FieryFurnace Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 Here is a fireplace set I just completed today. The stand and all pieces are cross-peen textured to look like branches. The tool hooks on the stand are cellery welded on. The base plate is 3/16" plate with a 1/2" square bar rim beneath. There are 1" long pieces of 1/2" square with upset ends for feet. The stand main piece is 3/4" round bar. The very bottom was upset. A 3/8" hole was drilled into the bottom of the upset. This was lined up with a drifted hole in the plate and filled with weld, working much the same as a tennon. (That was after I tried a tennon that failed! LOL) The tools are all 32 inches long and made from 1/2" round. The shovel is free-forged in a swage block from 1/16" sheet metal and riveted on to the handle. The broom is attached with a tang and epoxy method; the same epoxy I use for my knife handles! The poker is my normal hook style. The entire set is built a little oversize simply because I think it accents the "tree" theme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted December 12, 2010 Author Share Posted December 12, 2010 The finish on all of the textured parts is hand-sanded and glossy clear coat. The base plate and shovel head are left in black, graphite powder rubbed on for an even color and then clear coated the same. I did buff around my FFF stamp a little to bring that out! $250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McCoy Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 You have done a wonderful job ... congrats!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawtiron Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 Good on ya Dave!! Nice job. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 Hate to say it Dave but $250 might be a bit light on still but its definitely in the right direction from the last project. Fantastic work there, congrats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 you are getting better with every project! that is a nice set should sell fairly quick !nice job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted December 12, 2010 Author Share Posted December 12, 2010 Ohhh it's already sold....paid in full! Ok so if that was in the right direction what should I have charged....don't be bashful, hit me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 Very nice again Dave, can I just ask what you mean by "cellery welded" though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 How long did it take to make? How much an hour do you charge for your work? Cost of materials? Design time? Cost of design time? Maintenance of equipment used to make the object? Start with the maths and you will get an idea. Also, remember that these are works of art more than just a functional piece of equipment so they can get a bit of a premium but, as you are doing, its better to sell a BIT cheaper while you are establishing your reputation to get known. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted December 13, 2010 Author Share Posted December 13, 2010 Very nice again Dave, can I just ask what you mean by "cellery welded" though? A cellery weld is where you peen out the end of a piece and then cup it. You end up with a tab of metal on the end of whatever you are welding (in my case a leaf stem) with a concave shape. Then you heat, flux, heat to welding temp, and weld that cupped tab onto the main stem. If that isn't clear, I can draw it out for you! Just let me know! I'm not the best at explaining things. LOL Rob, 24 hours! Came out about $10 and something an hour. Everything was hand tapered! That includes design time and everything. Once again, I think I am on the slow side because if I charged a $40-$50 an hour rate, we are looking at a $1000 fireplace set! A power hammer would have sped up the tapering on all of the leaves and the 30 inches of taper work done by hand on the 3/4" round stock. I think that would probably have saved quite a bit of time! As long as I am working this slow I'll not be able to charge a pro-level shop rate because I'll make pretty good but never sell anything! I've gotta get the "show-on-the-road." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 You did a good job explaining it Dave, it makes sense when you think how Celery goes together . I have just never heard the term before. I bet all the Uk smiths will be telling me we call it a Celery weld too now :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 Sounds similar to a branch weld to me. (its probably the way its scarfed to fit the point of contact) Nice job Dave, Quality first, speed will come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokshasa Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 i agree with rob man. i'm in the same boat as you, evrything is hand worked and even some of my machines are too lol but in the end you can tell the diff and thats what ppl pay for when they go to you. the guys that charge 40 and 50$+ an hour have debts to pay...for the big equipment and space they need to do the big jobs.i figuer after fuel(forge and gas) , misc.(tool use, grinding disks, drill bits ect.)and time(desing and work) i charge about 20$an hour + materials(+ a 35% mark up on large jobs) on a quote, then i try and get it done under quote wich is mostly the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Dave You are headed in the right direction and remember what an old gentlemen once told me. "You can't charge the customer when you are learning." Another word of advise " If you want to make more money do the better work and the money will come" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragons lair Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Dave I second Rob's thought. Still too light. Here in WNC I see sets in gallery's at $650 but the smith has a power hammer and is good enough to teach. A grand is too high. $250 is to low $350-400 would be a good range for that quality of work. The hours will come down.(Even more when ya find a PH) Ken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 Dave I second Rob's thought. Still too light. Here in WNC I see sets in gallery's at $650 but the smith has a power hammer and is good enough to teach. A grand is too high. $250 is to low $350-400 would be a good range for that quality of work. The hours will come down.(Even more when ya find a PH) Ken. gota agree with this .. but for the first one its not a bad price ! defenetly got to get a hammer and the only way ya get one is ta charge enuf to afford one...i tell ya tho the big stoff is nice but for your work (by hand) the money is in smaller stuff like hooks and hangars ,dinner bells and such. ya got to do one of the bigger projects once in a wile but keep practiceing on the hooks concentrate on ways to make um faster and nicer.bet you can keep your prices the same and make a lot more per hr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.