked.

Currently finishing where the body meets the wood and waiting on a scale tip from Razertip 15 day shipping but my day job is taking up alot of my time lately.

I'll post more pics as soon as progress progresses lol.


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## Jesse James

Ok made some progress slowly. Rounded of the top of the shank/stick that is very nice for getting up from a sitting position. Burning of the scales takes alot of time and is very easy to get wrong as each scale has to be precise. Many fixes to be made still include sanding down of some of the scales, finishing sanding underbelly, Final sanding of entire stick, redoing the rattle, and a few more things.

Believe me when I say the before mentioned Mr Stinnet in his videos makes this process of stick making look very easy and effortless.

I am hoping to have this done by January. Busy season at my day (and night) job could start anytime but we will see.

I can say for sure that the lessons of this one will make the next one so much smoother.


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## cobalt

Very nice

I am not a lover of snakes sticks but hats of to you for nice work patience and the detail .Is time consuming that regular pattern must have taken a lot of care to achieve very effective. Sure you will have a good show stick there keep posting as your work progresses


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## Jesse James

Spent most of the weekend sanding and doing scales. Scales are finally done. Next more sanding, Belly scales, rework of some of the head details, and then paint and staining


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## CV3

You have done a great jod. Your attention to detail will make the finished stick a classic one.


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## cobalt

great work admire your dedication and patience . Pretty sure it will be a worthwhile job nice one


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## Rodney

Looks really good and yeah, those scales look like a lot of fiddly work. Worth it though.

Rodney


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## Batakali

Lovin' it! And the hand rest was a good idea!


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## LilysDad

This project reminds me of Moses. When he threw his staff down, it would turn into a serpent.


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## Jesse James

Ya I hear that Moses guy was pretty alright but he didn't say to much. . . .(bible joke) . . . super busy work week 10 hours Monday, 12 hours on Tuesday, 15 hours on Wednesday, today off woohoo.

I got 75 % of the belly scales done but I think I might have gone cross-eyed from focusing in on the small details so I have to put it down for now even though my hands and itching to grab some brushes for finishing.

Thanks guys for your comments and Yes Batakali I am loving the hand rest too I spent extra time on the sanding there down to 1000 grit. Super smooth


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## Jesse James

Just starting the painting process. This is just the beginning having only 2 colors on it at the moment. long way to go still.


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## CV3

Looking good. What paint are you using an oil or acrylic?


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## cobalt

that's a lot of work but looking good


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## Jesse James

Mike Stinnet uses semi-transparent artist grade acrylic paint. I had a online deal for 40 % off at a close by art dealer and I bought a regular acrylic paint set. So far I am going to guess the extra artist grade stuff is better. Maybe I'll get that stuff after this stuff runs out.

Yes I am trying to be a total copy cat on this stick.

As for Mr. Stinnet . . . Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. . . so I hear.

Edit also I sanded down the entire top of it's head, shortened the "above the eye" scales, redid all the the scales on top of the head for better spacing, narrowed the head area behind the eyes for more realistic shaping, and sanded down the left side a bit for more symmetry.


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## Gloops

Great work, will certainly be a treasured stick when finished


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## cobalt

the stick wouldnt be copy just a learning tool .and I often do the same thing its a good way of learning. and by the looks of it your doing a good job

The main thing is to enjoy it and you will get a 1st class stick out of it.


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## cobalt

What can be done has been done and we all use information , copying others work

This is a theme I am following on.I posted a picture in photos of this work by a Canadian carver ..and decided to see I could turn it into a walking stick topper so you could say its a copy.

I do have however quite a bit of research material on textures of skin on reptiles .so using it as a base to start from..

It was done as I have no heating in the workshop to cold and don't like working in poor light and cant stand watching tv and like to be busy

images are slightly different and may change again but will get it done sometime as I have to finish of what I have on the go















your could say that when I carve these its a copy


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## Jesse James

Very true Colbalt.

I have been working a good deal on painting. I wish I would have just tried to use my airbrush instead of acrylic which I have never been good with, but anyways here are some Pics for updated progress.

( not close to being done with paint as you can see.)


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## cobalt

its coming along nicely well done.

painting three dimensionl objects its difficult a lot easyer to paint in 2 dimensions And air brush work seems to give more flexibility in the process from what I have seen , however I only use brush's at the moment but plan to get a airbrush


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## Gloops

Doing a great job with the painting - looking very good.

I use an airbrush on my toppers purely for blending purposes and I use acrylic paint well thinned with water or windolene (windex).

Using water is ok for job in hand but not good to store mixed coloures as bacteria cause it to go bitty/lumpy, constant rinsing/cleaning the airbrush is essential as you don't want any paint to dry in the brush and because of this I am thinking about using watercolour paints as they are still water soluble when dry.


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## Jesse James

update unhappy with paint repainting the whole thing.


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## cobalt

the paint job looks good to me. and don't think I would repaint it .its coming along fine

I like you never satisfied with my work ..

I have just got a airbrush and need to loo at some tutorials and search for paint yet but it may not help me improve my painting


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## Jesse James

I didn't like the color or how the paint was sitting on the wood. but I do like the new colors. I have had a hard time getting time to work on it but I am turning that corner and finding a new enthusiasm for it. I think I would like to learn how to make "toppers" and how to join them to shafts but as my workshop is a garage that is full of cars for the winter. I will have to put that off till springtime.

Once I get a little bit more I'll show some new pics.


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## CV3

Are you doing the repaint with your air bush or re doing it with a brush? Look forward to seeing the change.


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## Gloops

That's dedication to ones hobby, so the first paint job was a trial run but didn't look bad to me.

These are a couple of video's on Youtube where the author is using both airbrush and brush to paint a carvd snake - may be of interest to you

Carving a Snake from Wood! Shamokin

Carving a Snake, Coiled "Timber Rattler"


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## Jesse James

So very sorry for keeping everyone waiting on this one. I finally finished this stick I think I started around last june or july but it's done. The new paint is good I'm happy with it. Everything that could have happened other than some part of the stick breaking or cracking happened with this one I stained it the wrong color of stain at first, then used the wrong kind of stain after that. Continued that streak with using 3 types of lacquer the first two being wrong. I ended up using a spray finish on the snake to give it a mildly glossy look that comes out stronger in the photos.

I showed it to some of my co-workers and one of them wanted to buy it and asked me how much I said 150. They said I could get more for it and I should try.

So I guess we will see what happens to it thanks to all of you for your thoughts and advice along the way. ( sorry for bad photos )

~Jesse J~


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## Rodney

Very nice work!

Rodney


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## cobalt

very nice


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## MJC4

Too realistic!! Someones going to freak out when you walk up with that one!! Great job!!


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## Gloops

Great job well done, you now own an amazing stick.


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