Tentarcticles (Mesonychoteuthis / Colossal Squid)

[Steve O'Shea]

.... no need to now; it's all happening!

Here's a series of pics. The original model has since been destroyed (much sadness), but this was necessary in order to build the resin cast I'll try and salvage something from this ... as in have a 1/2 squid poking through the wall (like they do in those cafe's with cars).

The 'beast' is presently being poured ... and it comes out of its cast tomorrow (much excitement). The rubber that you'll see in these shots is worth ~ NZ$2000/bucket! Colossal costs!

The mantle and head will be bolted together, the entire thing cast in rubber, then splatter painted (photophores) .... but more shots tomorrow, the day after ... and then more .....

 

[Steve O'Shea]

A peek into the guts of the thing (2 skins, resin interior, fibreglass exterior, a pour point into which the rubber goes, and Barry mixing the rubber ....

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Close up of rather expensive rubber, head in scaffholding, Barry in scaffholding (with Justin 'just in' the frame doing the big point; Justin is the main man making this model).

 

[Steve O'Shea]

.... and yet more (anyone want to guess what the 'mystery knobs' are?)

 

[Steve O'Shea]

.... emergency surgery (coz the rubber leaked through the cracks.....).

.... Barry (a little birdy tells me) has actually been in some cornflakes commercial in the UK; he also had a role on Xena (not that I ever watched Xena....)

 

[um...]

So coooool...

The rubber that you'll see in these shots is worth ~ NZ$2000/bucket! Colossal costs!

What is that stuff? How much is this model going to cost, again?

anyone want to guess what the 'mystery knobs' are?

Really expensive, really foul-tasting gumdrops?

 

[Steve O'Shea]

LOL (re gumdrops); in excess of $120K .... yikes! .... but you just wait until morrow; we're looking at the exterior of a skungy fibreglass mould right now ..... I'm buzzing!!!

 

[um...]

Are those the only mystery knobs, or are there lots more of 'em?

 

[Steve O'Shea]

.... there's ~ 11 of them

 

[um...]

Are they actually part of the animal, or just leftovers? If they do belong on the squid, are they cartilaginous bits?

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Tiz a sehkrit that ya' all gotta figure out; tiz an important lesson in squid morphology.

 

[Phil]

11? 8 for arms, 2 for tentacles and one spare casting, just in case?

 

[WhiteKiboko]

and un-developed quasi-hectocotylus? why not? i was right about the hooks for mating in that other species....

 

[myopsida]

.... and yet more (anyone want to guess what the 'mystery knobs' are?)

Steve is planning on entering the midwinter poultice again.....yikes

 

[um...]

Knobs of the carpal locking apparatus?