Southern-Steel Fabrication

Southern Steel's Trusty Steed

2009-01-15T10:04:00.002-05:00

World meet ABE the true SSF work horse!

Sent from my iPhone

Playful Experimentation

2009-01-15T09:11:00.003-05:00

I read sometime ago about the encouraging of "playful experimentation" specifically with metalworking...this stuck with me and I think I remember reading it in Scharzkopf's or one of Hasluck's books that I fortune to have, anywho it is essential for this to happen. Some of the simplest projects I've happened to do somehow plant a seed for me for a future project harvest! I like to think about this as part of the journey of discovery that allows me a greater appreciation of metalwork in general, because had I not spent my youth building things, nor had I taken great pleasure in grinding the heads off of nails in pops basement, I may not have every tried to work metal. The eventual meeting of imagination and technique comes together, like the Beatle's song RIGHT NOW! I'm so thankful to be getting back to pursuit of all things metalworking, I hope those of you who follow the "plight" of Southern Steel realize that not only do I place great value in the playful experimentation that I do, but I also by proxy follow and gain appreciation by watching the same process get fullfilled in what you do! To our continuation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-01-15T09:01:00.002-05:00

Okay here's a few shots of some panels that I've been working on to gain more prowess with copper. I am gaining a newfound freedom working with copper in this method and I am really enjoying pushing my fear of capturing the likeness of people in portrait format. It is a likeness only, but I enjoy the challenge of recreating these likenesses in this manner. I've come to appreciate this challenge, as it's helping me discover just how far you can push a piece of material, before it yields, splits, cracks and fails....through this process I've learned more about myself....thru my failures, I've learned that there is beauty in failures if I but look for it, and failures give me the opportunity to correct and fix things that I wouldn't have normally gotten too....sorry to go out on the limb here philosophically but hey that's what metalworking is all about, at least for me...combining the seemingly unrelated things of life in a definable media. Look out....more to come!

News and Recent Work

2009-01-15T08:54:00.003-05:00

Hello to all...it's been sometime since I've been able to catch up here...please accept my apologies for the long time in coming updates. Where to begin....let's see...uhm Southern Steel is now located near my ancestral beginnings....of which I'm very excited to be so close to my family. I'll have to update with several posts here to address each phase of what's going on, but for now enjoy a few shots of some recent copper work and of yours truly making an attempt to live the metalworking dream!

LATEST PROGRESS

2008-05-11T22:48:00.004-04:00

It's taken me quite a while to get this phase of the project working. In earlier posts I captured the progress of the "cameo" I had started...however much to my pain, I ended up going a little to far and ended up breaking thru version 1. So having invested many hours into the first one, I started all over. The pictures are out of sync, but you can see I started out with my line drawing, then started working. I had learned alot from my previous attempt, so on this one I took everything slowly and deliberately. Once I got started on version 2 of the cameo, I ended up also remaking the broken heart section that will go on the back side of the memorial. Also visible in this post is a basic mechanical drawing for my vision of the headstone. This weekend I finished sketching the dogwood tree which will adorn the hinder part of the work. I intend to get to forming on this portion next. All that I lack for the cameo is some planishing and a little more work on the bead frame. I ordered a fantastic book on chasing and repousse' that I wish I had read prior to this 2nd attempt, but what fun is a project if you know everything going into it? I got a copy of Adolph Steines "Moving Metal" from www.kirstenskiles.com and it has been extremely informative. I should state too, that since my wife passed, I've converted a portion of my kitchen into an impromptu chasing studio....now if I can just keep my kids from playing with my hammers I will claim a small victory. Till next post!

Finial Top Complete

2008-03-23T23:03:00.004-04:00

This is the piece I finished fabricating this week. It is the finial top for the tombstone I've been working on for some time. I am pleased with how the lines of the part came out and I am very satisfied on the connection with the sphere and the transition part. This part will be the tallest part of the work and will set centered above the other ornamentation. Till next time.............

A Little Cameo Progress

2007-11-25T17:38:00.000-05:00

Made just a little progress on the cameo of Belinda I'm working on. I managed to get a few more details penciled in with my sharpie. Gotta get some more pitch though my pan's a little shallow. Hope to make more significant progress in the coming weeks.

Coming Back

2007-11-11T21:18:00.001-05:00

Where to begin.... I lost my wife of 13 years on 24 JUN 07. This has been a difficult time for me to say the least....so sudden, so tragic. I've started to pick up the pieces. My wife was so important in my life as well as the lives of our children, without her we are not whole. I can't quite put into words our pain, but I thank all of you out there who continue to have us in your prayers and helped us along. My appreciation for you is also without words, so simply put....I Thank You!

What I've felt led to do is to construct my Wife's Headstone. As a memorial, as a monument, as a way I can at least do one more thing for her. To honor to her life. I realize it is impossible via this monument to convey how much Belinda meant to us, but never the less, I want to honor her memory. I was able to work in the shop a little this weekend and the photo's above represent the progress I've made. I'll post progress as I make it. Till then.......

All the King's Horses.....and other mentionables

2007-02-11T23:57:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd share a few of the latest projects. Made a few of these large horses to adorn a wooden gate. Made a "miniature" just for giggles.

Also shown is the snowy path to my shop, which by the time of this posting is even snowier. Odd thing occurred though....as I was walking towards my shop one morning, I discovered a unique "valentine" rose growing out of the snow. I know Punxatawney Phil said spring was coming.....but this spring flower jumped out real quick. Also shown is a custom shelf I fabricated this weekend.
Bet ya can't guess who it was for. Hopefully I'll be in touch soon....till then.

Simple Projects = Simple Pleasures

2007-01-28T21:30:00.000-05:00

Now sometimes you just gotta keep it simple. Like this handrail you see here....I spent some time coming up with a unique design that I thought would seal the deal and I thought it would jazz up the otherwise plain looking handrail.....however the customer only wanted a "simple" handrail wallah you have the simple handrail shown. Though it was simple it was still a lot of fun, mainly because I made the lamb's tongue. Sure it would have been easier to buy the already pre-made moulded handrail lamb's tongue, but then I wouldn't have had the joy of figuring out how to forge it myself. I started with the moulded raw stock, made a proportional V notch in it, then brought it together. Next I welded the now touching sides of the V notch and rough sanded the weld to blend with the profile. Last I forged it till it intersected with the post and the other section of the cap rail.

