Machined Triceratops Head
Taking some classes in machine tools, including vertical milling machines and lathes has been both challenging and an opportunity for creative expression. I definitely maxed out my current abilities with these tools in designing the blueprints for this triceratops head, and then somehow pulling it off in solid steel. I’m also grateful to my instructor for helping me find the best solutions for the jaw mechanism and other technical questions along the way.
This was a powerful exercise in pushing the limits of both tools and medium (within the context of my experience with the same). I wanted the work to be expressive and nicely proportioned, with a personality all its own. Yet I needed to remain acutely aware of both the capabilities and limitations of the machinery I was using. The result is not only prehistoric, but also modernistic! The jaw is equipped with a hinging mechanism which allows it to be opened and closed to any position by loosening and tightening a screw on the other side of the head.