Proposed FAQ article: Sculpting with steel
Andrew Werby
with any comments, additions, corrections, etc. When it is all burnished up,
I'll archive it on my site, and repost it periodically to the group.
SCULPTING IN STEEL, by Andrew Werby
Using Steel for Sculpting
Over the course of the last 50 years, the use of steel for fine art
sculpture has become common, although it was virtually unknown before
the turn of the century. But its advantages- durability, malleability,
and relative cheapness- have caused many sculptors to make it their
primary material. It lends itself to large-scale work, but rewards hand
detailing as well. Various parts - or the entirety- of the process can
be contracted out to industrial fabrication companies, or the whole
thing can be done in the artist's studio.
Steel is available in many shapes, such as "u"-shaped channel, "L"-
shaped "angle-iron", "I" beams, flat "strap", rod, "rebar", pipe, sheet,
and wire. There are also quite a few different formulations of steel,
the main types being "mild" steel, which is the kind most commonly used,
tool steel, which contains more carbon and is thus susceptible to
hardening and tempering, and stainless steel, which, in addition to its
rust-resistance is quite a bit harder and tougher than most unhardened
steels. It can also be readily purchased as sheet material in "gauges"
or thicknesses from thin (28 gauge) to heavy (14 gauge). Steel often
comes "galvanized" or zinc-coated. This makes it impervious to rust, but
interferes with welding, producing toxic zinc smoke when heated. Steel
is often obtained as scrap material of unknown properties. One way to
tell tool steel from mild steel is to grind on some; tool steel will
produce a "rooster-tail" of sparks due to its carbon content, while mild
steel produces relatively few.
Different sorts of steel products may be cut in various ways, depending
on the material and its intended use. There are cold cutting techniques
and hot ones. Heavy mild steel beams, for instance, are usually cut using
a horizontal bandsaw, "cold saw" (a water or oil-cooled circular saw),
abrasive cut-off saw, or reciprocating power hacksaw, but they may also
be cut with an oxy-acetylene cutting torch. This literally burns its way
through the metal with a blast of pure oxygen once it reaches a certain
heat. It only works on steel, though; for free-form cutting in other metals
(or in steel) with greater precision a "plasma cutter" is needed. These are
machines similar to arc-welders that liquefy a small patch of metal with a
gas-shielded arc, then blow it out of the way with a blast of dehumidified
compressed air. Lasers make a still cleaner cut, although they are still too
expensive for most artists to consider buying for themselves. Still, if a
project warrants it, there are laser-cutting firms that will take on custom
work. One can also cut steel with reciprocating saws, or with a bandsaw if
it can be run slowly enough. For cutting thin sheets, saws tend to be less
useful, since two teeth must be able to engage the work at all times or they
will break off. For this, a range of shears are used, ranging from the
stationary Beverly shear to a range of scissor-like tin-snips, as well as
portable power shears and "nibblers". There are also stationary rod-cutters
which can handle mild steel up to 1" diameter and bolt-cutters for cutting
smaller stock. Stainless steel is cut using the same equipment, but special
bi-metal blades for reciprocating and band saws help in cutting the tougher
material.
Mild steel may be bent cold; it will take a considerable amount of
deformation without failing, especially if "annealed" previously. This means
heating it to red heat and cooling it as slowly as possible. For small
projects,
a metal can filled with vermiculite or perlite is helpful. (Non-ferrous metals
usually anneal the opposite way, by being heated and then cooled quickly.)
Annealing is especially important when dealing with tool steel, since it can
become extremely hard and brittle through heat treatment. But this hardness is
what makes steel springy, or able to hold a sharp edge. In order to harden tool-
steel, it is heated to "cherry-red", then quickly quenched. Some steels prefer
water-quenching, others require oil-quenching to avoid cracking. But hardened
steel is too brittle for most uses, so another operation, "tempering", is
called
for to reduce the hardness to a controlled degree. To do this, the hardened
piece of steel is cleaned off so bright metal is showing, then it is
heated until
the "oxidation colors" precede one another across the surface. Each of these
colors-light blue (hottest), blue, purple, peacock, bronze, deep straw, straw,
and faint straw (coolest)- corresponds to a different temperature between about
400 and 640 degrees F, and hence a different hardness. When the desired
degree of
hardness is attained at the part of the tool that requires it, the steel is
quenched to preserve it. The edge of a chisel, for instance, is generally
tempered
to a dark bronze color, while springs are tempered to their characteristic
blue.
