Chopper gas tank engraving - Engraving Forum.com - The Internet's Largest and Fastest Growing Engraving Community

Steve Lindsay · #1 02-23-2011, 06:35 PM

Here is what Otto Carter has been up to lately with a NitroG20. Just a small project.

sddd42000 · #2 02-23-2011, 06:46 PM

CRAZY!

KDavid · #3 02-23-2011, 06:59 PM

Verry Cool!!! what will be the final finish on this bike?

Otto · #4 02-23-2011, 07:07 PM

Did you say FINISH ???

KDavid · #5 02-23-2011, 07:23 PM

Absolutly!! Otto you are a crazzy man, I hope to meet you in person one fine day.

Don Curtis · #6 02-23-2011, 07:38 PM

NOW THATS HARLEYART

Donny
HarleyArt

JJ Roberts · #7 02-23-2011, 07:56 PM

Otto,What is the theme of the engraving,it looks to be biblical? J.J.

Tim Wells · #8 02-23-2011, 08:01 PM

Otto, What is the white covering the tank that you've drawn your design on?

Otto · #9 02-23-2011, 09:36 PM

Here's the scoop. Client had the tank cast out of aluminum with the crucifix cast into it. The aluminum is about 1/4 inch thick. All he told me was he wanted an angels and demons theme on it. I envisioned a banner wrapping around it with Rev. 20:10 on it in Latin. The figures are from classical art like Michaelangelo etc. Then I implemented the Horror Vacui approach to the rest of the space. The gas cap had a cheesy machined "gas" on it. I axed him if I could sand that off and put the Alpha Omega symbol on it. He said "go for it". So, hopefully in a day or two I'll be done with it....NOT! But the Nitro is great for this. I love it. What a tool.

rbaptiste · #10 02-24-2011, 12:02 AM

Very nice and it isn't evident to engrave on a big surface.

FATKAT · #11 02-24-2011, 12:57 AM

yeah, buddy thats what I'm talking about a man who is not afraid of time, this kind of work is what make a great artist! Kool man cant wait to see it done!

BES · #12 02-24-2011, 01:04 AM

Hi Otto!
Excellent work!
Form of a tank for gasoline, in contrast to the flat plate probably is a lot of trouble? On the table will not put in a vice not to pinch!
And the picture on this form will not read the eyes immediately!

Otto, tell me what you use for white paint?
It is a Chinese white or something else?

Good luck

roboink · #13 02-24-2011, 05:11 AM

Cool..lot of work...any video's of you working on it..

Bunic · #14 02-24-2011, 05:47 AM

Otto,

Way cool! I'd love to see the finished product in detail. Did you layout the design on paper or computer first or work direct? Love it! Tnx!

Sam Welch · #15 02-24-2011, 06:47 AM

That is the kind of project that would take me about 2 months....to get up the courage to make the first cut!! Good on you Otto.

david bain · #16 02-24-2011, 07:33 AM

NICE

Otto · #17 02-24-2011, 07:40 AM

The tank was polished when given to me. I sanded it with 320 grit and then spray-painted it with Rust-oleum Painter's Touch white wet or dry sandable primer. It is very tough. Easy to draw on and takes acetone transfers well without coming off.

I am documenting the entire process with photographs showing every step. I'm also saving all my CorelDraw work on it.

Basically, I layed out the banner design with vine charcoal and traced the arcs with a sharpie on tracing paper. I scanned those shapes into Corel Photopaint. From there I imported those shapes into CorelDraw and made vector traces of the banner arcs. I then set the type to those shapes (several tries to get the length to come out right) using "fit text to path" command. Then reversed the text and printed it out. Then made copies on toner based copy machine. Cut out the strips of text and taped them onto the tank, then did the acetone transfers. THEN drew the final banner shape to fit the text. I figured that would be easier than trying to fit the text to a banner. I did some acetone transfers with the figures and traced some using graphite tracing paper. The scrollwork was laid out roughly with the vine charcoal and then roughed in with pencil. Refined with sharpie.

I plan on using several methods of texturing for shading and background. Including, sandblasting and stippling. Aluminum is great for easy texturing. Sometimes I use and acid etch process to take down backgrounds, but I don't see that happening on this project.

KeithPedersen · #18 02-24-2011, 03:36 PM

Beautiful job. Love seeing this stuff... Looking forward to seeing the finished project.
Good Luck,
Keith

Peter · #19 02-24-2011, 04:10 PM

This is SO cool!! I'll be hoping to see the progress to fruition.

Peter

Gert · #20 02-25-2011, 02:10 AM

Great stuff man!

Oridean · #21 02-25-2011, 08:13 PM

That looks very nice.

WVEngraver · #22 02-25-2011, 09:32 PM

Otto, you're an excellent artist as always.

Up to this point ... I think you've done a lot more with a Sharpie than with the Nitro.

Very much looking forward to the finished piece so I can figure out how you did it!!!

Keep up the good work buddy.

Otto · #23 02-26-2011, 08:12 AM

Here are some updated pictures. I have all the figures and scrolls outlined. I have begun removing the background. I don't clamp the tank in anything. It simply rests on my turntable or in my lap. I have found that rounded bottom onglettes make better cuts in this cast aluminum than traditional square gravers do. That being the case I have made numerous chisels with different radii. I have used various grinders, ie, NSK, dremels etc., on previous works, but this cast stuff does not lend itself to that as it gums up your bits immediately. This will all have to be chiseled and peened and stippled. Maybe some sandblasting for texture and of course polishing. We'll see. This is a "pitch till you win" project. The gas cap is done.

