Project 4 from KSmith. Category: Decorative Metal Art – Wall Sculpture

I live in Washington apple orchard country. In the winter, I sometimes see apples still hanging on the trees, bare of leaves. I’ve even seen golden delicious apples, still yellow on the tree in winter. When I came across a couple out of round brass bushings, I snatched them up to use as winter apples in a wall sculpture.

I cut the brass bushings into 3/16” thick rings on my 4x6 bandsaw. I built a frame of 1” x 1/8” angle, 28x28” square. The frame would support a sheet metal background.

The tree was made from various thicknesses of steel rod, tig rod end leftovers, some 1/8” and 3/32” tig rod. I Mig welded everything together. I soldered the brass rings to steel wire stems which I Mig’d to the branches. I made a single copper leaf. The tree branches and trunk were drilled and tapped to be held into the frame by machine screws.

I tacked the sheet metal background piece into the frame from behind. After cleaning the tacks on the front, I began making the abstract landscape, using patinating chemicals.

The photos show where I am at so far. I patinated today, and so far am happy. The sky portion will be patinated futher with white, a winter sky, and other details will be added in the terra portion.

After the background is done, I will begin finish work on the tree, and the patination of it.

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The last photo's color balance is a bit off, not quite so yellow overall. Stay tuned….I will be adding photos as the work goes forward.

ken

That's cool! How do you get that textured look?

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Originally Posted by SeanMurphy265

That's cool! How do you get that textured look?

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I'm using the Scuplt Nouveau patinas http://www.sculptnouveau.com/
Have used it on steel and copper. The rust was Japanese Brown, which also can be used on copper. Then some green stain sponged in. The sky is first the Tan, and I am adding white now. Finally you seal it with a clear finish, lacquer or acrylic. Who knows what it will finally end up as. I will post photos.

ken

Definitely cool. How do you make the copper leaves?

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Originally Posted by hokiefd

Definitely cool. How do you make the copper leaves?

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I saved some apple tree branches I cut this last winter, so I had a model for the leaves, and the branches for the project. I started with a flat piece of copper, I forget the ounce weight. But about .030 in thickness. I cut the leaf to an approximate shape, since there is quite a variety of shapes, which surprised me. Using some short pieces of different thicknesses of copper wire placed beneath in the branching pattern, I hammered the top of the copper piece to bend around the wires. I used a planishing hammer to distort the leaf in some double curvatures, but one could use a sandbag and a ballpein hammer too. The leaf edges were saw toothed shaped, so I used some pinking shears, alternating the pattern over the edges.

The leaf is not done, and will get some mottled brown patina. When I soldered the copper to the steel wire stem, the copper changed color in waves depending on the amount of heat it got.

Something that surprised me...I was mig'ing the branch together. I had some short pieces of copper wire laying there, while making small twig details, so I thought what the heck. The mig attached the copper wire to the branches. I guess that makes sense, melting the copper with the arc, while adding in the mig wire, melting it to the other steel part. I had just never thought of using mig to weld copper. I'll have to experiment with that some more.

I will make some details photos of the leaf and share them in a bit.

ken

Detail shot of copper leaf

ken

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Originally Posted by KSmith

Detail shot of copper leaf

ken

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Quite realistic. I thought you had a real branch in the first set of photos when I saw the thumbnail pictures. The close-up of the leaf is impressive. Wish I was that creative. Great work and nice to see you are finding surprising ways of MIG'ing!

Yeah, the veins on the copper leaf look great.

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Originally Posted by hokiefd

Yeah, the veins on the copper leaf look great.

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Undercut and Hokiefd....thanks for the positive response. I saw that vein making technique somewhere else, and it does look great. Just place various sizes of copper or steel wire beneath the copper, and pound lightly along the edges, making a raised relief. Course then I usually work it some more, which causes the relief to flatten some, but it then looks more natural I think.

ken

This leaf was about 18" tall, deeper reliefs, and I used the planishing hammer (background) to make some double curvatures. It's a bit more abstract than the other leaf.

ken

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Originally Posted by KSmith

This leaf was about 18" tall, deeper reliefs, and I used the planishing hammer (background) to make some double curvatures. It's a bit more abstract than the other leaf.

ken

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I like that one too. Hope you don't mind me asking but are these projects for pleasure or profit? If I were to guess, I would say you are doing this for the pleasure of it.

