December 26, 2008

Happy New Year ice sculpture design

Like a number of my designs, I don’t have a photo of my Happy New Year ice sculpture, at least not handy. I do remember sculpting this though, so there IS a photo, somewhere…

my Happy New Year ice sculpture design

update 4/18/23 when added to iss

When I found the champagne spray design, I also found several other New Year’s designs that I hadn’t seen in a while. This “Happy New Year!” piece was one of them. You’ll need a full block plus a base piece (not shown in the template) to carve this design.

This design has an unusual assembly in order to keep the weld line out of the lettering. It also creates a line that is more compatible with the design of the sculpture. However, it makes the carving more difficult and creates another issue as well (see below). You could certainly use a more straightforward stacking method if you don’t feel the extra effort is worth it.

Split the block into two 4-5” slabs and cut at least the outlines of the template sections from the slabs. If one slab ends up slightly thicker, use it for the “YEAR” section. The dotted line on the “YEAR” section indicates ice above that you shouldn’t cut out until the sculpture is completely assembled. Attach the “YEAR” section to a stable base slab (at least 25”x10”x4”, and longer will work even better).

Once “YEAR” has frozen to the base, prop the star side of the ice up so that the weld surface is level. This part of the process can be very tricky so be careful! Make sure that the propped up ice will not slide or tip. The base was attached first so that this is a little easier. Once “YEAR” is in this position, “HAPPY NEW” can be attached and allowed to freeze. Use the aluminum welding technique to ensure a tight weld.

if you happen to cut one of your ice slabs a little thicker than the other, use the thicker slab for the “YEAR” section. Bottom heavy ice sculptures are much preferred to top-heavy ice sculptures. Also, noticed the cut-through portions of the design.

this happens only rarely, but it CAN happen

The main weld in this Happy New Year ice sculpture can create another hazardous situation if you’re not careful. When ice sculptures are stored in very cold freezers, as they’re brought up to warmer temperatures for display, they’re of course vulnerable to fracture. Welds are even more vulnerable to temperature changes and even if you’re careful to temper the sculpture, the piece can still sometimes pop along the weld. With a long weld set at an angle like the one in this design, a popped weld can create a major problem. To minimize the risk, take extra time to temper this piece if it was stored in an extra cold freezer!

how would this work on a cnc?

Next New Year’s, my Happy New Year ice sculpture will be one of my standard sculpture designs that I offer to clients. I might even carve one in advance for photos, anticipating that I should be able to sell it fairly easily. So yes, I think this would work great on my CNC machine. This is exactly the type of ice sculpture is perfect for CNC ice sculpting.

for more info and some guidelines

If you have any questions about my Happy New Year ice sculpture design, email me or comment below. (It might not let you though.) If you would like to use this ice sculpture design or any other design on this site, please check the design usage guidelines. The design collection page lists designs on the site.