Nutcracker - work in progress

[drlucas]

I passed my dad Sean's 9' nutcracker design and was down in Niagara this weekend and here is a picture of the work in progress!!

Looking forward to seeing it when I go back down next month. I never realized just how big it was until I had my daughter (who is 11years old) stand beside the thing to put it in perspective. WOW!

[smeighan]

Looks good. It looks like he figured out the Cone frustum (Think a cone segment, like a lampshade). I found a web site where i could get the dimensions and the angle (7 degrees if i remember) for the hat. The hat was actually the most complicated part of the assembly.


This will be the third year for my nutcrackers. they have withstood rain and snow very well.

Here you can see my 11yo boys standing next to the nutcracker in 2010.



I am able to take both apart and transport them in my honda odessey.

I have no decent lights on them, i will need to get at least floods so they can be highlighted better this year.
I have also thought of putting a motor to have the arms move.
thanks

[drlucas]

Yeah, I saw the boys in the one photo, never knew they were the same age as Carrie....I was planning on two purposes for this season...as my daughter is in many Nutcracker ballet performances, we were going to donate to the studio for the season, then put the big guy into the hallway. If they withstand snow and rain, then perhaps I'll find a place outside for the winter with some floods on it. We will see...for now though, the plan is indoors. I do like the automation idea....maybe next year. I just got my first LE put together this afternoon (a success!!!!) so I have a LONG way to go on the display.....fortunately I have this week off and another night tonight going down to 30 degrees...UGH!! when is summer arriving. GEESH!
 
Anyways, great design , and thanks for sharing, more pictures will follow in the coming months.

[smeighan]

I put the nutcrackers outside at Thanksgiving and taken them down mid january. So they are outside for almost two months. We had 80 mile winds, they didnt move at all.

I caulked the hat so it is waterproof and used Kilz everywhere before painting with exterior house paint. We dont get that much rain in the winter so i am not sure how they would hold up in , say Florida.

i think they would still be good.

My boys also made the 12' foot spider for Halloween.
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They wove the 20x20' web in front of the house.


thanks