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Originally Posted by undercut

I like that one too. Hope you don't mind me asking but are these projects for pleasure or profit? If I were to guess, I would say you are doing this for the pleasure of it.

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I make photographs for a profession (www.kensmithart.com), and got into metalwork, having seen some cool stuff at the galleries where I show. Attempting to make some 3D expressions of my 2D work. So, I would like to sell some of my metal art, but still feeling that out. I've exhibited a couple sculptures at shows, but no bites. Maybe I'm not there yet, but it is fun, and a kind of therapy from the clean delicate work of my photographic prints. Thanks for asking.

ken

I had the chance to work some on my wall art today. I have been having some trouble being happy with the sky portion of the background, so letting it sit for awhile. I am starting the finish work on the welded branch portion. I intentionally welded it up with some sloppy roughness, using Mig, to simulate the knobbiness and irregularities of an apple tree branch. I had one in my hand to look at, to see the bumps and globs that are in the bark and twigs. At the end, the branch will be patinated, tinted where it needs to be. The brass 'apples' will stay brass as they are.

Today I began putting some texture in places on the branches. Instead of plasma cutting you could call it plasma scratching. I set the machine to 5amps, and proceeded to draw on the metal. I wanted to make scores, like worm tracks or bark texture. The technique worked well. A little 220grit sandpaper over the scratches knocked off the bit of dross. After the patina coat the marking will look even more realistic.

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In this next shot, I did not yet sand the dross on the bottom left branch, so you can see what it is like.

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ken

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Originally Posted by KSmith

Today I began putting some texture in places on the branches. Instead of plasma cutting you could call it plasma scratching. I set the machine to 5amps, and proceeded to draw on the metal. I wanted to make scores, like worm tracks or bark texture. The technique worked well. A little 220grit sandpaper over the scratches knocked off the bit of dross. After the patina coat the marking will look even more realistic.

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Really good and imaginative use of your tools. Great, another reason for me to salivate over getting a plasma cutter! ;)
Is plasma scratching something you came up with or is this a common technique?

Very nice!!!

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Originally Posted by undercut

Really good and imaginative use of your tools. Great, another reason for me to salivate over getting a plasma cutter! ;)
Is plasma scratching something you came up with or is this a common technique?

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I never saw it mentioned before, but tried it awhile back for fun. I had seen scoring on metal sculptures, but not sure if they used a plasma cutter or not. I suspect alot of scoring is with hand tools, dremel tools, etc. I thought, why not, and just went ahead. Kinda cool results, and I have some other ideas that will use the technique.

ken

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Originally Posted by KSmith

I never saw it mentioned before, but tried it awhile back for fun. I had seen scoring on metal sculptures, but not sure if they used a plasma cutter or not. I suspect alot of scoring is with hand tools, dremel tools, etc. I thought, why not, and just went ahead. Kinda cool results, and I have some other ideas that will use the technique.

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You have the artist mindset - scratching with an arc.

This forum is truly fantastic. So many people with such diverse specializations. I learn something new every single day! And it's not just in one discipline. On any given day I can ignore a bunch of threads and still find useful information.

Thanks for making my wishlist a little bit longer. Just when I convinced myself that did not need a plasma cutter .... ;) Gotta win a lottery.

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Originally Posted by undercut

You have the artist mindset - scratching with an arc.

This forum is truly fantastic. So many people with such diverse specializations. I learn something new every single day! And it's not just in one discipline. On any given day I can ignore a bunch of threads and still find useful information.

Thanks for making my wishlist a little bit longer. Just when I convinced myself that did not need a plasma cutter .... ;) Gotta win a lottery.

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Thank you also. Trust me, you will never be sorry you bought a plasma cutter. Suddenly, you can do alot of things you could not do before. (And dream up a few more.) Just one example, I was cutting sheet metal with an air nibbler prior to getting a plasma cutter. Half-moon ninja weapons all over the floor, embedded in the soles of my shoes, wanting to scratch the wood floors in my house when I tracked in. Also the nibbler was only good up to 18 gauge. Done with that! A plasma cutter is great for so many things.

ken

Nice!