Though this was my first forged lamb's tongue I hope to improve with doing more. So even in simple projects we can all push the envelope and ourselves too.

The other project was just a simple elk coat hanger powder coat job. Simple weekend, simple projects, simple pleasure.

Southern Steel News

2007-01-20T11:11:00.000-05:00

I've got some news to share! Southern Steel Fabrication can now add 3 letters to it's name......LLC. This week I finished the paper work to become a Limited Liabilities Company! Hooray. Now I can mark that one off my list.

You see the couple of shots of a plaque shield I made this week. It's made of 18 gauge cold rolled steel, and it was hand formed on a sandbag and trued on my Hay-Budden. It was somewhat constraining as I had to make it fit on the wooden plaque, and honestly this is the 2nd one.....I got a too aggressive with the first one and ended up "mangeling" it. I've had this shape on my mind for some time, I just needed the opportunity to prove it out. Nothing like trying to R&D on an actual job!

Also shown here is Southern Steel's latest computer. I'm actually writing this as I sit at my kitchen table, connected by nothing but radio waves......unbelievable almost for me! This computer was a gift from my loving wife. It will definetly help me get my work done, and the fact that I can do that anywhere.....well that's even better!

2007. YEAR TO GET IN GEAR!

2007-01-02T19:16:00.000-05:00

Ah.....a new year. We roll along to the bottom of the calender, then pop right back up on top of another year. I love it! Well this year I hope to follow my own advise "Year to get in gear". Don't misconstrue this as my online resolution, but rather my hopeful attempt to squeeze every last bit out of this year as possible, even though it is just beginning. This is Southern Steel's 4TH official year in business, so I want to make it the best year yet, Lord willing!

Pictured above are a few of the projects I knocked out today. A couple of signature roses, and a custom sign. This year I'd really like to hone in on some spectacular projects like most of you, I just want to make sure I challenge myself and use these challenges and the creative flow to push myself in new directions.

Which direction? That's part of the fun in exploring! Till next time may your steel be hot, and your temper be cool!

Back from Christmas Break

2006-12-26T23:14:00.000-05:00

Now that I'm back from Christmas break, and Christmas is over, I can share some of the projects I worked on in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Lots of signs. Had a lot of fun coming up with unique ideas, and received some good feed back, and even a bonus! Got to use some different metal flake holographic powder coats as well. I was very pleased with the blue speckle, as it added much depth to the pieces. I also got fairly proficient making wavy bar hangers, which I included with most all of the signs. Hope you and yours had a very Merry Christmas. Till next time!

ASSORTED RECENT PROJECTS

2006-12-13T23:38:00.000-05:00

These are just a few of the things I've been working on recently.....can't show everything since I don't want to spoil Christmas for some! Any how, there's an assortment of stars with holographic powder coat, a SSR sign, a galloping horse sign, and a trivet. The trivet has a new powder coat on it, that is a beautiful speckled blue texture to it. More to come!

Today's Progress

2006-11-24T21:48:00.000-05:00

I somehow managed to get these parts drawn, cut, prepped for coating, powder coated and billed out.........all before 0730 hours today. Unfortunately everything else I worked on today I forgot to take a picture of......Oh well. Pictured are 1) custom house sign and 2) custom 3/16 floor drain. Catch ya soon!

Weekend Projects

2006-11-19T23:01:00.000-05:00

This weekend I had the opportunity to work on a few projects.

Some "experimental" stars my wife has urged me to try for some time.
A few 2 prong forks
A table full of trivets.
A custom "Bistro" Sign I have been working on.

Not breaking with tradition.....the pieces haven't been powder coated yet so I'm showing them off in their naked metal state. Hopefully more to follow as the week unfolds!

Caleb's First Forge Project

2006-11-19T22:55:00.000-05:00

I had a curious young fellow stop by the shop this weekend.....my son Caleb. He with curiousity watched what I was working on and asked "what can I do?". So I covered the basics of dealing with hot metal and general forge safety, got him a pair of safety glasses, and a 12 ounce ball peen, then turned him loose. Now I admit, I did assist him just a little, but he still did alright for an 8 year old!

4H BIRD BATH

2006-11-17T13:41:00.000-05:00

Earlier this year I did a similar project with copper, I just didn't get as creative. This version has an improved copper liner, with a decorative flange, as well as the 4H custom center medallion. For those of you that follow what I do, know that I have stayed committed to incorporating organic themes (ie. roses) in a lot of the works I do. Each one I hope is different than the previous, and the technique I used on this one is definately different than all the others.

Why? Well if you see the stem, the stem is also the base, forged from the same rod. This was a challenge as the copper medallion was riveted to a 6 5/8 " piece of 10 gauge cold rolled steel which was heavy, so I had to forge the stem in such a way to counter balance the top heaviness of the bloom and the medallion, all while keeping the light and airy structure of the stem being woven into the base.

The base is made up of recycled dump rake teeth and cultivator disc. The forged scrolls on the base are spring steel. This project was for an auction fundraiser for the community 4H program which takes place this Sunday.

NEW PROJECT COMING....LATER TODAY!

2006-11-17T09:55:00.000-05:00

Thought I'd prime the pump for later today....new pictures of my latest work......It's about time I should be saying. See you then.

Wall File Rack

2006-11-03T20:38:00.000-05:00

My computer's been down all week....just got it back, anywho got this project finished up this week. It's a custom file rack for my local paper. Sorry about the dark photo. Also I thought I'd finish up the custom grille I'm working on, but didn't quite make it. Catch ya soon.

