These are the cranes that started it all. As I described on the main page, this was just a doodle to
start with, but it turned out well enough that I went ahead and got the
stainless steel mesh.
This is just getting underway; this page is still very much under construction... as are the models! I don't yet have a page with small versions of the pictures; that'll come.
The material is stainless steel mesh: 84-mesh, which means there are 84 threads per inch, and in this particular stuff the wires are 0.0035" in diameter. I got this from TWP Inc., located in Berkeley, CA. They have a very wide selection of wire mesh cloth. I chose this particular mesh for two reasons: first, it was one of the cheaper ones: about 400 dollars for a roll, as opposed to 500 to 1500 for most others; and second, it is relatively easy to fold. I got a few small samples from TWP to start with, and this mesh and bronze were about equivalent in folding-ability (as is copper which I had tried earlier, see copper cranes below). The copper and bronze meshes were both 100 mesh, with a wire diameter of 0.0045"; I also got a sample of stainles steel mesh with those specs, and it was noticeably harder to fold. For the larger sculptural pieces, that might nevertheless be a better choice, precisely because it's stiffer. I initially ordered a 48" wide roll; due to a temporary lack of availability, it ended up being a shorter 60" roll instead.
Working with the mesh is interesting, not at all like folding paper. The folding itself is much like folding cloth (which this is): it's easier to get a not-straight fold, because the material can deform within its own plane. Unlike cloth or paper, once you make a crisp fold in the wire mesh, it very much wants to stay there; pre-creasing a spot with the idea of reversing that fold is not easy, because the material work-hardens. So it's necessary to have a fairly soft touch while folding; however, at the end, when everything is in its final shape, it is very satisfying to set the piece on an anvil and beat on it with a rawhide mallet! Lots of fun! :-)
There's one other thing to point out about working this material: it has nasty wicked edges, and even avoiding the edges, the surface itself is tough and somewhat abrasive. I found that after folding a couple of models out of this stuff the thumb and index finger of my right hand, my most-dominant digits for folding, were a bit sore from having to press down on the mesh. Thin gloves might work to alleviate this, or there is a product called vet-wrap, made by 3M, (actually, they spell it vetrap), that is sort of a cross between an ace bandage and masking tape. It's very mildly self-adhesive, so you can just tear off a length and wrap it around a finger, and you have an instant finger-size glove or thimble. It's possible to peel these off and re-use them once or twice.
Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with either TWP or 3M except as a generally satisfied customer.
Oh, and I should mention how I cut this stuff: simply with a pair of scissors, that's no problem at all. It probably does shorten the life of the scissors somewhat, maybe even a lot, but hey, one must sacrifice for one's art!
These are the cranes that started it all. As I described on the main page, this was just a doodle to
start with, but it turned out well enough that I went ahead and got the
stainless steel mesh.
One square of 30" stainless steel mesh, no cuts. This turtle is about 14" from
nose to tail. One thing that these pictures don't convey at all well is that
this material is somewhat translucent; in the right lighting conditions, you
can see right through the model, at least where there are not too many layers
of material. Another thing is that these models are heavy: this
turtle is nearly half a pound, and is getting close to the size where it can't
support its own weight: on a smooth surface, the legs splay out and it does a
slow-motion belly-flop. I'm making another turtle for Longwood that will be
twice the size; that one will definitely need some sort of support structure.
When shall we three meet again?
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
When the hurlyburly's done,
When the battle's lost and won.
That will be ere the set of sun.
Macbeth,
Act 1, scene 1: the three witches
They seem to have that look about them, no?
I don't yet have a picture of them in place at Longwood; the young lady with whom I've dealt there has promised to send me a couple of pictures when they finish the installation, though, and I'll try to put one or two up when I have them.
update... sorry, I never did get pictures of the turtles in-situ!
I made this for a friend's birthday; this started out as a 20" square, no
cuts. When I was done folding the unicorn, a bit of metal dust had rubbed off
onto my hands; so I decided to wash them, and the model as well: first a
bubble bath, then a shower. Don't try this with your standard paper origami!
Or at least don't expect anything other than performance art... maybe about
20 or 30 seconds' worth, considering this was hot soapy water!
This is the same flying unicorn as
on the main page, just in stainless steel mesh. This is also one
30-inch square. The steel mesh is a little thicker than the paper, so
this model is a little chunkier. I think this guy's name must be Rambo
or No-Neck or something like that...
One 24" square of copper mesh. The horse stands about 10" tall. The
design is by John Montroll, from Origami Sculptures. This piece
was commissioned by a friend who is a fan of the late much-lamented
colt Barbaro. The "rib" effect is a trick of the light, I didn't
actually pleat-fold ribs into the sides!
If you'd like to comment, please feel free to contact me at korg@korgwal.com. If you want to buy a model like one of these, feel free to ask. The price will depend on the model and to some extent on the size.
Enjoy! -- Uwe Hollerbach
Page last modified at 2007/04/22 15:45 US/Eastern time