Any part of a tool that is to be stuck with a hammer, like the back end of
a cold
chisel, can't be left hard, or it will shatter dangerously in use.
When steel is red-hot, it becomes soft, almost clay-like in consistency.
At this
stage, it may be bent easily, or hammered into shape. The basic tool used
is the
anvil, which can be used with various accessories called "hardies". These are
shaped pieces of steel with tapered square tangs which fit in the square
hole in
the anvil surface, and help in forming the hot metal. The hot steel can also be
pierced, chiseled, or deformed using special punches, chisels, and
hammers. Small
pieces can be heated with a torch- the "rosebud" tip on an oxy-acetylene outfit
works well, although a cutting torch (without the blast of oxygen) will
also work-
but for larger ones a forge is very helpful. These are basically refractory
containers which burn fuel using forced air to attain extra heat. Coal,
coke, or
gas (either natural gas or propane) are used, depending on what's
available. The air
supply, from a bellows or pressure blower, is introduced from below the
firebed in
the case of solid-fuel forges, or is mixed with gas prior to the ignition
point in
a gas forge. Some forge designs entrain air passively using a Venturi,
eliminating
the need for blowers.
One of the attractions of steel is the ease with which pieces of steel can
be joined
together. There are quite a few methods of doing this, both cold and hot.
For cold
attachment of steel to steel, a range of fasteners are used; either bolts,
which are
quite strong and permit easy disassembly, or screws which may be tapped
into the
metal,facilitating assembly from one side only. Rivets, which are usually
set by
backing up the heads on one side with a tool, while mushrooming the other
side with a
hammer, make a secure and permanent attachment that can also be
decorative. "Pop"
rivets, which are set from one side by a lever-action tool, can be quite
effective
for light sheet metal attachments. While adhesives can be used to put
steel together,
they are mostly used for attaching other materials to steel. For this to
work, it
helps to rough up the surface with sandpaper and degrease with acetone before
applying the adhesive. Flexible adhesives work better than rigid ones on
steel, since
the metal's expansion and contraction with changes in temperature will
tend to break
a rigid bond.
Although welding is the primary attachment method used by sculptors in
steel, it can
also be joined using a lower-melting metal between the steel parts. This
has the
advantage of causing less heat distortion, since the parts being joined
are not brought
to as high a temperature as required by welding, where the steel parts
themselves must
be partially melted. Lead-tin solders and the newer lead-free solders may
be used, with
the appropriate fluxes. Except for light wire joints, which can be heated
sufficiently
with a soldering iron, a torch is used to heat the fluxed steel parts
(not the solder)
until the solder melts upon application and flows smoothly into the joint.
The joint
must be absolutely clean, or this will not work. Low-temperature soldering
is used to
join galvanized metal, the zinc coating of which would burn off in toxic
clouds if
hotter techniques were used. Jeweler's silver solder can also be used on
steel, but it
works at a much higher temperature than the lead or tin-based solders,
requires a
different flux, usually a white borax paste, and is very particular that
the joints
be well-fitted, without any gaps. There are various proprietary solders in
between
these two types, often with a small percentage of silver, which are not
quite as strong
as the high-silver solders but fill gaps better and melt at a lower
temperature. These
are called "Silver Bearing Solders".
Another technique which can be used is called "brazing". The hot flame of an
oxy-acetylene torch is needed to melt brass or bronze rod onto hot steel,
but it is an
effective and quick way of joining steel parts which has decorative
potential. The rod-
I prefer to use silicon bronze rod for its strength and low fume emission-
is dipped
while hot into a can of powdered borax flux, and emerges with a flux
coating. When the
coated part of the rod is consumed, it must be re-dipped, or the bronze
won't adhere to
the steel. This method is not so particular about fit and cleanliness,
although these
things won't hurt in any case.
