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Terra Cotta Urn Pattern
Cleveland, Ohio, New York
Terra Cotta Pattern Large Turning Model Making Duplication

 

This project involved making a pattern for Boston Valley Terra Cotta to use in making a duplicate urns for the rooftop decoration of a hotel in Cleveland, Ohio.
The pattern must be larger than the required piece as the clay shrinks when it's dried after molding.
The original was coated to help reflect the laser and avoid errors caused by the shiny surface of the original.
In this case, the original had some broken and missing parts, and it was determined to redraw the piece completely in a 3D modelling software to fix the missing parts and yield a smoother model.
The blank was laid up from poplar, then mounted and machined in several passes to match the CAD model.
The base was made as a separate piece as it would be cast thay way.  The finial on top was done by the artist at Boston Valley.
The piece was primed before delivery.

This project involved making a pattern for Boston Valley Terra Cotta http://www.bostonvalley.com/ to use in making duplicate urns for the rooftop decoration of a hotel in Cleveland, Ohio. The pattern must be larger than the required piece as the clay shrinks when it's dried after molding. The original was coated to help reflect the laser and avoid errors caused by the shiny surface of the original. In this case, the original had some broken and missing parts, and it was determined to redraw the piece completely in a 3D modelling software to fix the missing parts and yield a smoother model. The blank was laid up from poplar, then mounted and machined in several passes to match the CAD model. The base was made as a separate piece as it would be cast thay way. The finial on top was done by the artist at Boston Valley. The piece was primed before delivery.

 

Click on images below to view at larger size.


Sample to be scanned, enlarged and machined

Sample to be scanned, enlarged and machined
Urn Base

Urn Base
Blank glued up for urn

Blank glued up for urn
Blank mounted, ready for machining

Blank mounted, ready for machining
First finish pass - 1/2" round nose bit

First finish pass - 1/2" round nose bit
Final pass - 1/4" ball nose bit

Final pass - 1/4" ball nose bit
Completed pattern

Completed pattern
Base pattern complete

Base pattern complete