Electro-Etched Tomahawk Axes With Feather Epoxy Inlays

I created these tomahawk axes for the Builders Challenge contest held on instagram. I was honored to receive 1st place for this entry. Here is how I made them!

A thing I like to do with all my creations is sketch out plans in actual size so you can visually see the piece. By being actual size you can cut out pieces and attach the cutouts to the wood you select. Here I am using Walnut, Purpleheart and Hickory.

I used a chop saw, and a bandsaw to cut out the pieces referenced from my sketch. Once they are cut out and fitting nicely together glue them up!

I used my Cricut cutter to cut out walnut and hickory veneer sheets. I made sure to reference my sketch for the feather dimensions. Once I was happy with the two feathers, I glued up the hickory and walnut creating a "silhouette" of hickory.

Next I sealed the axe pieces with plexiglass and poured epoxy into the molds. Once I poured about half way I let the epoxy cure. Once cured, I placed the feathers on the hardened epoxy and poured the final layer.

I let the epoxy cure for 24 hours before removing it from the molds.

I bought cheap axes from a box store and converted them into tomahawks by cutting the end of a pick axe, and welding it to the axe heads. I then used my angle grinder to make more of an angle on the cutting head.

Sanding Sanding and more sanding. I sanded everything from 40 Grit to 2000 grit to get an extremely polished axe head.

I used my cricut cutter to cut out a design with a vinyl sticker. The sticker will act as a barrier for the electro-etching process.

I added a cup of salt to water, and put the axe head submerged into the water with a positive lead to a car battery. The negative lead will go to a sacrificial piece of metal located in the same water.

I turned on the car charger to 6 AMPS for around 2 hours. You will know it is working if you start to see brown/red bubbles filling up in the bucket.

After I was happy with the etch, I used Perma Blue to darken the depression areas.

Finished by wet sanding up to 3000 grit and polishing everything.

FINISHED!