Welding, as I mentioned, is the prime method of putting pieces of steel
together to
make sculpture. There are four major techniques used; oxy-acetylene
welding, stick
welding, TIG welding, and MIG welding. If the operator is skilled, any of these
techniques can produce good results in a variety of situations. The
oxy-acetylene
torch is a versatile tool, good for heating, brazing, and soldering; and
it usually
comes with a cutting attachment which permits steel to be cut fairly
easily, if roughly.
It is also a hazardous piece of equipment which must be treated with
proper respect.
Aside from the obvious hazard of burning oneself either directly or
indirectly by
touching hot objects, there is the danger of setting ones studio on fire
or even causing
an explosion by letting the volatile gas escape. The acetylene has been
known to explode
spontaneously if transported in an enclosed space like a car trunk, and it
shouldn't be
turned up past the low range (5) on the regulator. The bright light of the
flame is bad
for the eyes- although not as bad as the light caused by arc welding - so
the appropriate
goggles must be worn. The metal itself will "pop" when overheated, so it
is also essential
to wear proper protective gear, including leather clothing, gloves, and
cap. The showers
of sparks emitted by the welding process stay hot for quite a while, so
one should avoid
open pockets, etc. where they can fall in next to ones skin.
The torch-welding process involves adjusting the the oxy-acetylene torch
so a tiny bright
inner core flame, called an "oxidizing flame" appears, then taking a plain
steel rod in
ones other hand and feeding it into the drops of molten metal created on
either side of
the seam, joining them into one advancing puddle that knits the two sides
together. The
torch must be moved rhythmically back and forth as it advances in order to
keep the two
sides molten but not so hot they pop, and the feed metal must be added
just right to unify
the bead without sticking to the cooling metal. Although the process is
fairly simple, it
takes considerable practice to master. This and all welding processes work
more easily on a
flat and level surface; working on vertical and overhead surfaces is
considerably more
challenging.
The other three methods are variations on the process of arc-welding. In
conventional
arc-welding, or "stick" welding, a flux-coated rod is used as a
combination of fill rod
and electrode, establishing the arc by contact with the work, which has a
"ground clamp"
attached to it. By scratching the rod against the work- blindly, because
the visor is
totally dark until the arc illuminates things in its immediate vicinity-
the circuit is
established, and it continues when one pulls the tip of the rod away, due
to the high-
voltage current put out by the arc welder. (There are now auto-darkening
helmets which
go dark when the screen sense light, but they are still costly.)
One uses the rod in much the same way as the filler rod in oxy-acetylene
welding, moving
the tip side-to-side as the bead progresses. When the rod gets too short,
it is replaced.
When the weld has cooled, it must be hammered with a pick-like tool to
remove the coating
of flux that adheres to the surface of the weld. Rod comes in various
types, but general-
purpose rod is available that will work fairly well as AC and DC, straight
polarity or
reversing, and vertical as well as flat. Rod should be kept in a sealed
container, since
the flux layer is hydroscopic, and will absorb moisture from the air,
causing it to
crumble off the rod.
It is of utmost importance to protect ones eyes (and skin)from the rays
generated by
all the arc-welding processes, including MIG and TIG welding, and not to allow
unshielded spectators to wander in, since blindness can result from a very
short period
of unprotected watching. Portable screens of fireproof cloth are used if
one must weld in
any area to which unprotected people have access. There are also some
considerable fumes
emitted by the process, so some sort of ventilation is crucial for
stick-welding indoors.
Since one really can't see anything but the weld when doing this, fires
can easily start
unnoticed- so it's important to remove all flammable materials well away
from where any
welding takes place, because sparks ejected by the process can travel
quite far and
smoulder undetected for some time before bursting into flames. There is also a
considerable hazard of electrocution, since one is dealing with heavy
electricity at a
very high voltage.
