Tennessee Troll

Tennessee Troll

Demonstration by Bill Epps 19/05/1999

Bill-Epps :
20:28:28

Ok, Gents, I’m excited. Hope everybody brought the popcorn and the beer.

Bill-Epps :
20:30:10

Ward’s demo may be a little bit weak, but his work is something to behold. I’m just glad that some of the rest of the world is finally getting to see it.

Bill-Epps :
20:31:57

This wizard head was shown to me by Mike Jacek from Casterville, TX in 1984.

The wizard head is incorporated into this Tennessee Troll. You start with a railroad spike

Bill-Epps :
20:33:38

You taper the end to point about 2-1/2″ long.

Bill-Epps :
20:36:13

You need a punch something similar to this to make the eye depressions and set the end of the nose. Mine is made from 3/4 round sucker rod that I just ground out a triangle on the end.

Bill-Epps :
20:36:13

Just below the end of the taper set in the first eye socket about 1/3 of the material thickness deep. Do the same on the other side

Bill-Epps :
20:40:19

This is going to raise the nose. At the bottom of the nose set it down straight across at a slight angle. At this point is where I mark the mustache, and then have to take another heat.

Bill-Epps :
20:46:12

Ok, take a good heat, clamp in a vice and with a center punch at about a 45 degree angle, punch the nostrils. This lets the nose come up and take some form, then where I marked the mustache from the center of the nose out to the edge, I put some lines for the whiskers which will be cut out later.

Bill-Epps :
20:48:17

Take a good heat and punch the eyes (with eye punch or large nail set) Take a little hot cutter and mark the eyebrows and make a line to separate the hat from his forehead.

Bill-Epps :
20:51:40

Now take a good heat and cut the mustache out starting at the corner and to the center at an angle. Do the same on the other side. This leaves a real sharp on the end of the Mustache, so I take and very gentle turn that back in towards the middleput a line underneath and make his beard

Bill-Epps :
20:54:32

Then I clamp in the vice and flatten down the head so he can stand up.

Bill-Epps :
20:55:41

Now we are going to split out the head of the rr spike so we can make his feet.

Bill-Epps :
20:57:20

carry the split up the center of the spike about 1/2 way and let it fade out to nothing. Go approximate 3/y of the way through the head of the spike for the feet