beth Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 just for those that wanted to see it painted - took flippin ages to hand paint, about 5 coats with the undercoat - i doubt i will do that again, i was not impressed with the top coat paint i used either which was smooth hammerite..... im sure someone will tell me a better product in the uk ;) ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin W Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Haaay, this is unfair, I need to get back to work! Thats a great job B. Nice hammer control on those petals. Roots!Tendralls!Wraps!Collars! 5coats with a brush! Back to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Nice one Beth, looks like it can be called finished now.Key to a good finish is the preparation and keeping the base metal rust free to start with, then prime and undercoat and then topcoat, There are many new paint finishes, including rust inhibitors but the preparation is still the keyBlackfriars do an extensive range suitable for ironwork in various colours and finishes, and freely available at hardware stores as well as multi stores.Over the years I have tried many different paints, and there is not much difference in their long term performance so long as the workpiece was properly repaired and all paints compatible.The trend now is to water based paints and they too are pretty good, or you could use marine enamels.Some lend themselves better to spray finish than others, personally on a project like a gate I like a brush finish as I can check my work as I go, also use a suitable primer/undercoat of a different colour so you can see where you have missed.Some dry quicker than others, others are high build and improve with multi coatings (usually applied by spray) try various until you settle on one you are happy with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 That's just lovely Beth! Something to aspire to for sure. Yeah, painting is a pain, preparation is everything till you start applying the paint, then . . . <sigh> Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimsShip Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Wow, that really is beautiful Beth. Did you make changes from the first post of this? (I recall something about a small dog sneaking out!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kustomsteel Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Great work Beth, very balanced. From what I can see the paint looks nice and smooth, all the flower detail shows. Did you spray it? I just did a hand rail with a brush on finish - 1 primer coat and 2 top coats and it is thick and bumpy, I wasn't very happy with it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 First class work Beth. Thanks for the pic. First class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 It's as lovely as an April breeze aripple in the heather! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 big foot your a class act! :) !! thanks you lot, jim i DID make the changes for the dog, and i was not so pleased with it once i had, but it will mean the customer is happy so thats cool i suppose.. the additions were the added kind of tendril bits within the heart shape at the bottom... looks cluttered to me now, OR like i would put more up top end to balance, but hey ho, thats how its staying now. kustom - i did hand paint, i did 2 coats undercoat and 3 top coat, and i thought the top coat ruined it, it went on terribley, looked very thin, i did do different color undercoat john, for the very reason you said - i brushed it on, but it seemed very thin and i am suspiscious that i used the wrong paint and there was a bit of a reaction, which is entirely my fault. i was very unpleased with it!! but in too deep so just did more layers and it settled down. its not great close up to be honest though, and it got knocked somehow in the workshop and has chipped right back to bare metal : ( after 5 coats i was a bit peed off about that.. ! whats the answer ? took me ages... the paint claimed to be one coat, and although it said you could use it with an undercoat, i think it was designed for a one coat topcoat on bare metal... im not sure, but i certainly wont buy it again. Also i think i would zinc spray first, even for a hand paint finish, and then just brush on the top coat.. thanks for the comments guys :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimsShip Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I think it looks perfectly balanced with the tendril at the top tying it all together. It's fantastic. I can never get things so symmetrical. That's one of the reasons I hate doing hearts, I can never get the sides even enough to look right (In my eye) I also have trouble doing a piece twice. I can make a nice item and be quite happy with it, and then try it again only to have it drive me nuts. How long have you been smithing? To say i'm impressed is an understatement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 oh thanks so much jim - i absolutely know what your talking about - i too have great difficulty getting things the same - the two sides of that heart took me hours to get right, they were the hardest part without a doubt. i am not an experienced smith at all, i am an artist really who likes metal things, and am slowly but surely learning how to make things. this is only the second gate i have made, the other being the one with the garden fork that i posted on here, i dont have much time becasue i have three kids to deal with so my day is short, and my learning curve very slow and frustrating. i have fairly ambitious design ideas, but i am trying slowly to design more with a blacksmiths brain than an artist, and it is a very different skill, and a slow process!!! thanks very much for your encouragement. the photo belies the struggle i Always have! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Beth, you are too close to this. Don't look at it with the eye of the person that created it, look at it as tho it is the very first time you have seen it. When you have put as much time in making it, then hand painting 5+ COATS of finish you see every hammer mark, every little bend, twist, miss strike that there is in this piece. You are not looking at the beauty of it, just the machanics. So I say again, step back and see it as it is, a fantastic piece of work. Elegantly simple Your work is surpurb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 thank you thomas :) all of you are very encouraging, i take your words to heart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Beth, That gate looks smashing! don't sweat it! Hamerite is a good product even if a little costly, if you use an etch primer it gets a better "grip" and if you thin the hamerite with D300 thinners, not the hammerite one it sprays quite nicely. Regards Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 P.S. that latch is a great touch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted August 15, 2012 Author Share Posted August 15, 2012 thanks ian - i never heard of an etch primer but that makes sense - the hammerite just did not seem to want to stick ... thanks for your smashing comment - have not heard smashing since i was a little un :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 looks great Beth!! Was passing your neck of the woods the day before yesterday and wondered what you were up to!!! I hate painting too, I have a couple of small railing fabrication jobs coming up and I think I'm just going to send it away to the finishers to do it!!! They will do a much better job than me, I have not enough patience for it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted August 15, 2012 Author Share Posted August 15, 2012 colleen i dont blame you - although railings might not be so tragic- it was all those curly bits that fried my brain... let someone else do it if you can manage i reckon! i just quite like the hand painted look, it just looks proper to me... you should have called in!! next time let me know and we can meet up :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Beth, I remember hand painting a really ornate 2m high obelisk, loads of leaves, flowers, tendrils, scrolls, snails... argh... went a bit nuts during and after!! We were on our way home from camping at a festy in Shropshire for a week where we'd hired out our marquee, (we have a 60 x 40 foot red and blue big top, like a circus tent!) and had spent the day before and earlier in the day taking it down and packing it up so were quite exhausted so were just keen to get home!! I do think we need to plan a get together at some point though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
female_blacksmith Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Loved seeing your painted gate Beth. Now I would really like to see another picture of it in it's final location ! Fabulous ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 thank you both my fellow ladies!! my campadres! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pault17 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Beth, I have to say that your "terrible" is my wishful thinking. Beautiful job. I will agree that it looks less balanced up to, but still a beautiful work of funcitonal art. 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.