Hobart
Home » Weld Talk

Weld Talk Online Forum

Trek 180
Champion Elite
AirForce 500i
AirForce 700i
Spoolgun
Ironman 230
Premium Weld/Multi-Use Unlined Gloves
EZ-TIG 165i
XVS Patriot II
  #1  
Old 07-12-2004, 11:14 AM
AZCoyote AZCoyote is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 454
Dragonfly yard art

I made some more Dragonfly's and thought I would post one. I played with some new patinas on this one. The eyes are copper.

The other one is a weather vane mounted on wheel bearings.

__________________
**********
Matt
www.innovationaliron.com
Metal Artist Forum

MM135
Stickmate LX AC/DC
Cutmaster 38
TA185
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 07-12-2004, 12:27 PM
stever stever is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 111
AW RIGHT! That's great. You say the eyes are copper. What's the rest of it made from, or did I just miss that? Give us some details. I demand details. Brag about it.

I like everything about it. I sold one about a year ago that was all hand forged body. I cut the solid wings out of 1/8" plate and then textured them. I like your wing design much better than the solid plate.

Let's see some more of your stuff.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 07-12-2004, 01:01 PM
AZCoyote AZCoyote is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 454
Thanks Stever!

The body starts with a 3/16 rod skeleton that is covered with 24ga sheet metal. Each sheetmetal piece is hammed with a texturing hammer I made before it's welded on. (mig at 3.5 volts) The piece the wings weld onto is 18ga to support the weight and not burn through. You can't really see the wing design in the photo, but it really looks cool. After I bend the outer frame for the wings, I randomly bend the inside pieces and then just weld them in place on one end, then cut the other end to fit and weld. I feel pure random design creates a better looking piece as opposed to planning each piece when re-creating nature. The head is constructed from two 5" bowls I hammer out of 18ga sheetmetal in my swage block. Like I said the eyes are copper. The legs are forged and necked with a guillotine tool to simulate leg joints.

After sandblasting and soaking with a Phosphoric acid spray, I start with a black patina. I hit all the high spots on the body with the black, and the under belly. Then I clean the piece again. I then LIGHTLY apply a Copper based paint to the top of the tail and various spots on the body so my copper patinas will color those spots aqua blue. I never completly cover an area with the copper paint so that the colors of the steel show through. I was never happy with the color pallete of steel compared to copper, but I don't like paint either. This was a happy medium.

I'm working on a large Hornet and a Monitor Lizard right now. Not to mention still trying to find time to complete my power hammer.

Whew, you asked for details....
__________________
**********
Matt
www.innovationaliron.com
Metal Artist Forum

MM135
Stickmate LX AC/DC
Cutmaster 38
TA185
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 07-15-2004, 06:37 AM
stever stever is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 111
Let's see some more. You've been holding out.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 07-16-2004, 06:22 PM
stever stever is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 111
Since we live on opposite corners of the map I figure that I'm not trying to one up you by showing this. Besides, your's is way better than what I've got. Anyhoo, this dragonfly started life as a 2½" diameter pipe and was hand hammered into submission. The body was fullered with a guillotine tool on the treadle hammer. The eyes were fullered then hammered into the body at a red heat.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg unpainted dragonfly resize.jpg (72.7 KB, 135 views)
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 07-16-2004, 06:24 PM
stever stever is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 111
The black paint was required by the client. She hung this on the back of her house so the people on the golf course could view her art.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg mounted resize.jpg (63.7 KB, 118 views)
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 07-16-2004, 08:58 PM
AZCoyote AZCoyote is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 454
I like it! When I was thinking up the design for mine, I thought about making identicle wings. I chose my design because I figured it would put less stress on the legs when the wind was blowing. Plus I have a TON of round rod.

I really enjoy seeing quality work from others. It always inspires me. Are you familiar with Enrique Vega? He lives in Apex, NC. I have admired his work for some time now. I will be in NC next year and plan on looking him up and seeing his shop.
__________________
**********
Matt
www.innovationaliron.com
Metal Artist Forum

MM135
Stickmate LX AC/DC
Cutmaster 38
TA185
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 07-17-2004, 10:14 AM
Rocky D's Avatar
Rocky D Rocky D is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 7,527
You sure you're not just catchin' some local inhabitants, down there, and spray paintin' 'em ta look like metal!!!!
__________________
Arcin' and sparkin', Rocky D <><
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
IF YOU CAN READ THIS, THANK A TEACHER...
IF YOU'RE READING THIS IN ENGLISH, THANK A SOLDIER!
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:




Please read our Terms of Use. Messages that harass, abuse or threaten other members; have obscene or otherwise objectionable content; have spam, commercial or advertising content or links may be removed and may result in the loss of your posting privileges. Please do not post any private information unless you want it to be available publicly.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2010, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.