TIG (or Tungsten Inert Gas) welding is more controllable than
stick-welding, since no
flux is necessary, due to the protective nature of the inert gas being
constantly blown
into the weld area through the handpiece. The handle also contains a
tungsten rod, which
acts as the electrode but isn't consumed as the weld progresses. Instead,
a filler rod is
held in the hand, and is used in much the same manner as with
oxy-acetylene. The current
is regulated by a foot pedal, and a high-frequency spark removes the
necessity to scratch-
start, as in stick welding. The welds are generally cleaner, without flux
inclusions or
as much of the the spatter associated with stick-welding. One can weld a
variety of
materials with TIG, including stainless steel, mild steel, aluminum,
bronze, and copper;
some of which are very difficult to weld any other way. For most metals,
argon gas is
preferred, but it is expensive, and since mild steel isn't as particular
as other metals,
cheaper carbon dioxide can be used, either mixed with argon or straight.
Although the
whole process used to be called "heli-arc", because helium was the inert
gas originally
used, its annoying tendency to float away from the weld caused its
replacement with heavier
gasses. I suppose it would still be handy for welding upside-down.
While TIG offers the greatest degree of control, the most versatility
between the types of
material that can be handled, and the greatest facility for changing
between them; another
type of welding called MIG (for Metal Inert Gas) was developed to make
possible quick and
continuous welds that need not be interrupted for change of filler rods.
Instead, a metal
wire forms a consumable electrode, and it is forced into the weld
mechanically when one
activates it, giving the impression of squeezing liquid metal out of the
handle and into
the weld. The major problem is keeping up with the flow so as to make an
even bead that
doesn't get too thin or puddle up. Small MIG units are available that run
on household
electricity but are powerful enough to weld heavy sheetmetal. They are
more expensive to
set up than TIG, since an entire roll of wire must be purchased for each
type of metal
one wishes to weld. To save on expensive gas, a flux-cored wire is
sometimes used when
welding steel, for an effect much like stick welding.
Although some sculptors like the way the welds look, considering them a
mark of process,
others prefer to remove all traces of them by grinding and sanding,
creating the appearance
of a single piece of metal. On large-scale sculpture, the tool most
commonly used for this
is the right-angle grinder, which comes in a range of sizes for running
grinding wheels,
sanding disks, wire wheels and cup brushes in various diameters. Fitted
with grinding wheels,
this tool does the rough grinding, contacting the metal at a tangent to
the outside edge of
the wheel. I like the grinding wheels with a little flex to them; this
allows a smoother
contact over a wider surface than the more rigid wheels, reducing chatter
and consequent
irregularities. After the rough grinding, which unifies the surface but
leaves it looking
heavily scratched, sanding disks are used to smooth out the area and blend
it in with the
surrounding metal.
A new type of sanding disk has flaps of sandpaper arranged radially around
the center. They
are more expensive than the older type, which consist of a disk of
sandpaper adhered to a
rubber backing pad with semisolid "feathering adhesive", but they are
worth the extra cost
since they last longer and work better. For fine grinding, a range of
tungsten carbide bits
are used in a straight shafted "die-grinder" which may be electrically or
pneumatically
powered. For fine finishing, mounted abrasive points or sandpaper rolled
in various shapes
can be used in the same tool, mounted on special mandrels. Although most
abrasive materials
will work on steel, aluminum oxide (corundum) is the most popular, and is
the abrasive
usually found in grinding wheels and sandpaper products intended for steel
work. All
grinding, sanding, and wire-brushing operations with power tools require
the use of well-
fitted goggles with baffled vents to prevent the odd piece of grit being
flung into ones
eyes, as well as the major damage that can occur when a wheel flies apart
at high speed, as
can happen. Sparks from the grinding process can also cause fires, so make
sure there are no
flammable materials in the grinding area.
Rust is the enemy of steel. Left unchecked, rust can weaken, and will
eventually destroy a
steel sculpture, eating away at it until nothing is left but flakes of
iron oxide.
Fortunately, there are a number of possible surface treatments that will
slow or stop this
process. Or, if one likes the look of rusty metal but doesn't wish ones
sculpture destroyed
by oxidation, special steels like "Cor-ten" are available which form a
layer of rust that
stays on the surface but doesn't penetrate the steel. This layer actually
protects the steel
from further harm, making it possible to create permanent steel sculpture
without paint or
other coatings. But most steel, except stainless, requires some form of
protection from the
weather, if it is to be sited outdoors.