ELOQUENT ELBOWS

2006-10-26T22:06:00.000-04:00

Now who says duct work can't be eloquent? Not me. No really this is just a couple of photo's of some duct work I fabricated this week. It's stout stuff fabricated out of 14 gauge hot rolled steel. They will soon be powder coated white. I'm in the process of making a pretty neat filter register which I should get made next week. So I can honestly say now and mean it......I'll keep you POSTED. Later.

CANOPY JOB 21 OCT 06

2006-10-22T00:35:00.000-04:00

This is one of the physically largest projects I've done to date almost too long to fit into my shop without rearranging my welding tables. It's the skeleton frame for a building canopy. Overall it was 18 feet long x 48 inches tall x 56 inches deep. My wife got a couple of "action" shots of me laying down the last few welds.

The last picture is of me sportin' my brand new Southern Steel hat.....in electric arc weld blue! All the other ones I had made in black, since my hands are always dirty.

Order yours today for only $12.00 each plus shipping and handling......I've always wanted to use that.......shipping and handling! Catch you on the next project!

2006 CHOKECHERRY FESTIVAL

2006-10-19T22:50:00.000-04:00

Just thought I'd share a few photo's of this years Chokecherry Festival. I had a chance to do this show this year and had a great time. Anytime I can get out in the public, doing what I love and sharing that with others is a good time. Despite the overcast skies there was a huge turnout...I heard it was the largest Lewistown has ever had. I spent most of my forge time working on prototype 1 piece roses. But I also made a couple of leaf pendants. The best thing I made though...... was a few smiles on some young childrens faces!

HAYBUDDEN TREASURES

2006-10-12T16:12:00.000-04:00

Feeling so blessed, I must share with yall, my successful acquistion of 2, yeah 2, exquisite Haybudden's. One weighs in at 170#'s and the other is a fighting weight of 184#'s. Bear in mind I'm using my best "Ring Announcer voice" as I author this. So to close...............................

LET'S GET READY TO FOOOOOOORGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Slow Children Playing

2006-10-02T23:53:00.000-04:00

This sign I've thought of many times. Why? Let me give you a little history of me and this sign. This sign is located near the top of hill on Shadowlawn Drive where I was raised.

I remember as a kid whizzing by this old sign via bicycle, skateboard, foot, and in later years by a '81 Honda Civic I usually noticed this sign each time, kinda like saying high to an old friend. To be honest I always thought this sign was making fun of me and my brothers and sister and the rest of the Warren's, Haney's, and Brook's that lived down this road just from the fact that it said "Slow Playing". I can't speak for all, but as for myself I've always had a child like sense of discovery, and yes that may be misconstrued as "slow". But realizing some of the most simple things in life bring us the greatest joy....

back to my point....I knew there was something wrong with this sign, but what was it? Was it the fact that the child appears to be missing a few limbs? Or was it because it was kind of in motion but not....Or was it because the word slow appears at the top of the sign, then you see the kid in a running motion? Or was it because it was there to remind us kids to play slowly. Maybe there wasn't anything wrong with the sign....was something wrong with me?

For something so simple, why did this little sign stick out? Why do I remember this sign above all other thousands of signs I had to have seen on the road?

When I stopped the truck one day while on vacation, I asked my wife for the camera, she said why? I said there's just something I've got to get a picture of. Wha la you have the picture above. Now that I live about 2100 miles away from this sign, the essence of what this sign means starts to become clear.....along life's roadway we still need to remember that we're all just "SLOW CHILDREN PLAYING"!

JOHN C CAMPBELL FOLK SCHOOL

2006-08-28T23:49:00.000-04:00

Man what a school! I had the distint pleasure of attending John C Campbell folk school earlier this month. The class was taught by Jerry Darnell and he did a fabulous job covering 18th century hearth tools. The class was very fast paced and exciting. I have a better handle now on what to expect and I can't wait for the opportunity to return. Being from North Carolina, I was ignorant of what a wonderful asset that was just 2 hours from my hometown of Asheville. It was very hot during the class, hotter than I have been in a long time. I tried to soak up as much as I possibly could, but there was so much to see and observe. I met some awesome people from all over the country and the world. Not having access to the level of expertise that was present their made me really appreciate what those folks have done.

Being primarily self taught in this craft, I went to this class not knowing how to forge weld and first off Jerry starts talking about how we are going to foreg weld these billets onto these 3/8" rods.....I thought oh no! I can't forge weld........egads.....but Jerry and the rest of the class helped me overcome this obstacle and were patient with me. So I left the class completing the project and having made 5 successful forge welds. I called myself a welder before because I'm proficeint at TIG, MIG, and Stick.....but after this class I have reclassified what the term "Welder" means to me. So now with much practice I intend on mastering this process.

PS in the group photo above....I'm not there....why? The innocent bystander I recruited to take a photo couldn't get my camera to work. Also I took some video of the course, if I can figure out how to get it on here I'll post it!

TOP SECRET PROJECT

2006-07-28T17:20:00.000-04:00

Now that it's been delivered I can share with yall the project I worked on in the weeks preceeding vacation..... It's a custom Pisgah Bench I built for my mother or "Ma" as we call her. It features her name and the word "garden" inscribed in the back, as well as some repouse' work for the copper rosettes I crafted for the back rest and the seat detail. It was a great project and Ma really likes it. I experimented on using some different elements on this one verses the others I have built. I used all 10 guage cold rolled steel for the the support elements, and 14 gauge cold rolled steel for the seat pan. The structural parts are of 3/4" mechanical square tubing. I finished it in one of my favorite powder coats....Green Patina. It was a great project and it's nice to give back to the ones who gave so much to me! Of course ignore the date on the pictures....I always forget to set the date when I change the batteries on my camera. Enjoy!

VACATION ?

2006-07-25T23:15:00.000-04:00

I seem to occasionally have these lags in my posting...sometimes without good excuses....but this time I have a great excuse....I'm on vacation, well at least that's the idea. Over the past few weeks I have been working on getting all my work caught up and so the family and me could go down to our ancestrial home in North Carolina. Although I'm going to be sneaking in some classes at John C. Campbell, it's also a good time for me to recharge my batteries and rest up for the push of work coming later this summer.

