Need Major Advice on art pieces!

admin

Well first off I am working on some art pieces that would be hung on walls.They will be made of rods but I am not sure of what kind. That is where I need the support.The finished piece would be quite large but the rods do not need to be anything thicker than a pencil.  So with that in mind I am trying to create something that is durable but not too heavy to be displayed on the walls. I would like to know what metal I should use and if welding or something else like soldering is the best way to go about doing this. Also I would like it to be able to be powder coated with no problem. All advice, answers, comments, criticism is well appreciated. Thank you very much.
Reply:If you are looking for cheap, some A36 or ASTM 1030 steel might work.  You could use any arc weld process or a gas torch to weld or braze it.  You might have to blast off the mill scale if you want to power coat it though.Better might be some 304 stainless steel or even copper rods.  Then you would not have to powder coat, unless you want to powder coat to get special colors.  You could TIG the 304 and TIG or sliver solder the copper.
Reply:If weight is a concern, then tube might be a way to go. It will be more pricey than solid material however. You can always mix the two if needed to save weight and have the strength of the solid where needed..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I have been doing stuff like this off and on for thirty years or so- I would recommend 1/4", 5/16" and 3/8" mild steel round bar, available at most steel supply centers.For cutting it, the cheapest way to go is a pair of Harbor Freight Bolt cutters- the 42" pair costs 30 bucks, and will cut all three just fine.Cheapest way to weld em is with a small oxy-fuel torch or a 110 volt mig welder- again, harbor freight sells both. Best way to weld em is a tig welder- which is an order of magnitude more expensive, but works a lot better. You can spend as much as you want on tools- I have spent more than most people spend on buying a house, over the years, but realistically, with a pair of bolt cutters, a $300 welder, and a good vise that is bolted to a strong workbench, you can do what you want. I use a vise for bending- you can do gentle curves by tightening the vise so the metal just slips thru, and bending it, by hand, a bit, slip it down and inch, bend again, and so on.Mild steel will powdercoat just fine.You wanna get fancy, you can buy a bandsaw, a tig welder, a hossfeld bender, a set of powered rolls, and lots more.
Reply:Consider using cold rolled (no mill scale, but more expensive) and if you have the time you could braze, or you could stick weld with 6013 rod. How big are you going?
Reply:I agree with using the cold roll because of the lack of mill scale.  However, it is a bit tougher to bend, but not that much harder considering what a pain it can be to remove the scale from something round.I mig weld my pieces together. I don't know how big you are planning on, but this fish only weighs about 20 lbs I'd say.  It is about 7 feet long and 4 feet high without the bottom feeler things.You'll want to build a bending jig to free hand bend your metal.  I like to draw out my piece with chalk on the garage floor and then bend the parts to fit.You can get pretty complex.BobLast edited by caldwellcpl; 08-24-2009 at 06:11 PM.
Reply:I really like your salamander!
Reply:Solid round mild steel and a 110v mig welder is how I stuck these together:If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:omfg SWells why didnt I ever see those beforeNothing Ever Got Done By Quitting, Never Give Up.
Reply:They're really beautiful, nice work!
Reply:Thanks guys, sorry for the hijack wiegert but here's a couple links if you want to see more:http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=18000http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=6957Any questions....feel free to ask.If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.