The most commonly used coating for steel is paint. Although it requires
periodic maintenance,
it is the most cost-effective way to protect a piece of steel from the
weather. Before
painting,steel must be thouroughly cleaned and degreased, then a primer is
used, which bonds
to the steeland provides an optimum surface for paint application. Primers
can be obtained with
rust-conversion chemicals added, allowing one to paint a somewhat rusted
surface without
removing all traces of iron oxide. Once primed, almost any exterior-grade
paint can be used on
steel, but many sculptors prefer the lacquers developed for automotive
use. These are generally
sprayed on, not brushed. Most sculptors don't have access to the hot-dry
rooms used for the
original coatings on cars, but the products developed for repainting cars
are designed to work
without this treatment. As with any spray-painting, multiple light coats
are better than heavy
ones, which can cause drips, streaks, and other surface problems. It often
helps to sand lightly
between coats with fine (600 grit) wet-or-dry sandpaper; this evens things
out and promotes
adhesion between layers. Any spray-painting process releases toxic vapors
and aerosolized
material, so an appropriate respirator should be used. Additionally, spray
mists can be
explosive, and may be set off by electric motors and light sources, so a
properly shielded
spray booth is essential if large projects are contemplated.
An extremely effective rust prevention treatment is hot-dip galvanization.
This involves
dipping the steel piece in a bath of molten zinc, which coats the metal
smoothly, leaving
a characteristic bright gray finish which can be quite attractive. For
this to work, all
hollow areas of the sculpture, including the interiors of tubular
elements, must be vented
to allow the zinc to enter and drain out. Most sculptors bring their work
to an industrial
facility specializing in this process, rather than trying to set it up in
their studios. But
for items that are unsuitable for dipping, zinc-rich paints have been
developed which work
almost as well. Any zinc-coated surface requires pickling with acid before
paint is applied
over it, or the paint will quickly peel off.
Another technique that works quite well for protecting steel is vitreous
enamelling,
although it isn't used much by sculptors because of the difficulties
involved. Industrially,
the process is used for coating bathtubs, sinks, and cookware. One first
must use an
undercoat of cobalt enamel; the dark blue coating with white specks often
seen on cookware.
After that, colored enamels (actually powdered glass) are applied to a gum
covering the
desired area, and the piece is fired in a kiln much like ceramics. An
alternative that is
easier to do is called powder-coating. This involves covering the piece
with a layer of
granules of plastic, which melt together into a smooth hard surface
coating when placed in
an oven. Though much the same as enamelling in principle, the temperatures
used are much
lower, although the resultant surface isn't as hard.
Steel sculpture may also be patinated, using various chemicals to change
the surface color.
Most of these color changes tend to vary over time, though, especially if
the sculpture is
sited outdoors. But for indoor pieces it is a viable choice, and the
colors may be preserved
for a longer period by waxing over the surface, either with automotive
paste wax or one of
the proprietary waxes designed for this ("Renaissance wax" is recommended
as one of the best.)
On a small scale, the range of colors available at gun shops can be
useful, and patina
companies like Birchwood Casey sell preformulated colors in larger quantities.
Since there are many dangerous processes involved in working with steel,
the more instruction
one can get the better off one will be. These remarks are meant only as a
general introduction
to this vast subject, and are in no sense a complete treatment of it. I
may well have left out
some crucial pieces of information that are necessary to know in order to
do these things
safely, and some of this information could be incorrect- so readers are
strongly advised to
get some hands-on instruction before attempting to do it themselves. I
certainly will not
accept reponsibility for any damage, injuries, or deaths that occur to
those foolish enough
to begin using these dangerous tools and techniques without finding out
any more about it
than what is in the brief synopsis given here. Fortunately, steel-working
is a subject covered
by most vocational education programs, as it is central to many industrial
processes, so
competent instruction is not difficult to find.
