Ornamental Iron Projects

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I was curious how do you guys finish your iron projects that you sell. Do you just paint them if so with what or what type of paint I mean? Or do you powder coat them????
Reply:Im new here but have done some ornamental Iron work for my home and for a few friends homes. WHat I have done is send them to the shop to have them powdercoated.....I have since bought a powdercoating system that I can do in my shop....saves time and money....I think it looks better and last alot longer.....just my 2 cents though Attached Images
Reply:nice gate.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Thanks....This is looking up to the Master Bedroom. Attached ImagesLast edited by ftgokie; 10-16-2006 at 08:26 PM.
Reply:Here is another handrail I made coming from Master Bedroom in our home Attached Images
Reply:good stuff!i could never own a house like that... i like the low maintenence type.. ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:LOL...Yea, me 2....I guess thats what ya get with a wife that comes from a frilly foo foo family....I could stay in my garage....it has central heat and air, kitchenette, bathroom, futon..of course this isnt in the actual shop area, its a 18x20 room added onto the actual shop.. Oh, and you guys are gonna laugh, it has acid stained concrete...lol....so she pampered me a little...
Reply:Originally Posted by ftgokieLOL...Yea, me 2....I guess thats what ya get with a wife that comes from a frilly foo foo family....I could stay in my garage....it has central heat and air, kitchenette, bathroom, futon..of course this isnt in the actual shop area, its a 18x20 room added onto the actual shop.. Oh, and you guys are gonna laugh, it has acid stained concrete...lol....so she pampered me a little...
Reply:Originally Posted by ftgokieIm new here but have done some ornamental Iron work for my home and for a few friends homes. WHat I have done is send them to the shop to have them powdercoated.....I have since bought a powdercoating system that I can do in my shop....saves time and money....I think it looks better and last alot longer.....just my 2 cents though
Reply:JafrI paint much of my stuff.  This year has been a rarity, I have had nearly $10,000 in powder coating done.  Though I primarily paint.  I clean and paint.  I usually offer powder coating at an additional charge.  I also, powder coat if specs. require it. Much of time it is easier and faster for me to simply clean and paint, rather than transporting then waiting for the items prior to installation.       Are you looking at finishes from a business or hobby perspective?
Reply:ftgokieGood looking stuff. Start a thread and share some your techniques.Thanks
Reply:Thanks guys...This isnt my real job..I do the ornamental work for fun mostly...I dont have anything fancy this is what I have..http://www.shopoutfitters.com/is where I got my benderand here is where i got my powdercoaterhttp://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?i...rID=371&KICKERHope this helps out
Reply:my steel supplier has all the ornamental stuff off the shelf. would it tbe easier to just buy and weld. or is twisting this stuff easier than it looks."Retreat hell, were just fighting in the other direction"Miller Trailblazer 302, Extreme 12 VS, Dimension 400, Spectrum 375, HF 251D-1, Milermatic 251 w/ spoolgun  Hypertherm 1000Lincoln sp 1702000 F-450 to haul it
Reply:BackuprollerUsually, if they have what you need/want, then purchase.  I do custom pickets when necessary.  Though you got to get paid accordingly for any cold bending or forging.  Not always difficult, just time consuming.Building from purchased parts when possible is far easier.
Reply:Originally Posted by tapwelderJafrAre you looking at finishes from a business or hobby perspective?
Reply:Originally Posted by backuprollermy steel supplier has all the ornamental stuff off the shelf. would it tbe easier to just buy and weld. or is twisting this stuff easier than it looks.
Reply:JafrSomething to consider, since your doing business.  I pay $7/ft for sandblasting and powder coating $4/ft for simply powder coating.   I am not sure that I paint my own product for a better rate.  It is simply more convenient.  Sometimes it is nice to get the stuff out of the shop while I work of something else, however I guess transporting stuff and wait time deter me most from having more stuff powder coated.  Also, the weight, configuration and length of items must be considered when taking items to the powder coated.
Reply:Tapwelder is correct.. The time to get the items to powdercoating has to be taken into consideration. But, like he said, when you get it out of the shop to be powdercoated, you can be on another project.. I just took my items to the powdercoater because it was for my home, and some family and friends home.....and, its only 2 miles from my home. I since went with the Eastwoood home powdercoating setup and it works great. I did get a call from a lady today that seen a hanging swing and a bridge that I made for my mom. She is wanting me to build a fence and a walk through gate for her back yard. She said she will want it painted forrest green as opposed to powdercoating...so looks like I will be firing up the old paint brush..lol..What I have found works best for me is Impliment Paint. Go find a farm and ranch store and get some farm impliment paint. Its about 21.99 for a gallon where I go. The few things I have painted, are holding up after 4 yrs and still looks good.Oh yea, Sears has a powdercoat system also you might wanna check out. If you think you may do alot of powdercoating, you may wanna check it out as well....here is the linkhttp://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes
Reply:Hey  ftgokie,You don't happen to live in SE Louisiana do you?  The style of those houses reminds me of the subdivision I used to live in near Baton Rouge.Patrick
Reply:Ftgokie,  great work.  I think the combo of wood and black steel is a timeless look.  It always looks good.One question about powder coating at home.  Since you are limited to the size of an oven, how do you powder coat a large project like a railing?  One piece at a time and then assemble?  If so, how can you do that without damaging the finish?