I miss not being out in my shop...but I am seeing more inspiration, and having a great time! As I write this I'm down in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, soaking up the rain, sun, ocean, sights, sounds, and everything else that I can. So far I've managed to attend the Annual Southern Highlands Craft Guild show where I saw outstanding crafts people and observed some metal workers. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Outdoor Lost Colony Symphonic Play. It was as fantastic as I remember from my youth. We also got to tour the Wright Brothers Memorial in Kitty Hawk. On the memorial I snapped a photo of some interesting door pulls which you see posted here. I've also managed to sneak away long enough to go up to Kayne and Sons (the Blacksmith's Depot) where I picked up some new tools and had a chance to see the new induction forge the guys were working on. I've got some other projects I finished before I went on vacation to post as soon as I can. Till then I'm roaming around here in the southland. More posts to come!

Pioneer Power Days Action Photos

2006-06-12T10:40:00.000-04:00

Photo's courtesy of Pete Smith. I didn't get any action pictures of us at the show, but thankfully someone did! The top photo is of Jim Marsh and the bottom one is yours truly.

21ST Annual Pioneer Power Days

2006-06-11T23:50:00.000-04:00

Just a few shots of the Pioneer Power Days. We were almost washed out, but it was still tremendous fun. Saturday it rained all day and dampened the hopes of the tractor enthusiasts, but Jim Marsh and I keep things movin' on in the blacksmiths shop. Let me explain the pictures:

Top photo: View looking into the blacksmith's shop
2ND photo: View of the forge area
3RD photo: Southern Steel's hardware display
4TH photo: 1912 Case steam tractor getting warmed up and ready for the day. In the background is the blacksmith's shop.

5TH photo: A partial view of some of the shepards hooks I built for the show.

Please disregaurd the dates on the photo's. I took these photo's with my new camera and I was in such a hurry to try it out that I didn't set the date. Sorry. I didn't get any photos of me working at the forge, because most of the time I was too busy to break the camera out. A good close to a great weekend. Enjoy!

Miscellaneous Metal Works

2006-06-11T23:27:00.000-04:00

These are a couple of photo's of some things I finished up on this week. The outside photo is me in front of the new sign base I built for a local insurance agency. It fit right onto the installed anchors that were placed in the concrete base. When everything goes right together, I'm always glad I measured accurately in the field and in the shop.

The other is an octagonal water fountain base slash tank. I developed the pattern for this tank and was pleased with how nice every thing fit together. Besides that it holds water doesn't leak and definately is one of a kind.

The Mad Dash

2006-06-04T09:42:00.000-04:00

Where in the world have I been? Working of course. I somehow managed to not get photo's of all my latest works since last posts, but I wanted to share these photo's with yall!

The photo's of the electrical wall plates are the before and after powder coating. This is a small portion of the ones that I coated over the last 2 weeks. They are a Rust finish over a brass cover. I've never seen so many different types of wall plates/floor plates. It's hard for me to imagine that these are all going to one house! I wish I was able to lay them all out for a photo, but I don't think my shop is big enough to fit them in.

The photo of my truck is just to show off my new vinyl advertising. The picture doesn't do justice to the great job that Eastman Sign Co. did. The vinyl is actually textured in such a manner that it looks as though it's been hit with a hammer. How appropriate for a metal worker. Plus who can resist chrome! It's very rewarding to see my logo on the back window as well. If you see it on the road this summer just give a friendly wave. I hope to attend some classes at John C. Campbell later this summer.

The picture of the metal parts are just a few of the 200 or so that I've been whittling away on recently to. (scrap pile photo shown for proof) They are for a local automotive fabricator who goes by the name of Throttle Down Kustoms. Yall should check out his site at www.throttledownkustoms.com Jeremy Pulse designs and fabricates amazing rock crawlers, chassis, combination bumper grill gaurds, and cutting edge accessories as well as anything for the off road sector. Jeremy is kind enough to let me cut some of his parts, and I'm honored to work with him.

My anvil. The anvil has been posted previously, but my custom stand hasn't. I designed the stand after wanting to have a more suitable base. It's constructed of 10 gauge cold rolled steel and is hollow, so I could fill it with sand. It's very sturdy, matter of fact, I can't even move it now that it's filled. From the side shown, you see my built in hammer rack, but you can't see that on all four sides I cut in an anvil shape, just in case anyone wondered what this thing was for. It's powder coated a textured black.

Upcoming events alert! on June 10 & 11th I get the priveledge of working in the Central Montana Flywheelers Smithy. The avent is an annual occurance here in Central Montana and is always a blast. This will be the 21st annual "Pioneer Power Days". Last year I filled in for Jim Marsh of the Lost Shoe Forge here in Lewistown, and this year we are both teaming up for the show. I'm still scrambling to get some work for sale done for the show. Look for photo's to come!

The Southern Steel Brochure for 2006 is complete. I just don't have a link to it yet, but it will come. Ben Smith did an outstanding job. The caliber of his design and graphics work is fantastic. He also operates Blue Yogo, which is a cutting edge online magazine for Lewistown. You should definately see his site at www.blueyogo.com

I thought of mad dash for this post, because I'm running as fast as I can to keep up. Only thing is....I feel like I'm setting still?

The Last 2 Weeks......

2006-05-14T22:04:00.000-04:00

The last 2 weeks....where to begin? On 02 MAY 06 our latest addition to the family came into the world...beautiful little Chloe Carolina, I've finally got the all the metal work done for her room, the last 3 things were the shelf for the baby monitor, the shelf for the wipes, and my first ever attempt with lighting (the apple lamp)! The only thing I haven't finished yet was the chest of drawers that I still need to refinish. I've managed somehow to work on numerous projects, but I only managed to get a picture of two...one is the spring rake bird bath you see above, the other is the sign behind my lovely "Cleopatra" in her schools wax museum presentation.