Copyright 1999 by Andrew Werby
http://unitedartworks.com
Some online links which relate to steel sculpting:
Ron Reil's Forge Page: Explains how to build a simple propane-powered
forge which doesn't
require a blower. http://www.webpak.net/~rreil/Forge.htm
The Eastwood Company sells a home powder-coating system geared for car
customizers, but
also useful for small-scale sculpture.
http://www.eastwoodco.com/products/spec_coatings/1980.html
The Metal Web News: As well as linking to the Rec.crafts.metalworking FAQ,
this site links diverse
sources of information on metalworking processes available online.
http://www.mindspring.com/~wgray1/
ABANA: The Artist Blacksmith Association of North America sponsors
workshops and other events,
as well as maintaining an e-mail listserve and a useful collection of
links and resources.
The Metal Machining and Fabrication Directory: A good place to look for
job-shops to contract
out metal-related projects. http://www.sni.net/metal/
Parson's Airgas: One of many welding supply houses starting to come onto
the internet. http://www.parsonsairgas.com/welding.html
I highly recommend an excellent book on steel-working, Alexander Weygers'
"The Complete
Modern Blacksmith" which compiles three separate books, :The Modern
Blacksmith", The Making
of Tools" and The Recycling and Reuse of Metals" You can read a review of
it on (and even
purchase a copy through) my online bookstore at:
http://users.lanminds.com/~drewid/bookstor.html
UNITED ARTWORKS- Sculpture, Jewelry, and other art stuff
http://unitedartworks.com
http://www.computersculpture.com for 3d design tools
Battersby
> Small MIG units are available that run on household
> electricity but are powerful enough to weld heavy sheetmetal.
My Lincoln runs on 110 volts, and will weld up to 5/16" material.
>They are more expensive to set up than TIG,
> since an entire roll of wire must be purchased for each type
> of metal one wishes to weld.
MIG vs TIG. I don't have a heli arc machine right now for one simple
reason - initial cost.
>To save on expensive gas, a flux-cored wire is sometimes used
> when welding steel, for an effect much like stick welding.
My opinion - I do not use flux core wire to save the cost of gas. Actually,
the difference in cost of a roll of flux core wire vs standard wire is
almost enough to refill my bottle. I use the innershield process when I'm on
a job that requires a lot of moving around, or, when welding in a windy
situation, the gas shield has a tendency to blow away, resulting in an
inconsistent weld.
You may also want to add a note of caution regarding the danger of the
reflected arc. I only noticed a roundabout reference.
Excellent material Andrew. And well written (this one, and the other
proposed FAQ articles).
--
T. M. Battersby, stuccoist.
http://www.battersbyornamental.com
tbatt...@satx.rr.com
Andrew Werby <dre...@lanminds.com> wrote in message
news:drewid-2203...@coat27.ppp.lmi.net...
> The following is a proposed FAQ article for alt.sculpture. Please reply
> with any comments, additions, corrections, etc. When it is all burnished
up,
> I'll archive it on my site, and repost it periodically to the group.
>
> SCULPTING IN STEEL, by Andrew Werby
<snip>
Cathy Morgan
additions to suggest. I'll summarize them here to save your
having to scroll thru the whole article. I'll mention them
in the order in which your article is written.
additional type of steel to use: plate steel (3/16" on up)
Also, I don't consider 14g to be heavy sheet. 12g starts to
be heavy.
Bar stock includes round, square, and flat (in various
thicknesses from 1/8" on up). Pipe stock also comes in
round and square.
Cutting methods: Please do mention using a good quality hand
hacksaw! With the bar stock clamped in a vise, the hacksaw
works fine. I've been working with mild steel for over 20
years, and altho I sometimes use an oxy-acetylene torch to
cut heavy bar stock, mostly I still use a hand hacksaw.
Bending and hammering hot steel - Red-hot heat is the
minimum for bending. For hammering to reshape (ie forging
steel) a very light yellow heat, just under burning, is
infinitely more desirable. An orange heat is fine for
bending. A red heat is also fine for a final "burnishing"
hammering to give a polish to the surface (or a texture if
that's desired.)
Quite a bit of bending can be done more easily at a post
vise. This is a heavy vise with an iron leg (the post) that
is strong enough to take a great deal of hammering on hot
iron. Using blacksmiths' bending forks on hot iron secured
in the post vise often enables one to control the bending of
bar stock more easily than at the anvil. An
oxygen-acetylene or oxy-propane torch with a rosebud tip is
also especially useful for heating the exact section to be
bent.