Otto · #24 03-01-2011, 07:01 PM

Here are some updated shots as of today.

Dave London · #25 03-01-2011, 07:23 PM

Otto
What can I say but whow.

can't wait to see it done

tundratrekers@mtaonline.n · #26 03-01-2011, 08:26 PM

Are you going to rework the Jesus?mike

Otto · #27 03-01-2011, 08:52 PM

I don't think I'll rework Jesus. But at times he grabs my airhose!

KeithPedersen · #28 03-01-2011, 08:55 PM

Coming out great. Going to be something when its done, thanks for posting. How tired are your hands from cutting so much?
Keith

Otto · #29 03-01-2011, 09:43 PM

My index finger is raw and my elbow hurts.

JRon · #30 03-01-2011, 10:35 PM

Otto:
That is starting to look excellent! Try wraping youe hose a couple of times around your
arm, it may keep it out of the way.(Not to offend Jesus)_JR

mtgraver · #31 03-01-2011, 11:07 PM

Otto, I was going to make a joke but you have way too much time in this to make light of it, so I have a real question, not having done something of this size, Do you have the interior filled to dampen any vibration or is the thickness more than ample to not vibrate enough to warrant filling? Great job by the way. Hope you heal quick.
Mark

Otto · #32 03-02-2011, 08:38 AM

The noise is a factor more than vibration. The bottom of the tank acts as a sound board, so I taped some paper towels to the bottom of it to dampen the noise. The tank is 1/4" thick. So it's plenty sturdy. I also have the inside filled with a rope to quieten it. That helps a lot. But the Nitro hammering on it is still loud so I wear ear plugs. Have to crank music to the max to drown out noise and still be able to rock out while working. Background removal is done. Now I need to clean up some edges and texture it before modeling the scrolls and figures.

rodsta · #33 03-02-2011, 09:18 AM

Otto that is just a phenomonal amount of work and I can't even imagine how you will bill such a job. Looking good- can't wait to see the finished pics..
Rod

AndrosCreations · #34 03-02-2011, 11:00 AM

That is really something else! A enormous amount of work... I didn't even consider how the noise would be a factor. I guess gas tanks... aside from their actual use, could function as an acoustic amplifier just as well.

Anyone else think it looks really cool with the "white primer" look and raw engraving?...

Incredible work... Can't wait to see the finished piece.

tundratrekers@mtaonline.n · #35 03-02-2011, 05:32 PM

You know,i was thinking from the first post,that it would be loud.Maybe fill it with water.mike

mtgraver · #36 03-02-2011, 05:55 PM

Otto,
That's funny, another fellow admitting to rocking out while ya work, yep got to have the beat of old rock n roll.
I was thinking you could use some of those Styrofoam pellets to dampen it by filling, hadn't thought of the transmission factor. I made up a large rectangle sand bag the size of a cafeteria tray, if you were close I'd let you use that. It's nice to watch a large project like yours come together, it's one thing to work small but a total different thing go huge,

.
Best regards
Mark

Otto · #37 03-02-2011, 06:29 PM

I've been listening to Buckethead lately.

ddushane · #38 03-10-2011, 12:11 PM

Crazy project Otto, I go to your website from time to time, Love your stuff. Looking forward to seeing the finished product on this one.

Dwayne

Otto · #39 03-12-2011, 02:38 PM

Here's an update. I've got the scrolls, background, banner and cap done. So far, 155 hours. All I lack now is carving the figures.

mtgraver · #40 03-12-2011, 03:51 PM

Otto,
That tank is looking great! It's amazing what rock will do for a piece.

How will it be finished? so much potential to put the final elegance to the art. Is this the first sculpted tank you've done? What's next?........bulino on a watch back? I've enjoyed watching your progress, thanks.
Mark

KeithPedersen · #41 03-13-2011, 01:53 PM

155 hours, insane! Doing any other parts of the bike?
Thanks for the update.

Otto · #42 03-14-2011, 06:19 PM

Keith, yes I'm doing the split rockers, cam cover and tranny cover.
This photo shows the beginning of sculpting the figures.

MCMLXX · #43 03-14-2011, 07:17 PM

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! in the truest sense of the word

KDavid · #44 03-14-2011, 09:07 PM

This is really looking incredible Otto thanks for showing us the progression.

276ccm · #45 03-15-2011, 10:19 AM

Wow, first time I see this post now.. this is totally insane! Absolutely love the work you do!

Darrel Morris · #46 03-15-2011, 10:52 AM

This is an incredible project. I can't wait to see it finished. I'm sure your customer is going to be thrilled.

Otto · #47 03-15-2011, 01:28 PM

Darrel, your scrimshaw work is incredible!

Otto · #48 03-19-2011, 09:37 AM

Update. Now on to other figures.

KeithPedersen · #49 03-19-2011, 10:13 AM

Pretty insane. I think your client will lose his mind when he sees the finished product. How was the porosity on the cast piece???

Don Curtis · #50 03-19-2011, 10:41 AM

As I have said already....Beautiful work!!!

Can I ask if you factor into the pricing the additional work you will get from others who see this piece? I only ask because I feel the extra time and effort in a project like this is ADVERTIZZZZING IN THE FIRST ORDER!!! Everytime someone see's this bike it's like handing them your business card and an order form.

I continue to save my pennies awaiting the day I can attend one of your classes.

Donny
HarleyArt