Interest Davy Jones Chest

[Sevv]

Years ago I 3D modelled a Davy Jones chest from screen reference with the intention of finishing one up for myself. Life happened and I never got around to it. As is always the way.

I have recently got back to this chest. My plan is to woodwork it from nice hardwood, stained, aged? undecided yet. Cold cast all the metal pieces, the key etc. Do a really nice finished display piece for our living room. I have also, I think, figured out a simple locking mechanism for it so the pins pop out when you turn the key. Its such a lovely design.

Would anyone be interested in something similar? If there is interest I could possibly do a run. At the moment I am still developing how i'm going to make it so I don't have any price or time frame in mind. The other possible option is just a raw fiberglass cast but I would imagine most people would be interested in a finished display piece price depending?

Pictures of my 3D model below.

I also do have a clay sculpt of Jones heart which I would love to finish up, cast in silicone and paint. You cant have an empty chest right?

Jon

 

[warrenhouck]

Looks great, what kind of price do you have in mind?

 

[TuckerMan]

Oooh, this is very interesting.

I have the MR version, but now that I'm getting more real props, the crappy paint job on it doesn't cut the mustard anymore. A real wood and metal version would be absolutely killer.

 

[GeoffMartin3299]

Def gonna watch this

 

[Onkelpsycho]

Interested pending price...

 

[Don93]

Would you consider offering a kit so they could be assembled by the buyer?

 

[aceg1]

I would be interested.

 

[Sevv]

Hi all

That's great to know people are interested. I'll definitely keep a detailed track of my build and see how much it costs me / time etc. It's all hand made, no sending it off to a company to get X milled, so time will be the deciding factor on price I feel.

I think I would prefer to only offer finished pieces.

So yeah I'm looking into a real teak hand made wooden frame with metal cast inserts etc. I'll start a build thread in the prop for when I have parts to show.

Thanks

 

[JANDERS10]

Grail piece, definitely.
The question, as with most replicas, to go clean or 'used'. Sea aged timber has a lovely grain, but a real bugger to replicate. I shall be watching with interest.

 

[Sevv]

Yes that is a big question for this project. I guess the chest hasn't been under water for hundreds of years, its been buried in sand all that time. The prop in the film really looks like very darkly oiled wood with rounded edges and corners.

 

[Sevv]

Looks like teak is almost impossible to get in the UK, so ill have to use an alternative like Iroko or oak or similar. Once stained they will still look beautiful. According to my research early 17th century pirate chests were almost always made from oak.

 

[eethan]

Hey,
Teak is super oily anyway, it would be very hard to work into a nicely made chest you are better off with something like Oak anyways
good luck with this project, that is the kind of things I like to do as well and they are very hard project to do and sell best wishes

 

[Don93]

Not sure where you are located but the actual prop is on display in Memphis as part of the D23 exhibit. Here's a few pics I got through glass.

 

[Sevv]

Thank you, that’s really helpful. I’m based in the UK so won’t be popping by

It really is black isn’t it

 

[Don93]

Thank you, that’s really helpful. I’m based in the UK so won’t be popping by

It really is black isn’t it

Cool, glad they are helpful. That's a long trip. Yes, it did look more of a charcoal-ish black.

 

[Cbstudios]

That 3D model looks gorgeous. Absolutely flawless work. I'm keen to see a finished one

 

[Sevv]

So I am doing lots on this at the moment. Testing out my cutting jigs for the timber, sourcing different hardwoods to see which is best, ebonizing tests, perfecting my metal casting, patina experiments, 3d printing my lock to see if I can adjust it.. Lots of things! Just taking a few weeks to get going

 

[JANDERS10]

Not sure where you are located but the actual prop is on display in Memphis as part of the D23 exhibit. Here's a few pics I got through glass.

Good to know the original is still around. I know you just saw it through glass, but would you have a guess at the dimensions?

 

[Don93]

Good to know the original is still around. I know you just saw it through glass, but would you have a guess at the dimensions?

No, I didn't have a ruler or even think to bring something to measure with. Using calibrated eyeballs I'd say it was over a foot long, probably in the 14-16 inch range.

 

[Ceebrupt]

Very cool project! I've found some other pictures of the actual prop and the Master Replicas version, which seems fairly accurate in design to the movie version. Some small differences I've seen with your 3d model is that, on the sides of the chest, there is only 1 nail sticking out at either end instead of 2. Also the decorative borders on the chest seem to follow a sort of pattern of waves or tentacles that are mirrored on the left and right, it seems like there's a simplified version of it in the papercraft version of the chest, although I can definitely see that might be really difficult to model.