Reply:Very nice work, keep up the great pics.DewayneDixieland WeldingMM350PLincoln 100Some torchesOther misc. tools
Reply:Patrick_76, no, I live just outside Tulsa, Okla.Arc_It, the large railings I did I had sent to the Powdercoat Shop a cpl miles down the road, he is a good friend of mine.The oven I have I bought off Ebay and cost me 2100.00 and I had to drive to Atlanta to pick it up. They would have shipped it to me, but it was just an excuse to drive down there and go back to Ft. Benning Ga. to show the wife and kids around where I went to Ranger School. Its measurments are 93" Long x 34" wide x 34" high. A guy I know built his own oven, he built his out of 2"x2" sq tubing and sheet metal and used burners from some old electric ovens. His works pretty good and cost alot less than mine. So this could be a route you may take. You could use 500w heating elements for that matter. It just needs to get up to about 450* FHere is another gate I made....these gates are turning into being a full time job..lol Attached Images
Reply:Originally Posted by ftgokiePatrick_76, no, I live just outside Tulsa, Okla.Arc_It, the large railings I did I had sent to the Powdercoat Shop a cpl miles down the road, he is a good friend of mine.The oven I have I bought off Ebay and cost me 2100.00 and I had to drive to Atlanta to pick it up. They would have shipped it to me, but it was just an excuse to drive down there and go back to Ft. Benning Ga. to show the wife and kids around where I went to Ranger School. Its measurments are 93" Long x 34" wide x 34" high. A guy I know built his own oven, he built his out of 2"x2" sq tubing and sheet metal and used burners from some old electric ovens. His works pretty good and cost alot less than mine. So this could be a route you may take. You could use 500w heating elements for that matter. It just needs to get up to about 450* FHere is another gate I made....these gates are turning into being a full time job..lol
Reply:Thanks Jafr.. I got the points for the gates and fence from a fence supply store in Muskogee. I am down there 3-4x a week and I know a guy that works there..I tell him what I want and he has it there or can get it within 3-4 days. im not sure where he gets them at, but he usually has a whole barrel full of them, .64cents a piece..Although, I see you can get them through King pretty cheap also...here is thier linkhttp://www.kingmetals.com/
Reply:ftgokie, hoorah on the ranger school. gradauated in 98 while stationed on kelly hill, 1-15 infantry scout platoon.  now on to the question, which process are welding with. i am thinking mig would be the easiest and fastest?"Retreat hell, were just fighting in the other direction"Miller Trailblazer 302, Extreme 12 VS, Dimension 400, Spectrum 375, HF 251D-1, Milermatic 251 w/ spoolgun  Hypertherm 1000Lincoln sp 1702000 F-450 to haul itHooah to you too backuproller...I was on Kelly Hill also, D. Co. 1-18th Inf. 197th Inf Bde. I was there from May 1990-May 1992, yea, we went to Desert Shield/Storm. Anyways, nuff of that..Yea, I was using my Lincoln Invertec V350 with LF-72 wire feeder..I use this for all my Stick/Tig/Mig welding in the shop here at home
Reply:good ole dollar ninety seven. my PSG when i was on the hill had been in the 1-18 scout platoon. 1-18 reflagged to 1-15 when the downsizing started. i guess i can start fabbing up momma some handrails for christmas. what would about 40 ft of handrailing run (ballpark figure if ya don't mind)."Retreat hell, were just fighting in the other direction"Miller Trailblazer 302, Extreme 12 VS, Dimension 400, Spectrum 375, HF 251D-1, Milermatic 251 w/ spoolgun  Hypertherm 1000Lincoln sp 1702000 F-450 to haul it
Reply:Ya know..I do this for fun and not really for profit, hell, I think the gate I made in the last pic actually cost me money..lol It just depends on how fancy you wanted to get, if you wanted just picket twisted uprights and powdercoated and some fancy scrolls ...id say 225.00 installed is what id do it for if anyone around here came up and asked me.. I really do it for the fun of it.