We're all adjusting to this latest addition, and I have forgotten how much fun it is to have a baby in the house again! Mom and baby are doing fine and dad and the other kids are in the adjustment process. I've never been more worn out and exhausted as in the last 2 weeks, but ain't that what life's all about...reaching the end of the journey, not new and barely used, but completely a wreck. I'll be in touch.

The Longest Day

2006-04-24T00:20:00.000-04:00

The title of this post represents some of the photo's you see here. I put in my longest strait day at Southern Steel. I started off the morning at 0700 and finished up at 0030. That's 19.5 hours. Now mind you I stopped for lunch and supper, but worked right on till the midnight hour. My wife prepared me a wonderful supper thought that sustained me thru the waning hours. Why did I do this? I had obligations and these projects to finish. I'm not complaining mind you, but next time things stack up on me, I'll make sure I leave some padding.

Not pictured is the 21 foot cabin cruiser boat I welded on for 2.5 hours in the blowing wind. I enjoyed what got accomplished and thank God that He gave me the stamina to keep my word. The item at the top of the page is kind of obscured in the shadows....well that is a background for my daughters wax museum school project. Across the top it says "Cleopatra" and just barely visible are the pyramids that are 3 dimensional. The letters are for a sign project and are 10 gauge steel with standoff's welded to the back. Each letter is 12" tall and I'm pleased with how they turned out. The rose is #9 in the series, and I powder coated it a patina green for the stem and the leaves, with a deep rich glossy red powder for the blossom. I'll find out tommorow if my customer is pleased! Also in the big pictue is some shelves for the baby's room. I haven't got them powder coated yet, but very soon.

I was blog-absent for much of last week because I was working hard to get a project done at my regular job....I got off pretty easy though, because I only had to work 55 hours then I got to come home and be with the ones I love and then do the work in my shop that I love! Till next time!

RONALD McDONALD HOUSE FIREPLACE

2006-04-19T00:24:00.000-04:00

You may not be able to see all the details of this project ...but trust me it has loads of detail. Exactly what is it? Well on either side of this fire place it is encased in hand worked steel. All the way around on the sides and the top it is encased in random hammer textured 10 gauge steel panels. Every edge has one of 2 treatments. They are either peined or where they meet each other they are bevelled. This project also was the first time I used Birchwood Casey's Cold Blackening Finish. I worked out very good. I was pleased, the Architect was pleased, the house Manager was pleased....What else could you ask for? Just one thing....More projects Like This!

This Weekend's Progress

2006-04-09T22:37:00.000-04:00

This weekend I completed a couple of projects I've been working on for the last week or so...I know it's not much ornamental panache, but it's good honest work that helps pay the bills. The stack of steel you see contains the following: a file tray storage bin, some shelving dividers, and some CNC cut brackets. I did get to crank up my propane forge for a little while though and that's why you see that huge smile on my face. I started rough forging the "fingers" for one of my upcoming projects....

Now that spring has sprung, I'm already feeling the pressure of all the projects I meant to do over the winter, but never completed. On Saturday it started to rain moments after my wife snapped these pictures and I was reminded of how nice it is to have the doors open and be able to look outside and see the mountains and not worry about stoking the fire. I mean I've got an awesome window (when I can open my 16 foot garage door).On top of that there's something about the smell of rain combining with all the odors of a metalsmith's shop... I think the only thing that would have made it more enjoyable is if I had only fired the coal forge!

C is for Chloe

2006-04-03T23:02:00.000-04:00

Finally I completed one of those honey-do projects. My wife came up with this idea for the new baby's room. She painted the tree on the wall, came up with the design for the apples, which I then cut out and powder coated. Katelyn and Caleb assisted some with painting the tree, and the walls.

The powder coat is a custom mix that I could proably never replicate again. Sure hope the doctor's right...that we're having a girl, if not I'll have to redo these, in a color other than pink, that or I'll have a big sale on this item! The apples are out of 14 gauge cold rolled steel, and took about 3 hours best I recollect to draw, cut, sand blast, and powder coat.

The Tabernacle Commission

2006-03-30T16:11:00.000-05:00

[1] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[2] See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
[3] And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
[4] To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
[5] And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.
[6] And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;
[7] The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,
[8] And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense,
[9] And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot,.....

This was a great commission for this reason, as often as I've read this passage from the Bible I think about how much of an honor it must have been to be in the service for building the furniture for the Tabernacle but particularly verse 3 that God filled Beezaleel with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship. Beezaleel and the others couldn't have done the work if God hadn't filled them with His Spirit. Equally as important was having the ability to be used of God, in any way He saw fit.

As oft as I've thought on this I've thought about the man that forged the nails that secured God's beloved Son to Calvary's cross, and I wonder what he thought?

Project From the Past "Big Planter"

2006-03-22T23:06:00.000-05:00

Man it's great to be back online...this past weekend I was offline and not by my own choosing. It's great to be back, now especially since I have Hi-speed internet. Wo who! I thought I'd share this project from last summer with yall. It's a "Big Planter" I designed and fabricated for use indoors. The tree you see in this photo, is not why this was built. It actually now houses a 12 foot tall tree of great size.

This could be construed as the planter of the "century"...sorry I have a weakness for puns. On with the features:
This thing is made entirely of 14 gauge cold rolled steel and features swiveling casters (cleverly hidden of course), a pull out tray for catching and draining excess water, and a pretty cool design overall, even if I do say so myself. Of course that's me in the photo looking as geeky as ever.

Project from the Past: "The Missing Link"

2006-03-16T22:09:00.000-05:00

This is a picture of one of the first signs I did. I hand cut everything but the maltese cross portion with a plasma cutter. I thought maybe I'd call it the "missing link".

Powder Coated Tough!

2006-03-16T16:04:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to take this opportunity to brag on the finish I use most often. That is powder coating. As you may have gathered from some of my pictures...I absolutely love clear powder coat over forged steel. It has such a rich tone and so completely compliments the gray black steel. I have a small powder coat setup in my shop and I'm very fortunate to have a prestigeous powder coating contractor in my own town. So I do all the small things and let the professionals handle the larger pieces. If your not exactly sure what powder coating is about the following is an excerpt from the Allegis handbook..