I, too, am now wanting a plasma cutter. So many toyssss

Is that what they mean by gouging with a plasma cutter? I often see that mentioned in the spec sheets. I think there is even a special torch for doing that.

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Originally Posted by Rambozo

Is that what they mean by gouging with a plasma cutter? I often see that mentioned in the spec sheets. I think there is even a special torch for doing that.

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Goughing is a much more violent action than what I am doing. At 5amps, it is barely doing anything. Gouging does use different torches and nozzles, and is used to remove welds, as one example.

ken

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Originally Posted by KSmith

At 5amps, it is barely doing anything

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So I find this pretty incredible. I mean for me, this is kinda like owning a great sledge hammer that can also put in finishing nails in good fashion.

This is a machine designed to cut metal yet it can go down to 5 amps? Do all plasma cutters allow this much range to their power cycle?

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Originally Posted by undercut

So I find this pretty incredible. I mean for me, this is kinda like owning a great sledge hammer that can also put in finishing nails in good fashion.

This is a machine designed to cut metal yet it can go down to 5 amps? Do all plasma cutters allow this much range to their power cycle?

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I have one of those Chinese-built 3-in-1 units, not an Everlast unit, yet. It has a 50amp plasma cutter, with a digital display. Turned all the way down today, it displayed 2amps. On the metal, 2amps just made sparks. But set to 5amps, and I have no way to know if that is accurate, the machine makes the scratches seen in the photos. I expect most plasma cutters are similar +/- a bit.

ken

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Originally Posted by KSmith

I have one of those Chinese-built 3-in-1 units, not an Everlast unit, yet.

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Well then, can't talk to you then! ;)

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Originally Posted by KSmith

But set to 5amps, and I have no way to know if that is accurate, the machine makes the scratches seen in the photos. I expect most plasma cutters are similar +/- a bit.

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Amazing you found and were able to exploit this "feature". Thanks for the clarification. Plasma is really new to me. So much to learn. Cheers!

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Originally Posted by undercut

Well then, can't talk to you then! ;)

Amazing you found and were able to exploit this "feature". Thanks for the clarification. Plasma is really new to me. So much to learn. Cheers!

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To be true to your signature line, once you get a plasma cutter, you can practice cutting metal apart, then welding it back together, over and over and over.

ken

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Originally Posted by KSmith

To be true to your signature line, once you get a plasma cutter, you can practice cutting metal apart, then welding it back together, over and over and over.

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:D My dream come true. LOL I don't have any delusions, I'm not going to be able to afford a plasma for quite some time but once I get a welder, I'll be able to create stuff - albeit not as easily nor quickly as with the proper tools. But man, that would be nice .... cut, weld, cut, weld, cut , weld. ;)

Thisis really nice work! Gives me some inspiration! :)

One thing I thought when looking at the cut edges of your leaf... Would the leaf look better if you cut the edge with the angles heading towards the point of the leaf? Basically like the pic below. Your looks great though, just thinking out loud :)

http://www.growingconsultant.com/sin...f-pictures.jpg

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Originally Posted by CGCINC

Thisis really nice work! Gives me some inspiration! :)

One thing I thought when looking at the cut edges of your leaf... Would the leaf look better if you cut the edge with the angles heading towards the point of the leaf? Basically like the pic below. Your looks great though, just thinking out loud :)

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Good catch. I didn't notice such a pronounced upward point to the serrations on the old leaf specimen example I used for the leaf. I found one that did look like your example, attached. I am not being totally botanically correct in this piece. It is pretty abstract, eg brass circles to represent apples.

ken

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Something I found interesting when welding up the branch. For the smaller twigs, I was using small pieces of welding rod, cutting and bending, then welding on with the mig. I had some pieces of copper wire, and thought what the heck. I guess I had never thought of mig welding copper to steel, but it worked. I guess the arc melts the copper into the molten steel and there it stays. The picture shows a copper piece. When I patina the branches, the copper pieces will take on a different look, which I think I will like.

Also, notice the thin wire piece. That is .023 E70S-6 mig wire. When I was attaching pieces, I sometimes missed the mark and the mig wire would come out into the air, then attach itself to the hot surface. I thought it looked good, so I left them when it happened.

ken

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This is a really nice project. You've got a lot of different processes going that really work well. Thanks for posting!