Tree of Life

[jteneyck]

After working on the dining room table for so long (yes, pictures soon after I let the finish cure and put it together) it was fun to do a simple little project.  I made this to put on a wall out on the deck.  






No hidden meaning to the tree of life.  I just like it and thought it would look good in that spot.  It's attached to the brick with some metal standoffs at the mortar joints, for an easy repair if/when it gets taken down.  

I'm interested to see if the black acrylic will stand up to the summer sun.  I might have used Extira (exterior MDF) instead if I could have found a supplier.  

John

[Tapper]

Looks nice John! What material did you use?

Doug

[DieselDennis]

Looks nice John! What material did you use?

Doug

Looks like he used black acrylic.

And more power to the man who cuts his own decorations and can put the mounting holes exactly where he wants them.

[jteneyck]

Looks nice John! What material did you use?

Doug

Doug, maybe you didn't read to the end.  It's black acrylic, 1/8" cast acrylic to be specific.  

Now to see about getting rid of the rust on those deck chairs.  

John

[FrankAtl]

Very nice John!
+17

[Tapper]

Doug, maybe you didn't read to the end.  It's black acrylic, 1/8" cast acrylic to be specific.  

Now to see about getting rid of the rust on those deck chairs.  

John

Sorry John, you're correct, for some reason I focused on the MDF you didn't use. Again, nice work!

Doug

[iclark]

Very nice work and thanks for the clarification on the material. Somehow, when I read "black acrylic," I took it as the paint used to help waterproof the substrate material.


As you said, it will be interesting to see if the plastic develops a creep/sag problem in the hot summer sun.

Did you cut it with a rotary bit or are you using a water jet cutter?

[gordon 131]

Very nice work John. I think it looks great against the brick.
Gordon

[jteneyck]

Very nice work and thanks for the clarification on the material. Somehow, when I read "black acrylic," I took it as the paint used to help waterproof the substrate material.


As you said, it will be interesting to see if the plastic develops a creep/sag problem in the hot summer sun.

Did you cut it with a rotary bit or are you using a water jet cutter?

I used my CNC with what's called a 0-flute bit, basically a spiral upcut bit with only one cutting edge.  That type of bit can cut plastics without it melting.  It's also good for milling aluminum.  

I'm not sure why I said the summer sun might cause problems.  I apparently forgot that the eaves on my house hang far enough over that the summer sun does not go above the bottom of the windows.  The architect either new what he/she was doing or just got lucky.  Fall through spring the sun is lower, so it rises up the walls further and will hit the acrylic, so if anything bad is going to happen, it will be then.  On a sunny winter day we get a lot of solar gain through the windows.  

John

[iclark]

I used my CNC with what's called a 0-flute bit, basically a spiral upcut bit with only one cutting edge.  That type of bit can cut plastics without it melting.  It's also good for milling aluminum.  

I'm not sure why I said the summer sun might cause problems.  I apparently forgot that the eaves on my house hang far enough over that the summer sun does not go above the bottom of the windows.  The architect either new what he/she was doing or just got lucky.  Fall through spring the sun is lower, so it rises up the walls further and will hit the acrylic, so if anything bad is going to happen, it will be then.  On a sunny winter day we get a lot of solar gain through the windows.  

John

Thanks for the cutter info. Noted in case I eventually give in to the CNC desirement.

Based on the design discussions that I have followed in the past, your architect knew what he was doing and did a good job on your home.