"Powder coating is an electrostatic painting process followed by a thermal curing of the finish. This provides uniform coverage and results in a top-coat that is attractive, durable, corrosion resistant, and UV stable. Powder coat is available in a variety of colors and glosses. Ideally suited for exterior applications. Properties of powder coating include excellent appearance and good abrasion resistance."

If only I could have those same properties!

Project from the Past "Planter Table"

2006-03-15T16:11:00.000-05:00

This was another won of those just fun to do projects. It's a planter table that holds a 6" planter. Man there's metal vines runnin every which direction on this thing. The only items that have any sense of order are the circular rings and the legs. Everything else is just moving where it wanted to go. Now that it's been in the customer's possession the flowers really dress it up when they spread out and get supported by the metal vines.

The Secret Revealed!

2006-03-14T22:06:00.000-05:00

Finally the time has arrived for me to share with you the secret of the Jamison Door Project.

The picture you see is part of the coolest feature of this project, as it contains a "secret" passage which contains a time capsule. I thought it was a nice cap to a very fun project! The panel slides off towards the door, so the door has to be open in order for you to remove it.

Project From the Past

2006-03-13T03:01:00.000-05:00

Here's the deal...It's early mid morning on another Sunday Nite and I can't sleep, so I thought I'd work on paying a few bills....I decided to take a break from going thru the bills and look thru my old pictures......dun tun da dun I came up with an idea! You may recall from earlier posts that my original intent of my blog was to create an online porfolio. In doing this I culled projects from posts that I deemed "not ornamental enough". Well in doing so, I may have not shared with all of yall what I'm about...building things that you just can buy at any store.

So as to try and share some of these previous "Projects From the Past" I'll try to occasionally post some of these early works. Now I know that some of the pictures will be bad, shucks even some of the pieces will be raw iron, no paint. But it will at least show some of the other things I've worked on and maybe inspire some more!

The picture you see above is my version of a leaf brake. It's aptly named the "MK II Super Brake". It will form 30" of 18 gauge cold rolled steel without batting an eye. It features chrome moly forming bars and adjustable cam locks. I came up with this design after building one for use in my shop. I showed it to a couple of folks, and ended up building 3 more. Why on earth would I build a brake? Simple. My appetite for tools exceeds my budget, so if I can't afford what I need, I take a chance and build it myself. Besides that what Denver Broncos fan would want one of these in their garage! Look for more "Projects from the Past" to come in future posts.

This Days Progress

2006-03-12T00:39:00.000-05:00

This day's started with me still feeling a little under the weather, but I had projects to resolve and or start. This project was for an chap I know who does some exquisite work with glass. He's been doing some slumped glass bowls which are quite large in diameter. He asked me about making some stands so he could display his work, so I came up with this design. I just finished it about 45 minutes ago. I chose to powder coat it in a copper vein finish. I tried to adapt sem-traditional joinery in the bottom. The bottom with a flick of the wrist actually rotates and slides out of the "mortise" on the sides, then the whole thing folds up for stowing.

The goal was to make a sturdy stand that could hold very expensive glass, that was easy to pack and complementary to the glass artists' work. Hopefully I've accomplished all.
I'll know Monday, when I swing it by his shop and get his reaction. Today I had hoped to make some progress on some other projects I've been working on, but just quite didn't get it done.

WHIMSICAL PARKING METER

2006-03-08T16:06:00.000-05:00

This was a project I recently finished, which was just a fun whimsical project. How else could I explain a Greek inspired column base for a parking meter! It features a hidden passage in the back, so you can store all your revenues received from the parking meter.

I've wanted for some time to replicate a Corinthian inspire column, I just couldn't find a project to work it in on....until now. Besides that when you see columns they're usually holding up something very heavy and or important, so why not a parking meter?

EVEN MORE DOOR PHOTO'S

2006-03-07T16:01:00.000-05:00

I'm guessing that I'll have to keep posting pictures of this door until I get some feedback. No seriously, I'd like to know what yall think, so please leave a comment. This is just a closeup of the copper rose door pull.

MORE JAMISON DOOR PICTURES

2006-03-06T16:06:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd share some more photo's of the Jamison door. This is a closeup of the copper ribbon and brass crown.

Jamison Centennial Ornamental Door

2006-03-04T17:11:00.000-05:00

Finally, I'm able to post some pictures of the project that I've been working on since the End of November. (Not the whole time mind you, just the spare time!) This project features several firsts for me....they are:

Copper Rose Door Pull that actually engages in a catch

Full Wrap Pin Hinges that swing level

My First Try at Repousse' Work in 16 ounce copper and soft Brass

Ornamental Window Grille

The overall size of this door is 37" tall x 27" wide x 6" deep

Dan Rhyner and Joe Mayernik were responsible for the fantastic job they did with all the wood work. Pete Smith fabricated some awesome lady bug bolts that hold the Copper Rose Door Pull to the door.

I guess I should tell you about this project's start. I work as a full time metal worker for a freezer doorway manufacturer in Montana. We are owned by the Jamison Door Company which is located in Hagerstown, Maryland. Well, they have been in business for 100 years as of this year, and I came up with an idea that we should build something commerative of that. Wala! you have the Jamison Centennial Door. A smaller version mind you, but one that captures the essence of what they do.....Build doors. And will fit quite nicely on any wall.

This door does possess a secret that I can't fully disclose now, but I will post details of this at a later date. Until then please enjoy, and I fully encourage you comments and feedback.....good or bad!

Making Memories in Metal

2006-03-02T16:08:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to trumpet once more about the project that I've been working on.....(It's been the one that has consumed so much of my spare time of lately.) I should be able to post some pictures up this weekend.

As with any project that has it's ups and downs, it's still always sad to see them go away. Thank God for pictures, so we can re-live these projects. At least if we "make memories in metal" they will last for some time to come, perhaps even a lifetime!