Other tools for hammering hot iron include the power hammer
(with upper and lower dies that do the work of hammer and
anvil) and the treadle hammer. The former is machine
powered, with an electric motor or air, so it can greatly
amplify the strength of the user. The latter also assists
in hammering, relying on the leg strength of the user. It
is useful for precise blows with a variety of "top tools."
Metalsmithing stakes and hammers are also used for forming
sheet steel. The end grain of a wooden stump may also be
used as the anvil for "dishing" sheet steel. Various cast
iron forms are also available, to assist in reshaping sheet
or bar stock.
In addition to the welding types you mentioned, please do
include the oldest type: forge welding. Once this skill is
even somewhat mastered, it can be a very efficient way to
weld. It requires no additional equipment, and can produce
welds of special beauty.
One additional basic safety precaution re sparks: avoid
wearing synthetic fabrics. They tend to melt right into the
skin, causing bad burns.
Leather, tho, is no longer necessary for aprons and welding
jackets, as the new flame-retardant cotton gear is
lightweight and washable, more pleasant to wear especially
in warm weather.
For gas welding the goggles need to be shade 5; for MIG,
TIG, and stick welding a shade 10. For forging and forge
welding, some people use only clear safety glasses, others
use didymium or shade 3 lenses. The new automatic darkening
welding helmets are great - much easier to use than the
static ones.
When using any tool with a rotating wheel, it's crucial to
learn where to apply the wheel to the surface to be abraded,
to avoid kickback. Even with care, kickback sometimes
occurs. [One of my own worst accidents in the studio was
when a disk grinder with a wire brush kicked back and the
wires started going through my knuckle.]
In addition to the right-angle grinder, a die grinder is
very useful. The burs and abrasive stones that fit into it
are excellent for cleaning up welds as well as for carving
designs or letters onto the steel.
Re finishes - for interior sculpture, many of the finishes
used in woodworking are useful - lacquers, varnishes, and
oils. Water-based varnish works well if a rust-inhibitor is
added in proper proportions. The traditional blacksmithing
finishes, oil-wax mixtures applied to hot metal, can also be
very attractive, though less durable than varnish.
Additional book recommendations:
Decorative Ironwork, by Dona Meilach, gives an overview of
techniques that can be used with mild steel, with lavish
illustrations including sculpture.
The Blacksmiths' Cookbook, by Francis Whitaker [my adopted
father], with expert technical advice on traditional
methods.
[I'll add some more book recommendations tomorrow, as I'm
away from my bookshelf right now.]
Additional links I recommend:
alt.crafts.blacksmithing newsgroup
rec.crafts.woodworking newsgroup for finishing info
rec.crafts.metalworking newsgroup for tech info
Our own Christopher Ray's website:
http://www.studiofurniture.com/chrisray/
Actually, I think he has more than one website, but this is
the first I came to.
ABANA (Artist Blacksmith Assn. of North America) has
chapters and conferences all over the US, and other
countries have similar guilds with regular meetings. Going
to these meetings is one way to begin increasing skills.
Craft school courses is another. These opportunities are in
addition to the welding, machinework, and auto body classes
you mentioned. The latter are available at most state
technical institutes.
In Europe (and perhaps other places too) more formal
apprenticeships are available for learning blacksmithing and
metal sculpture. (That's really a whole different subject:
ways to learn technical skills, design skills, etc.)
Another tangential topic is the choice of medium. You
mentioned some reasons sculptors choose to work with iron.
There are other reasons I consider more important for
myself - but as I say, I think that's an interesting topic
in itself.
Thanks again Andrew, for your comprehensive work.
Andrew Werby
Cathy Morgan wrote in message ...
>Thanks for an amazing overview, Andrew. I have just a few
>additions to suggest. I'll summarize them here to save your
>having to scroll thru the whole article. I'll mention them
>in the order in which your article is written.
[These are excellent comments, Cathy; just the sort of thing I was
hoping for when I submitted my article for "peer review". Any
objection to my incorporating them more or less as written? ]
Andrew Werby
http://unitedartworks.com
>
>
Cathy Morgan
Andrew Werby wrote in message ...