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I have a client that is pushing outside my comfort level. When his grandfather passed he let me make a few pens using the volley casings from the funeral. Fast Forward to this week, he called again and wanted the same thing for his Uncle, long story short, the pens can not be done as they used 5.56 for the volley and not 30.06. I have had a couple discussions with him and we have come up with a “plague”.
I have included the picture that he sent me for inspiration. I am using Seth’s Flag project for the initial design (Thank you Seth). My thinking is to shrink to about 5x3 ish. The 5.56 shell is 1-7/8" so that should leave room on the right side of the union. For the engraving I don’t think I will be able get detailed enough and have it be clear enough to read and look good.
What Im planning on doing is using a dark stain, maybe walnut, then carve out the stars and the light stripes, then use trophy shop and engrave the name on a brass plague. I am still working on how to attach the casing but am working on that too.
So, I guess what I am asking is… Am I missing anything? Will this work? Making this flag 5x3 is it going to make the stars to small to look good? Any Advise?
This is where I am at now - Granted I will separate the stars and use a 30* v-bit. I spoke with the trophy shop and they can custom cut the plate, so I made a plate shaped bald spot in the middle lower part of the flag .25" larger than the plate I want.
Here is my test piece. I used a scrap piece of poplar and some Walnut stain. These are the best stars I have ever had so big props to Seth for the file.
The order I carved was
1 - Strips and Plague (Roughing) 1/8 downcut
2 - Strips and Plague (Detail) 1/32 upcut
3 - Stars 30* V-bit
4 - Throughcut to cut it out with 4 tabs 1/8 downcut
I’d have maybe taken some yellow heart or padauk for the plate area and Vbit carve the text, seal, then fill text with paint, then sand the top smooth and the text will really pop with black on the yellow or white/silver on the red wood and you wouldn’t even need to outsource the nameplates and they’d fit perfectly