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

2006-03-01T16:09:00.000-05:00

Perfection......The goal of all professions. Perfection if I could know it could be summed up by the title phrase "Continuous Improvement". When I rethink projects I've done, I seem to reflect most upon the things that weren't exactly what I wanted them to be and or just didn't turn out the way I expected. Most of the time that's been great because some things, as I've learned working with metal, take on an life of their own.

So I guess continuous improvements are a natural part of life, if we allow it.

THE THINGS THAT SELL

2006-02-28T16:04:00.000-05:00

Have you ever noticed that when you make the move from hobby projects for wives/husbands, family, and friends to that of trying to turn a profit, that the most awesome project idea that we can come up with is not usually the best seller?

For instance, I made a rendition of a popular logo as a favor for someone and as a just for fun project, and I've had more requests for more of that than my own original iron work? When I look at it from a metal workers vantage point, it's pretty dirt simple and strait forward of a piece. Now comparing that simple strait forward metal work, to some of my other pieces, which I thought long and hard about fabricating and invested a lot of "heart and soul" to me there seems to be no comparison.

Maybe I've not just carved out that niche yet, for my pieces to have that "cool" factor? Who knows. The most memorable comment I recall hearing was "what'd you do heat that up and beat the hound out of it with a hammer?" My reply was "yeah hit it with a hammer".

Sounded so crude at the time, but then again we're back to the simple things......

Heat it up and hit it with a hammer!

Revamping My Thoughts

2006-02-27T16:10:00.000-05:00

After some time has passed, it's been worthy to note that I haven't stayed in touch with the blogsphere. My apologies. I've purposed to stay more on task, and after a helpful talk with my blog"mentor" hope to change my format from an online portfolio to more of a view inside my world. Scary thought huh? I must confess though, that I've been so absorbed in the latest project I've been working on that I have neglected those of you who can only follow my infrequent posts.

But look for a fantastic post coming very soon, on this very project! Till then please accept my humble apology.

"THE MONARCH" .....COMPLETED!

2005-11-09T16:02:00.000-05:00

For all those who wanted to see "The Monarch" in its full glory! I hope you enjoy seeing this as much as I did making it!

Forged Rose Door Pull

2005-11-08T10:40:00.000-05:00

This is a custom rose handle door pull that I forged earlier this summer for use on sliding glass doors. Having some many favorites it is hard for me to pick just one that's my fav....how do you rate this one?

SAMPLE CABINET HARDWARE

2005-11-08T10:34:00.000-05:00

The pieces you see here are a few "experimental" cabinet and door pull handles I fabricated earlier this year. It's always fun trying new techniques, and I hope to have created some unique hardware. My goal of being able to fabricate items that you can't buy anywhere else helps to keep me focused on innovating new designs, rather than copying previous designs.

MICRO REX

2005-11-08T07:53:00.000-05:00

This is one of those fun projects that you just like to have kids look at...myself being the biggest kid!

FRADLEY LOG STAND

2005-11-05T23:22:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd post a drawing instead of the normal photo's to give you a sense of what I start with. This commissioned piece started out with a phone call from the customer, who knew what they wanted.... A double bin log rack that had shelves and had to fit with in an alcove by their stove. I thought on this for a while, then made the sketch you see above..... I've learned that the more time I put into drawings, the smoother the project goes. Even when you do build projects on paper it seems you still run into problems, but fewer problems.

HELPING HAND

2005-11-05T23:07:00.000-05:00

This project was a lot of fun...and better yet it was for the Annual "Tree of Light" program. This hand was designed as a topper for the "Tool Tree" and is meant to take the place on the top of the tree. The fingers started out as 3/4" round solid stock which was forged down. The remaining base is of 18 gauge cold rolled steel, hand formed and shaped out of 2 pieces. I particluarly liked the transition from sheet steel to rod, as I think the sheet steel shows definition, while the fingers are still under the process of transformation. I started this project thinking....If I mess it up and it looks more like a hand that has been run over....then I can always put a glove on it! Enjoy!

FLEUR DE LIS SLIDE BOLT

2005-10-02T23:36:00.000-04:00

The slide bolt you are looking at is a proto-type piece I made hoping to practice tight tolerance work. At first, I got a little too carried away with this "tight tolerance" I had to rework the bolt retainers because I didn't allow enough room for easy sliding. My favorite part was the scroll bolt. Best as I remember this project took about 2.5 hours. (It's hard to keep track of time when your doing something fun!) In retrospect.....exactly when was the time when the home needed to be protected with a slide bolt? If good fences make good neighbors....does good door locks make good burglars?

THE OWL KNOCKER

2005-10-02T23:30:00.000-04:00

The picture you see is my first attempt at making a door knocker compatible with peepholes now found on almost all doors. My wife and kids said it reminded them of an owl and I thought that was a befitting name. It's forged out of 3/16 plate and features a twisted scrolled handle with a 3/4" ball. It took about 3 hours to fabricate and was finished with a wire wheel brush and clear powder coat finish.

MY NEW ANVIL

2005-10-02T23:18:00.000-04:00

After 2 years of searching....ah I have a anvil worth writing about. Its a 125# ACME brand and rings as sweet as a church bell. I was so anxious to try it out this weekend that I haven't even got a decent stand built for it yet....not to worry though maybe I'll get a chance to fab one shortly. The anvil this replaces was my 75# Vulcan...which has served me admirably and will always remind me of what I started with. I was so tickled to get my hands on this ACME, one of the edges needs a little dressing but the face is as smooth and flat as anyone could ever hope for, not a ding or mark anywhere on the face! My neighbors however may not be as tickled as I am about this though!

THE MONARCH....AWAITING PAINTING

2005-09-12T22:45:00.000-04:00

The monarch as I'm calling it took flight this weekend. It's a commissioned piece centered around the Monarch Butterfly motif and includes 3 winding rose stems. Most folks would rather see it finished with color and accents, but for me the beauty is in the look of raw steel, knowing that not long ago it was a mass of iron just waiting to be forged into something unique, though I'm sure it will be more attractive when paint and powder coating is allowed to plead it's case. I'll be sure to upload a post when it's fully colored!

