Children’s Garden Gate Part 3

This is a scrolling jig I made to make multiple parts. It’s easy to make one scroll, but difficult to make many scrolls all the same size without a jig.

The ends of the bars will be tapered so they need to be heated bright yellow in the forge to become soft.

First the bar is hammered to a point

Then it’s bent around the scroll jig to make them all the same shape and size.

That was a lot of hammering but it feels good to see them all done.

The post parts that were cut by Water Jet Design on Lincoln Street came back to the studio so I made a jig and formed the bends in the top of the posts.

 

 

The bottom plate is cut to look like worms underground. The words in the top plate were inspired by the school motto; "Enter To Learn.” The scrolled parts that are welded under the "enter to grow" represent clouds with rain coming out of them..

Then everything is welded solid so water can't get inside the metal connections and rust.

Children’s Garden Gate Part 2



I enlarge the drafted design to full size and trace it to a piece of paper on the wall with charcoal. The anvil and blacksmith vice are watching the show while thinking about the fun they’ll have helping me make the gate.

Then I lay the paper on the floor and rub the backside to transfer the design.

 

The bars that will go in the middle of the gate are forged and twisted.

Then I lay them in their place in the pattern on the floor. These bars represent rain falling from the clouds to the earth.

Next thing I do is cut the straight bars and hammer texture on their edges. Then I start bending the curvy part of the design that represents the earth.

I use scroll benders to bend the steel bar to match the design on the floor.

The ends of the rain bars will be cut to fit the pattern and then everything will be tacked in place with an electric welder.

Vine Trellis


Twisted iron vines with end leaves grow wild in the garden. This is the Muse for a five piece trellis.

As per my usual mo, I do all my layout on the floor.

After twisting the vines I forge leaves on all the ends.

Then I weave all the parts together and weld them.

This is one the most enjoyable things I do. Take the parts outside and photograph them against the blue and white sky.

The brackets that hold the straight vines need to be uniform so I built a jig.

The brackets will be bolted to the house above the windows and the vines will rest in the three “V” shaped slots.

After priming I delivered the trellis to their new home. The owner will finish painting them and mount them.