South Gate Portal: Assembled!

Happy Holidays!

This week's extra holiday time has been a boon for the project! Today marked a major milestone: the portal was successfully assembled onto the platform for the very first time.

Below you see the "unskinned" South Gate, displayed here at its final scale.

The polyethylene foam method is proving surprisingly robust. We may be able to omit the planned fiberglass interior reinforcement, which is excellent news. We still have the fiberglass materials on deck and this increases our chances of creating custom seating for around the fire pit.

Next, stairs will be added, and cosmetic skinning will be begin, fabricated with more foam, using heat to sculpt a craggy, lava-like appearance. Integrated LED lights will be added to create a "lava flow" effect.

Sarai will be undergoing a minor surgical procedure tomorrow, which will keep her out of the workshop for a short time. We're fortunate to have a network of talented Alabama makers who are ready to lend a hand during her recovery.

We anticipate sharing another update shortly after the New Year.

The ‘unskinned’ portal assembeled on the platform for the first time on Christmas Day.