2005-09-09T20:24:00.000-04:00

This is my first post.

The Tracker Project

2005-09-05T05:30:00.000-04:00

While this project didn't involve much ornamental magic, it did test my metal fabrication skills. My customer wanted the old roof cut off and a new one put on. Sounded interesting...and it was something I had never done before....so I said I would give it a try. 17.5 hours later the project was completed and ready to have body filler and fresh paint applied. I can't take full credit for the success of this project though....my customer gets credit for believing that I could do it and for much appreciated help in cutting off the old damaged top. Besides that we had the greatest help of all...we prayed over it before getting to far in.

Custom Lavatory Stand

2005-07-01T22:35:00.000-04:00

In this photo you see a commissioned piece that I called a Lavatory Stand. I've built several bakers rack style furnishings, but this was a first because of the enclosed bottom storage area. The doors were curved to brake up and compliment the top portion. The finish chosen by the customer was a silver vein powder coat with a clear glossy top coat which went very well with their newly remodeled bathroom. All in all a very gratifying project to have in the archives.

My First Public Blacksmith Show

2005-06-13T23:22:00.000-04:00

I had the honor of serving as the blacksmith for the 20th Annual Pioneer Power Days. It was a great time to be had. Having the public come in, view some of your pieces, ask questions and be generally interested in what you are doing is always a good feeling, but to be in your element and doing something that you passionately enjoy....well... words do little to explain, but it was fantastic!

A Bed of Rose (s)

2005-04-23T23:35:00.000-04:00

While many may argue the pro's and con's of marriage, it's definately love that bonds a marriage and I'm very blessed to have it in mine. The rose you see is a first for me. It's completely hand cut and hand formed. I built it under the cover of secrecy....why? because that's what I gave my wife on our 11th Anniversary. Which from what she tells me...steel is the gift to give on the 11th (how wonderful for me). I'm hoping that all the others are supposed to be steel too! 'cause I'm not to good at making things out of paper plus steel is a lot cheaper than gold! The rose is made up of 22 individual pieces and took me 3.5 hours to fabricate. Thanks dear I Love You!

MAYTAG POWER HAMMER

2005-01-02T00:17:00.000-05:00

In hopes that the Maytag reliabilty comes with naming something after it! The photo you are viewing is my first attempt at building a power hammer. It's power plant is off of my wife's old Maytag. Why I want one is simple. Status! I've got my own power hammer....no really it stems from 2 things laziness and fear of developing "rodent wrist" from hammering to much. Though it's not much to look at it does save me some time and the really cool thing is it makes a lot of noise. This becomes a problem when it's too late to be working in the shop and you have neighbors that wish you would take up some other hobby...say basket weaving or sleep therapy.

4" Swing Planter

2004-11-17T22:53:00.000-05:00

In this project, I expanded upon a design I had seen before but added subtle details. It's made for holding (2) 4" pots. It measures around 24" wide x 12" deep x 16" tall. The work now resides in Indiana swinging softly in those Mid-West breezes!

Making More Than 1

2004-09-26T23:12:00.000-04:00

In this commissioned barstool project, I came face to face with having to make 2 things identical. While this shouldn't be a problem for a seasoned metal worker such as myself, I found that the material sometimes developes a mind of its own.....not necessarily doing what you want it to do. This reminded me of how awesome it is to work in a medium which does not follow the cause and effect rules. I pondered on how comfortable the lattice seat would be during the design phase and was shocked to find out that it wasn't to bad. The last thing I wanted was to build a decent looking bar stool only later to have it deemed "a mother-in-law" chair. I especially was fond of the front leg design. I've wanted to incorporate this style for some time. Enjoy!

The Family Tree

2004-08-28T23:41:00.000-04:00

This commissioned work has definately been the most satisfying piece to date. It's an interior piece that will stand when finished 11 feet tall and includes a hoot owl hole and a few hundred feet of hand formed branches and leaves. Throughout the process I just kept thinking "man it's gonna be over soon". Of course after 20 + hours of hand forming the tree trunk on the shot bag I started thinking "I sure hope I finish this soon, before my arm falls off". But in the end I was satisfied with the piece and was saddened to see it leave it's birthplace.

Boulevard Rail

2004-06-28T05:50:00.000-04:00

This was one of my first commissioned railing projects. The customer chose balusters with steel baskets that he painted with a gold metal flake paint. The rest of the rail was finished with black self-hammer powder coat. The piece starts and finishes with forged lambs tongues and was a very fun project.

Pisgah Bench

2004-06-20T23:53:00.000-04:00

The Pisgah Bench as I've named it began as an experimental piece. Most of the time my wife is my harshest critic as well as my best customer. The bench began like all of my ideas, a blurry eyed picture in my head. Once completed though my wife fell in love with it and I was unable to part with it. She actually told me last time I took it to a show, that if I sold the bench that I better not come home.

Wall Hanging 4" Planter

2004-02-05T23:22:00.000-05:00

This project was another one of those "experimental" pieces that my wife liked...all except for the color. Simple in design, yet elegant. Which makes me ask "when do you know exactly when to stop adding details?" I'm not sure I can answer that fully yet, but maybe that's what you learn when you qualify as an "artist". Maybe the journey is as rewarding as reaching the destination....but maybe that depends on where you're heading!

The 1st Thing I Ever Smithed

2003-10-23T23:52:00.000-04:00

This was the first thing I ever smithed a left handed steak turner! This was the spark that lead to my fire of ornamental iron prowess. Although I've been a metal worker my entire adult career, I had never till this day, tried blacksmithing. I was fortunate enough to have a boss who is a blacksmith and invited me out to give it a try. One look, was all it took! I've been consumed since then to further my abilities and experiment with my creativity. Thanks be to God for allowing me this priveledge.

I can smell the aroma of a coal fire, hear the ring of the anvil, feel the warmth of the hot iron in my hand and see something taking shape and ah......the taste of having purpose in life. Something for all the senses!