Reply:I really do it for the fun of it.(quote)thats the best part.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:If you guys want to know more about forging and blacksmithing, the place to start is www.anvilfire.com .  There are lots of links to all aspects of forging ornamental iron.  Finishing for outdoor environmens is also a common concern with the blacksmiths and is addressed in many of their forums, etc.
Reply:Originally Posted by 4ger-jimIf you guys want to know more about forging and blacksmithing, the place to start is www.anvilfire.com .  There are lots of links to all aspects of forging ornamental iron.  Finishing for outdoor environmens is also a common concern with the blacksmiths and is addressed in many of their forums, etc.
Reply:nice work ftgokie.Last edited by TPnTX; 10-20-2006 at 08:00 AM.
Reply:Great Work ftgokie!Please tell me how you bent the top rails of the gate so uniformly?I am interested in making a couple of gates myself. I seem to have a fairly mechanical mind, but I am not much on the artsy-fartsy stuff.  I am afraid my gates will wind up looking like they should be in front of a state prison rather than a house. Where did you get the ideas for "what goes where"?
Reply:I do a fair bit of ornamental work,,theres a shop in Silverwater /Sydney thats sells the stuff at a really good price.I dont know how they can import it from Europe and then sell it for next to nothing,,,but Im not complaining.Theres no such thing as scrap metal,its all good.
Reply:I already asked this, but was never answered.How do you make the bend on the rails stay uniform? A jig?
Reply:PookieThere are many ways to bend metal.  Most of the time regardless of what method you choose, you will have to fine tune it to make it visually perfect.One manual method I use.  Is a jig consisting of two 3 inch dia by 3" schedule 40 pipe mounted on a plate with open ends up.  There is approx 2 inch between the two pipe.  I mount it to a table or trailer to use it.To use it I insert the metal between the pipes and lean on it watching the scale pop off.  I then slide in another 2 inches or so and repeat.  Always go slow.  Remember the smaller increment you move the better more smooth your arc will be.     This method works well for long radius arc as the gates.  It works well when bending metal the "easy way"  also.  When bending metal the "Hard way", there is a tendency for the metal to turn upward. because the inside in not shrinking.  Don't let this twisting/turning get out of hand.  create another tool or jig to twist and flatten the metal after each bending.For heavier stuff you can use heat.  There are also rollers available.
Reply:Originally Posted by tapwelderPookieThere are many ways to bend metal.  Most of the time regardless of what method you choose, you will have to fine tune it to make it visually perfect.One manual method I use.  Is a jig consisting of two 3 inch dia by 3" schedule 40 pipe mounted on a plate with open ends up.  There is approx 2 inch between the two pipe.  I mount it to a table or trailer to use it.To use it I insert the metal between the pipes and lean on it watching the scale pop off.  I then slide in another 2 inches or so and repeat.  Always go slow.  Remember the smaller increment you move the better more smooth your arc will be.     This method works well for long radius arc as the gates.  It works well when bending metal the "easy way"  also.  When bending metal the "Hard way", there is a tendency for the metal to turn upward. because the inside in not shrinking.  Don't let this twisting/turning get out of hand.  create another tool or jig to twist and flatten the metal after each bending.For heavier stuff you can use heat.  There are also rollers available.
Reply:I am an experienced welder and I have Stick, Mig, Tig, and OA Gas along with an assortment of other cool toys in my home garage.My next project is going to be a 4’ high wrought iron fence. The sections will vary in length because of trees, walks, turns and other variables.  My plan is to use ½” x ½’ square vertical “pickets” and either 1” flat or channel stock for the horizontal rails.I am looking for a method to punch 9/16” holes into both the top and bottom rails. I am going to need approximately 200’ of fencing and a 16’ electrically operated driveway gate. I would appreciate any input on the type of machinery best suited to punch these square openings in the rails. If anyone has constructed a wrought iron fence, I am open to suggestions for alternative plans,
Reply:JafrYou could check if galvanising is a viable solutionOnce hot dipped,   steel will never rust and looks OKhere is a plant container that I have shown before on here
Reply:Here is a lamp I just made my mom for christmas.  I used a product called insta rust.  or you can buy it in weed killer form.  it is in a plastic jar and it is blue crystals.  add water and spray metal.  it can take some work but looks awesome after you seal it with a clear acrylic enamel.
Reply:I use rustoleum commercial grade primer and paint.  I spray it and let it dry a few days.  I have also used  the same but in epoxy paint.  Expensive and you really have to watch you time when you start and you have to brush paint it.  But, if you matching some antique stuff, the brushed finish matches well.  This paint is extremely hard and takes a lot of weather and abuse. It is commonly used on the exterior surfaces on water towers.
Reply:specializes in custom ornamental iron work, aluminium and steel fabrication of the highest quality ---> wrought Iron Pittsburghwrought Iron Pittsburgh