MarkC Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 WOW, wrought iron christmas tree ornaments as Christmas gifts to those folks you aren't close enough to actually spend real money on. Probably not a brand new idea huh? Anyone ever done that? I think I'm going to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Somehow I think that statement may miss the mark, I'd much rather give a store bought meaningless gift to someone I don't care about, as opposed to making something with my own hands for those I do, I attempt to make things that people will remember me by, for as long as they keep it, and with steel, it lasts a loooong time. They do make good gifts for all!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Lisch Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 My tree has at lest 10 smith made ornaments not all where gift's some I bought off of friends who made them at x miss to make some x miss cash. but if you are looking for a fast way to make an ornament. take come copper cut it into a diamond shape fold it in half hammer the edge open. to hard to explain I will make one today and post it tonight when i get home from the shop. I will do a step by step. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 I've done hand forged Christmas ornaments for years. Down here making chilis and painting them bright red or green is a good project. For small ones I forge down the tubular legs from a junked bag chair. My parents are pretty well off so handmade is a great way to give them something that they don't already have 5 of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 I put a leaf fob on the tree, my wife hasn't noticed yet. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Just made a basket twist tree ornament with a marble inside the basket, this AM. My wife has now "asked" me to make a few more. LOL. They aren't hard to make and they look nice on the tree. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Hey guys- these all sound like some great ideas- how about some pix or drawings for us newbies? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 I think that I can do this off of Photo Bucket. Here it goes. First one is a basket twist ornament. Second one is same thing only with a marble in the basket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Is getting the marble in there done at heat or cold? Otherwise looks straightforward. Thanks for sharing. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Hi Phil. I waited until I was done. I even used flat black paint and painted it first. spread a couple of the strands just far enough to get the marble in. squeeze back together and touched up the little scratches in the paint. I used 8 square rods 1/8"X5" and put a 1/2" long stub on each end where the center rod would be. Fun project. Good luck. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rio Bravo Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 I made this for those folks that like a really big Christams tree...it's about 14"...or it can be adorned with misletoe and hung strategically... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 I need a little more practice. Yours is real symetrical, looking. Mine, not so much. But since my wife "asked" me to make a few more, I'll be getting more practice. LOL. Good job RB. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug C Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Some here showed me that you can adjust them pretty easliy by heating the whole thing up and putting it in the vise at one end then use a couple of screw drivers to get the shape right. Unfortunatey even that requires practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Thanks for the tip, Doug. I'll give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boserau Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 This is an awesome website. I am an officer in the Brotherhood of Steel a club at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Prescott, AZ). We have just started this semester. we have built a coal forge out of kitchen sink and refractory cement and we found another one at a junk yard. we are currently using railroad strips as anvils. we have invested in the proper tongs and hammers. but we were thinking as a fundraiser to find a simple ornament to make and sell to raise funds for more tools. Do any of you have ideas to help us out. most of us are pretty new to blacksmithing. Thanks so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 "Icicles" taper a 1/4" square bar evenly for about 6 inches, twist the whole length, punch a small hole in the large end for a wire hook. Snowflakes can be made punching geometric patterns in thin sheet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWyatt Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Great topic. I want to mess around with these for my first projects. Please post pics and ideas :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan C Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Great gift or sale ideas, glad this thread got resurrected. I know what I'm going to be doing in my spare time! How about 6" s-hooks with a twist in the middle that you can hang tinsel or very small balls on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 I make one for my wife each year from a basket twist, a snowflake, bell, even a small Russian rose with leaf. have to start on this years soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Or forge your own mistletoe, an exercise in firewelding by Richard Jones (meet him at the International Blacksmiths Festival in the Uk August 13th to 16th 2013. and he might just demonstrate/masterclass a 'how to' on them for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BackyardBlacksmithin Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 Anybody got any ideas for a tree topper? I have recently been asked to make a tree topper for a local charity auction and am kind of struggling with what to make... I was thinking a 6 or so inch long 1/4 inch square bar basket twist with a point at one end but not sure how to make it attach properly to the tree... Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan C Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 Could you do a socket like on spear, assuming you provided enough material? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigcity Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 I found a good use for election sign metal. I made some basket twist Christmas ornaments out of it. Ill have to get some pics on here to show you guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigcity Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 here is a picture. The ring to hang it is made out of wire and brazed in place and the whole thing is painted gloss black Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torin Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 That looks very nice bigcity. I remember (at least I think I remember) Thomas Powers recommending those election sign metal posts as great free stock for projects like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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