beth Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 here is what ive just finished - its a panel for a gate for a primary school.. this was all apart from the outside strip of flat, forged down from 3/4 inch square. i am still painting it black for them, but it looks nicer like this to me... what i have learned in this piece is that i am thoroughly bored and tired of welds and grinding and i will DEFINATELY be braver with my trad joining methods in future... i just need to stop and THINK before i start :)Plan Ahead a little... thats my new years resolution (ish) happy christmas you lot - im going to make mince pies now - thats me done :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 I look at all gates in a negative way as well as positive........On your gate the negative spaces are as pleasing to the eye as the positive....Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 nice looking gate good job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Very nice , Great Job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Beautiful! Will those tendrils resist climbing on though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kustomsteel Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Really nice work Beth. I agree with you in that I like raw steel better than painted but you have to give the client what they want. It's a solid design that will come through no matter what the finish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yves Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 i just need to stop and THINK before i start :)Plan Ahead a little... thats my new years resolution (ish) happy christmas you lot - im going to make mince pies now - thats me done Beth, First, of course, compliments on your work. Compliments also on your new year's resolutions. As I read youre post, I was working on one. I did not know where to put it here in IFI, in what forum. I originaly wrote this post as part of my weekly contributions to a blog I started in order to show that I exist as a blacksmith. I am happy with it with more than 1200 hits on the blog (the french one, I only recently started the english one I refer to here below) since I started in october. I thought it could also be of interest here at IFI. I wrote that post to have something to show clients that the prices I ask are justified by a lot of work. It could then be posted in the business forum at IFI. I also thought it could help a beginner to plan his first complex design. It would then belong in the general blacksmithing forum. You helped me decide. I'll post it right here (obviously) to try and show you that planning our forgings is fun. I want to encourage you in youre resolutions. Planning is fun and full of rewards. It took me less than an hour to install the grille and I was alone. It fit. Here : http://yvesforge.blogspot.ca/p/forging-dream.html And Joyeux Noël. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted December 18, 2012 Author Share Posted December 18, 2012 thanks for your comments of encouragement you lot - thomas in answer to your question i dont know, i Hope they will be strong enough, at any rate the children will not be allowed to climb on the gate, even i have been told off there for jumping over the wall! they are fairly strict... so hopefully that wont happen! :) yves - i really like your blog post and the clear showing of your method - i think you should post it separately to get it on the forum properly under its own heading - planning is something i am not used to much as an artist in other materials - but im finding more and more that in this area the work benefits hugely :) the care youve taken along the way has made that project a joy. i also am intrigued that iron takes on organic form under the hammer and on the anvil. :) its where the motivation to learn comes from isnt it? thanks for posting that :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backwoods Blacksmith Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Beth, I must agree with McBruce. Lovely gate. I have started doing a bunch of viney stuff and I hope they look as good as yours. Thank you for showing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Hope the pies turned out as good as the gate... it's beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Beautiful Beth! Nicely done!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Great job, Beth! In design and execution. Since it has to be painted why not colors instead of black? Or paint it green and what ever colors you choose, then paint over it in black or dark brown and wipe off immediately so the highlights show and the colors just come through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 thankyou guys :) - randy it Has to be black annoyingly, to match some other stuff - im taking slight offence to paint at all, but i must admit your description of the mixed colours sounds wonderful, and coloured ironwork i think about a lot... people dont always (ever - it seems ) want it though!!! and that picture! i love it!@ is it yours - is beautiful and inspiring. love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yves Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 and coloured ironwork i think about a lot... people dont always (ever - it seems ) want it though!!! Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater's steel and ironwork was painted red. So I thought about that and wanted to try it for a tool I use to hang lanterns outside. You are right Beth, the woman in my life resisted shall I say to the point where the tool turned black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old N Rusty Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 A gate should be a delightful passage for the invited. A joy to behold from all aspects near and far. a bar to the uninvited and a restraint for beasts. You have done well ma'am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 It is a beautiful gate! It looks like it might have taken quite a lot of time and effort to make! Really a nice piece for your portfolio! I hope that you got paid quite a bit for it. I wish I could taste test those pies for you!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 thankyou very much gentlemen rusty - hopefully it WILL keep the beastie children in - and big foot if you lived near me, i would Insist you ate the pies :) yves - yes the colourful painted work i would like to see more often, here is one by brian russell from uk i think it looks amazing.. here is my BLACK piece finished :)...i would have liked it two or three colours... Next time maybe :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 It looks very good in black, Beth. Yes, that was part of an iron tree I did back in the '80's. One of the first times I did the process described for painting. Since then I've used it many more times for exterior work, Keep up the great work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 thanks randy :) i LOVED that thing you made, it looks like very finely made work, id love to see more pictures... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron woodrow Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 very nice beth! an we are all proud of you for jumping over the wall, nevermind what the teachers said..... :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Seelye Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Beautiful Beth! Great job on the blends ( I hate grinding too) You have a good eye for the details. I also agree with Macbruce, your +/- is great. However, I wouldn't be able to resist the urge to paint just 1 leaf green :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bosox Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 That is a absolutely impressive! Uniquely done! www.bandsawblog.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Good stuff Beth. know what you mean about the paint, I quite like how Randy's done it, highlights of colour, that would lift it a bit, but then it is popular here with people to just think ironwork should be black to blend in with all the other ironwork! I've just done a hat shaped planter for a lady, could be quite good with some colour, but she wants it black, but hey ho, customer is always right eh! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Great job Beth Actually I prefer the color and texture of Raw steel ( just wire brush and clearcoat ) Black is ok but ithink other colors not only cover up the texture of the piece but cheapen it as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Wonderful results Beth, your client should be very happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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