I have been thinking this concept might be useful as a 1) picture frame, 2) trivet, anyone have other ideas. BTW this example has many flaws which I will fix if I run any others. If not then off to the scrap pile with it.

If there are 2 separate pieces there (the shoe and the ring), then I see a very marketable door knocker minus the hinge and knock plate. First thing that comes to mind.

-Crazy Ivan

I never saw that coming Cracy Ivan, great idea.

I just picked up a few tips on how I might avoid some of the flaws I have in this piece from a thread in blacksmithing-general discussion, "Making a scroll jig" started March 01, 2011.

door knocker was the first thing that leapt to mind for me too. 

 

you could also utilize it as a base for just about anything that would benefit from a wide flat heavy base (handle holder, lamp etc)

 

put it up on an angle and build it into a wine bottle holder

 

work a hook into it somehow and make it a wall mount for the hook

 

stick a mirror into it and mount it on a wall, or well/build in a handle and make it handheld.

Greetings Cold,

 

First impression is to fix the shoe to the wall..  Make a hoop for the ring at the top..  A slick ring towel holder with a horseshoe reveal..   That's cool..

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

Let's see now; picture frame, trivet, door knocker, base for anything else, the beginnings of a wine bottle holder, wall mount for a hook, mirror frame, ring towel holder. Wow! I'll get started right away. Thank you for so many great ideas.

Careful what you wish for around blacksmiths, it may come true LOL

Greetings Cold,

 

Don't forget to post the final product...   Pictures ... Pictures.... Pictures...

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

Just thought of something else interesting to do with that. Make a door handle on a hinge (kinda like the door knocker but no knock plate) so the shoe would sit flush until you grab and pull. Then it swings back flat again when not in use....I think about doors alot huh? lol.

-Crazy Ivan

size it down for the mini-shoes and use them as Ivan suggests as cabinet/dresser hardware.

Door knocker was the first thing came to my mind too. Folding door handles is a good idea as would be folding lift handles like on a tool box, trunk or tack box. Wind chimes could be popular too.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

If you made it so the shoe rotates in the ring, it would be a neat wind catcher.

 

Definitely thought it was the beginning of a knocker, but I like the idea of a collapsing handle, too.  With a thinner or thicker surround, you could really change the look and function.

 

Make up a dozen or so and weld them together to make the ring around a glass-topped coffee table.

VaughnT, would you elaborate on that coffee table idea?

Here ya go, Cold.  I had to spend about an hour on the internet hunting down images that kinda/sorta illustrate what I was trying to say.  

 

If you were to use your shoe/ring combo similar to how they did this table, it would be far more elegant.  Depending on how you weld the rings, you could make the table "apron" to fit a square or bow-front table.  You could just use them for accents at the legs or go around the perimeter.

 

 

Or you could do a horizontal application that really highlighted your work.  I could definitely see your shoe/ring combo inside a larger ring, maybe with a few small scrolls to fill the voids.......

 

 

 

If you are doing door knockers, you can use 2 of them as handles on equestrian themed wooden chests, another on top as a center piece, one on the front, as an estucheon(Key hole guard thingy) cut to surround the key hole.. volia!

An old sash brooch like the old celts used.

VaughnT, Thanks for all your effort, I have a "much" better brain picture now. I decided to go with the door knocker first as it got the most mention. I don't have a product yet, still working out some execution issues. I am using the shoe as the base and the twisted loop as the knocker. I got it about half finished this afternoon. I may have some time this weekend to work on it more, but I need to separate the calves and the bull from the pregnant cows this weekend, so I'm not sure. In any event I will post pic's when I have the thing ready. I like the table idea, I'll ponder that one, !@#$%^

Thanks Adam, thanks Caladin.

Well I got the door knocker finished earlier than expected. I like the over all design, the execution was interesting; keeping things balanced. I ran into problems when I failed to drill the holes for the tenons in exactly the same position on opposite tabs. They are only off a fraction but that's enough to cause a slight miss alignment of the knocker, which may not be noticeable in these images. Next I think I will tackle the picture frame, I had a thunk this morning.

very cool, big thumbs up! :)

Nice.  If you hit the twists with a bit of paint or brass to highlight the ridges, it would look smashing.

I worked on the picture frame today, like everything I do, it's got some errors, but it's a starting point.

Nice job, I like it!

Lookin good man! How bout a shot of the back so we can see how it will hold the glass, photo and backing? :)

Really clean twists, wish mine came out that well....

Chinobi, I didn't design that mechanism into the frame. I considered using a sheet magnet with picture attached. My wife convinced me to abandon that thought in favor of the glass and photo backing so...off to the "think tank", I must go.