Art Question... How do you do this?

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Thinking about my next project and I love the look of this vase or whatever it is.  Wondering how you go about building something like this.  How would you guys go about doing this?  Would you weld it freehand, or make some sort of mold to form it around?  I don't think my eye is good enough to get a nice symmetrical shape going.  Thought about making some sort of solid mold to form it around.  Maybe foam or something, but I can't see that holding up to the heat of the welds.  Thoughts?
Reply:I'm betting freehand....Expert Garage Hack....https://www.facebook.com/steven.webber.948
Reply:I was afraid of that
Reply:Hello jstrain, most of the time you can find a clay/glass pot/vase/other sacrificial piece to work as your backer. Likely that one started out as such an item and they set the washers on it and carefully tacked them together in rows until they had it covered. Then they broke the piece and "WAH-LAH". That's my guess anyway. Good luck and best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:Tuanks, Allan, that's a good idea. I thought about hitting up my wife's caninets, but thought better of it. I'm guessing I could find a suitable donor base at a flea market or goodwill store. I'll keep my eyes peeled.
Reply:Originally Posted by jstrain  Thought about making some sort of solid mold to form it around.  Maybe foam or something, but I can't see that holding up to the heat of the welds.  Thoughts?
Reply:I'm wondering if you can use like a wooden form to get the starting radius, then just repeat all the way around?I dunno, maybe there's a trick to it??Expert Garage Hack....https://www.facebook.com/steven.webber.948
Reply:Originally Posted by aevaldHello jstrain, most of the time you can find a clay/glass pot/vase/other sacrificial piece to work as your backer. Likely that one started out as such an item and they set the washers on it and carefully tacked them together in rows until they had it covered. Then they broke the piece and "WAH-LAH". That's my guess anyway. Good luck and best regards, Allan
Reply:Looks like a football to me.   Deflate it when done welding....Miller 211 MIGThermal ARC 186 TIGHypertherm Powermax 30 Plasma
Reply:Originally Posted by aevaldHello jstrain, most of the time you can find a clay/glass pot/vase/other sacrificial piece to work as your backer. Likely that one started out as such an item and they set the washers on it and carefully tacked them together in rows until they had it covered. Then they broke the piece and "WAH-LAH". That's my guess anyway. Good luck and best regards, Allan
Reply:I would say a form. that is how I would do it.BullLincoln 180 MigSyncrowave 250 Tig
Reply:Will glass or ceramic hold up to those welds on the outside?  I'd rather not get covered in shards of glass or pottery
Reply:I have always assumed these were done in two halves with most of the welds on the inside. So, a negative mold would be my guess.Kevin.http://www.lsfdesign.comMiller Millermatic 211 MVPMetcal STSS-002
Reply:It looks like the welds are on the inside so a negative mold would be needed.
Reply:that thing reminds me of a minerature version of a wall i saw once.   An auto wrecker/junk yard, took a bunch of standard stock steel rims, welded and stacked them like that, creating a wall around the junk yard.    If you cut a little off the top and bottom of a bowling pin, you'd get a similar shape
Reply:https://www.google.com/search?q=vase...2F%3B480%3B640
Reply:Originally Posted by Toggle SwitchLooks like a football to me.   Deflate it when done welding....
Reply:www.allmetalshaping.com/showthread.php?t=7826"Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Reply:Originally Posted by Welder DaveTalk to the Patriots about deflating footballs.
Reply:Balloon or football or vase as a form...then, Plaster of Paris around it to form a exterior mold.  Or paper meche'.  I then paper mache' is flame retardant.
Reply:More good ideas!  Never done any sort of mold work before, so I've got some reading up to do.-Jeremy
Reply:Originally Posted by BistineauYou could make a mold from damp sand in a box, dug out into the shape you want and lay the washers in it and start tacking them together. That way all the welds will be to the inside as you go around, none exposed to the outside.
Reply:Those look awesome!
Reply:Originally Posted by Yofishhttps://www.google.com/search?q=vase...2F%3B480%3B640