Advertising and promotion - metal sources

Hi there readers...I wanted to put a little note up here about metal sources.

I often use recycled metal, but there are times when good, clean, reliable stock of known composition is really important.  And it can be a lot easier to work with.  Recently I dropped in a picture of a rebar hook that I made.  It is cool and I'm happy with a lot of aspects of the piece, but cleaning up the ends was not easy.  Forging them out was hard too.  They cracked unusually often and it took a lot to keep them together.

Point is, sometimes you want easy to work, reliable stock.  I don't think that I'm exactly giving up a state secret nor that I'm selling out by advertising for the folks who often provide my metals.  You'll find them over on the left hand side of the page, now.  Onlinemetals has been pretty good to me and has all sorts of options that makes my hobby/sideline so much easier to do.  You can also find things for small construction and home improvement projects.  And there are plastics and other things available from them.  Check them out and if you do, please click through so that I can get my next purchase just a little cheaper.  Thanks.

http://www.onlinemetals.com/index.cfm?affiliate_id=1150

Rebar S-hook

Here is a rebar s-hook that I reclaimed from a junk heap.  Rebar has turned out to be a bit difficult to work with; I am guessing that it probably doesn't have the same homogeneous content as some of the other stuff that I have worked with.  Things like barstock and railroad spikes.  What do you think about the texture?  Sometimes it looks cool to me and other times, I think that it looks messy.  I could beat it flat, but then I'd lose the aesthetic of bumps and not just the messiness.

Roasting Forks...a pair

A pair of roasting forks that I made a while back.  Just found the photo on my computer.  It is giving me some ideas for the next go 'round.

Fall plant hooks

Some s-hook sets that I made this fall.  All finished in high-quality weatherproof paint for outdoor use.

A rose by any other name...

Here is an asymetrical rose wall hook from my forge.  Rose itself is patina'ed and the rest of the hooks are left natural.  There are two places for screws to attach to a wall.  Enjoy.

Iron ring

Here is a ring, great to use for a towel rack, plants or anything that you want to attach to it.  A small tail follows the twist put into a square piece of barstock, giving an interesting finish to the circle.  Opposing twists give a continuous spiral feel to this ring.  It is a good pattern to pair with vines and to provide a contrast between strong lines so common in the anthropologically constructed world and a curving round flow that feels much more natural. 

Back for the fall

Well, folks, the summer was long, hot and hard, but the cool air is blowing again and the fires aren't so onerous.  I worked on some of this stuff over the summer, but didn't get very far.  To open autumn, I want to share some works in progress.  I'm making wine hangers.  At this point, they are for hanging a bottle on the wall, but in the near future, I'll be posting some photos.  For now, enjoy the beginning of the autumn, and the opportunity for me do this working without risking heat stroke.

Wine...and steel

Here is one of the wine racks that I am working on.  A bottle holder that will allow you to proudly display a bottle  of your favorite vintage.

This is the second that I am working on.  It is going to be simple.  The leaf might get turned to wrap the bottle a bit more closely.  I thought that I was going to like the simple silhouette, but I don't.  That probably means veins for it.  Hoping to finish this piece this weekend.

New round of plant hooks

Well, it is planting season and I wanted to get a few things started for spring.  I'm trying out some steel knotwork and I think that I like the way that it is turning out.  The little guys are key chains, by the way...not plant hooks.

I'm hoping to send these pieces out on commission somewhere.  I'll update here if that happens!

What makes me happy...

Made a swap last week: a bottle opener for a big ol' bottle of beer.  Home brew.  Seemed fair and square.  And I added a nickname to the ever growing list of things people have called me: Dr. Blacksmith.