Welding Tips and Tricks

My previous pieces incorporated sweeping bends in the wood or square tubular steel. I've been playing around with some different ideas and going in a different direction. I bought an inexpensive english wheel from Northern Tool, a Harbor Freight "Beverly shear" knockoff, and made a Wray Schelin inspired stump out of 2x4's. I played around with a few bowls and then started on my first design using CR 18gauge steel.
Finished piece

Nice


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Well done, I like it.
Will the surface be metal finnish or paint?

Thanks.

Actually it is finished. I used a die grinder w scotchbrite pads on all of the pieces after wheeling but before welding to get rid of scratches. I like the HAZ rainbow along the edge and have left it in my other pieces. I wiped on a coat of Flood Penetrol to protect the finish.

As a recovering engineer I used to want a uniform appearance but I have learned to embrace the color and subtleties as "handmade". I now feel that if people want a shiny uniform appearance... go to IKEA.

Side story regarding finish: With hurricane harvey heading to town I needed to get a finish on the bare metal, so I decided to try a quick drying finish from Rustoleum or Krylon. I rattle can sprayed it on and on the second coat I saw a slight sag in the finish on a very visible spot. I decided to lightly sand the spot and that's when all hell broke loose. Finish obviously didn't adhere and started peeling around the sanding spot. Long story short, I ended up using acetone and MEK to completely strip finish but that resulted in some sort of chemical reaction with the entire piece turning gold/rust and losing some of the HAZ coloring. I ended up scotchbriting the bright sections and putting on Flood. I was worried that after 2 weeks of work I had ruined the piece in a matter of 15 minutes. Luckily it came out ok.

I learned a lot from this piece and plan to do others.

Based on this piece, I believe you have fully recovered from your time as an engineer

really nice and very interesting design.
its great to see a craftsmen take mediocre tools and make
first class projects!!
craig

Thanks Minnesota Dave (I think ) I may try a variation on this one and either grind/polish the entire piece smooth or grind the welds and then patina/rust the entire piece.

Thanks Motox. Being curious and learning about sooo many things, it's just not cost effective to by high end equipment unless I know I'm going to use it a lot. I've got to say it's been a bit of an adjustment for me to be called a craftsman or even (gasp) an artist. I am learning to accept these compliments but in my mind I'm just making stuff.

steve

sru_tx
how did you capture the glass in the metal?
craig

Craig, the glass slips into a slot so that it's supported underneath and captured on top. The center support acts as a fulcrum as items are placed on top.

The back has a "smiley" face shaped slot that the glass slides into. I did not want to leave the back's upper edge exposed as a single thickness (visually unappealing) nor did I want the glass to exert force on a single thickness of metal (potential chipping issue), so I made a curved beak-shaped hood that is welded to the back. Where the back and the beak meet the glass make a crescent-shaped opening which I fit another piece of sheet. Now the glass is supported at all points by flat pieces rather than edges.

This project was an exercise in 3D using a 2D material. It was a lot of fun in a painful sort of way and am looking forward to coming up w a new design.

steve

steve
some nice fab and engineering!
craig

sru_tx wrote:Thanks Minnesota Dave (I think ) I may try a variation on this one and either grind/polish the entire piece smooth or grind the welds and then patina/rust the entire piece.

Thanks Motox. Being curious and learning about sooo many things, it's just not cost effective to by high end equipment unless I know I'm going to use it a lot. I've got to say it's been a bit of an adjustment for me to be called a craftsman or even (gasp) an artist. I am learning to accept these compliments but in my mind I'm just making stuff.

steve

It was a complement
I struggle to do things "artistically" - I'm a math guy...same problem

I feel your pain.
one step at a time. sure there will be some backsliding but it happens. i still find myself browsing fireball tools looking at squares and straight edges... the struggle is real.

Super awesome project. I love the unbalanced look.

May I inquire about the surfaces that come in contact with the glass? Is there a softer material that comes in contact with the glass?

bobruddy,
short answer, no. glass is sitting directly on metal. ick, but I have set this piece up in my booth twice a month at local markets for several months without any ill effect.

Honestly, I had initially planned on putting a piece of thin vinyl or possibly cork but nothing fit after final weld up. I fitted things fairly tight because I didn't want the glass to rattle but obviously got it too tight. I was working on a self-imposed deadline and not wanting to cut on the most visible areas of the piece, I left it. In the future I will definitely allow for more space.

thanks for asking.