Smithy.Travis Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 What is the weirdest thing someones asked you to make or that you've made? My cousin once asked if I could make a solid steel door knob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken leedy Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I made a pirate hook with a bottle opener for the point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Nothing really weird. A few hundred compost mixing teeth for a mushroom farm. Replacement parts for a wine press, a replacement spring for a thickness sander. I also make lifting bails for a dog food factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beammeupscotty Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I had one guy having me make repeated modifications to a set of neck/hand/foot manacles. After a couple modifications it got so weird I ended up telling him to shove off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Not weird to a Tibetan Buddhist, but kind of strange to me. A guy wanted a ritual dag which has three edges tapering to a point. I think it's called a phurba kila. In cross-section, the "blade" would look a little like a three pointed star, but tapering. OK, that's one thing, but he had a small meteorite which I was supposed to incorporate into the dag "blade." I told him "no guarantee" but I would try to forge weld it into the steel blade. Then I would try to shape it. The meteorite was hard and difficult to forge weld. It took me six light welding heats over the same area to finally get it to blend in and be forgeable. He then wanted a little stand for it so it would be stored blade down, handle up. I used electric welding on the stand, and it came out all right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Nothing really weird. A few hundred compost mixing teeth for a mushroom farm. Replacement parts for a wine press, a replacement spring for a thickness sander. I also make lifting bails for a dog food factory. WOW Josh, I'm impressed. How big a bail does it take to lift a dog food factory? Outside of silly weird jokes I can't think of anything I've been asked to make that I'd think of as weird. Hot steel is plastic so whatever a person can make it do is what it is. Okay there is the forged steel VW bug but I don't know if that's weird or just . . . lots of repetitive work. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan P. Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I had one guy having me make repeated modifications to a set of neck/hand/foot manacles. After a couple modifications it got so weird I ended up telling him to shove off. I have had a few NSFW jobs. Some of them quite alarming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I had a lady want me to make her a 'bum' shape recently, like an upside down heart. I just didn't ask. I've also had a request to make something that I really can't say on a family friendly forum!! Quite shocking what people get up to, is all I will say!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 I had a request for a branding iron for a fraternity once. I told them the branding iron would be free but I'd change for screaming. No takers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Menard Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 I have two the tie for just plain weird. The first was a branding iron for a silly white kid who wanted it for branding his own skin. Apparently this is some sort of family tradition started by his grandfather. The design he submitted was kind of intricate. I responded that this would be a tough design to create and had he thought it through. To get the design effect on his skin the temp of the brand would have to be just right. too much heat and the resultant burn would obliterate the delicate design. Too little heat and it would not be deep enough to be permanent and he would have to try again and get the indexing just right, again so as to not obliterate the detail. The second one was a mother who wanted a type of grappling hook for her 9 year old son. This was by her description to be used for scaling trees and building faces. Apparently this was some type of superhero training. I tried to have a conversation regarding climbing safety and life safety loading for such a device. She indicated she wasn't really interested is such information. Both commissions were declined but the letters were saved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Wow! I've been asked to make a branding iron for cattle, but never one for a kid!! That is weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptree Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 I have been asked to make Wall shackels for a bedroom, declined. When I was a jewler, I once made a chain outfit for an exotic dancer. Lots of fit testing :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I used to work with a guy who was a play actor in the Texas Renaissance Festival that takes place in Plantersville every year. He asked me to make a pair of Indian katars (push daggers) for his character. Me being me, I made real blades and handles. After they were completed, I held them in my hands and a little shiver ran through me - I shuddered to think what would happen if someone were carrying a pair of these in a dark alley...I turned the daggers over to my co-worker and very seriously told him to never pull them out in public. I have made a few hunting knives since then but swore a private oath to never again produce items that were solely intended as weapons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy.Travis Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 Wow that does run a chill down your spine to think if someone had those in a dark alley, but they seem like an incredibly cool piece as far as the craftsmenship and skill required to make them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I have been asked to make Wall shackels for a bedroom, declined.For a bedroom?... well for consenting adults... to each his own, if they had been for the basement probably a different matterI once made a 4 poster 'wrought iron' bed for an 'exotic' movie company it had to have all kinds of cleats, clips and fixings(what people get up to)!, they also wanted a mirror as the top and I was concerned regarding the safety thereof so I opted to use a highly(mirror) polished s/s stuck to MDF. Sadly it sagged a bit in the middle and I thought it was a flop, they however loved it as it enlarged(enhanced) the center of the reflection in a 'fish eye fashion. I never saw it 'in use' but then I can say the same for the children brass bedsteads that I've made as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SReynolds Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Rug Hook. Very very small wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Probably a possum killing spear.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakesshop Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 At a pirate fair last year I made a worm for cleaning out a cannon bore. Think of a very oversized corkscrew. Wish I had taken a picture of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 I hadn't thought of this one because I didn't make any and forgot about them. I've been asked to make orifice hooks. Spinners use them to thread yarn through the orifice on a spinning wheel. Oh good grief what were YOU thinking?! :blink: Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 · Hidden by Steve Sells, September 24, 2014 - Adult topic Hidden by Steve Sells, September 24, 2014 - Adult topic If it were up to me those would be something used to 'hold' child molesters while awaiting trial! Link to comment
j powell Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 steel paper airplane...ended up making a pile of them, they're actually really cute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbrown Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 I once helped my nephew make a model of a DNA molecule! lots of punched holes & tenons! He did most of the work & got an A. He told me it was cooler than the one made out of gumdrops & toothpicks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 steel paper airplane...ended up making a pile of them, they're actually really cute. I assume they don't fly very well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Umm, what Collen said (I think) . . . A couple of 'em. I think the most outta left field request was landing gear feet for a flying saucer . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intrex Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 I haven't been doing this very long so I don't have any super wierd requests but I recently made a giant necklace medalion (3lbs) letter D for a guy in a band named Drew of the Drew. pic.twitter.com/Dm7lx0iuIn pic.twitter.com/K92omeChgh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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