Recently, I've been making some hummingbirds for friends.  Made 4 so far.  Each one is a bit different.  I usually use scrap 3/4" long bolts or any 3/4" mild steel rod.  The wings are made from scrap 1/8" sheet for strength and tack welded to the body on the underside.

I wish I had taken photos of all of them in the raw state, but only have one or two.  After forging, I buff them down with a wire bench grinder wheel, spray them with grey primer then my wife paints them with outdoor acrylic and seals with artist's outdoor clear coat.  Usually, I weld a 3 foot length of 3/8" round rod to the belly at a 45 deg. angle so they can stick them out in their gardens.  On the last ones, I have been leaving the lengthwise fuller pattern on the tail to give a little relief when painted for a nicer feather effect.  I don't try to put in any detail or try to be super accurate on dimensions...they are yard art, after all. 

 

 

 very nice!

Thanks, Charles.  They're fun to make.  No detail, that's the best part!!

You've showed us pics of hummers before haven't you? I like them as much now as then and still want to try my hand.

Very nice. Is anyone painting them? Hummers are bright colors.

Frosty The Lucky.

You've showed us pics of hummers before haven't you? I like them as much now as then and still want to try my hand.

Very nice. Is anyone painting them? Hummers are bright colors.

Frosty The Lucky.

​Frosty, I probably have posted pics before....but...I've slept since then.  Most likely a "senior moment". 

My wife has started painting them, being an artist and I am certainly NOT one.

I was at a local craft show yesterday and saw hummingbirds a smith had crafted where the body was a basket twist - very nice!  Wish I'd snapped a photo but I didn't, I thought it a very clever item.

A basket twist would certainly be unique!  I haven't tried a basket twist yet...on my bucket list...mostly just "skeered" to try one. 

We can just share senior moments and not worry about em. I'm thinking the natural stand for a forged hummer is with it's beak in a flower.

A basket twist body sounds really cool and opens a lot of possibilities: Maybe integral wind chime or flashy spinner?

Frosty The Lucky.

Frosty, I have made several yard art flowers, some upwards of a foot in diameter.  I just finished a hummer for my wife.  Your idea struck a cord...I have the hummer on a 30" rod and can stick it in the ground in front of the big flower, beak in the flower and it would almost be to scale!  You are indeed a genius; thanks for the idea. 

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Frosty The Lucky.

Nice work, Arkie, and Mrs Arkie too. Team effort.

Good idea with the garden stake - I reckon they would sell very well at fairs etc.

nice job!

arkie-  I was looking at Pinterest for hummingbird forging ideas an the first picture in this post came up. Wondering if its OK to borrow some of your ideas.

made of threesplt crosses

  Those are some nice humming birds. 

  We planted flowers they like this year and actually attracted them.  They visited twice a day and weren't shy.  They were a rare sight in Nebraska.

12 hours ago, lary said:

arkie-  I was looking at Pinterest for hummingbird forging ideas an the first picture in this post came up. Wondering if its OK to borrow some of your ideas.

Please do...that's why we post our work, to inspire others to copy and learn.  One tip I learned from a friend who is an "expert" on the hummers.  My first ones had straight beaks, but she informed me that their beaks have a slight curve to them, FYI

I never commented so I must have missed this one because I want to say well done on them Arkie.

I also like the one from a split cross Wicon.

My mom has been attracting and feeding hummingbirds for years. They certainly are beautiful and fun to watch. 

You might want to look at some Northwest Coast Native American hummingbird motifs.  They are interesting and unusual with a curved down back and tail and wings pointing down.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

Thanks for the insight George. It is yielding a lot of wonderful art for inspiration and enjoyment. 

Glad it was useful.  I have always liked NW Coast art.  They do some really cool silver work.  I didn't know about it until, years ago, I saw a display of it at the Denver Art Museum.  When you say, "NW Coast art" everyone thinks totem poles but it is much broader than that.

GNM

Check out Tlingit humming birds, very similar but there are variations. I've been taken with it since the first time I saw it. 

Frosty The Lucky.

 Get more and more of them every year. My wife figured out they like a mix of about 1 part sugar to 3 parts water. The mix available in stores doesn't work so well. Just don't make eye contact when you get this close, they don't like that.

 

 

We always have feeders out for the little hummers. I love to sit on the deck and watch their antics. There is one hummer that returns every year for the past several. I know it's him a ruby throat-ed because he trusts me and has landed on my hand several times when hanging the feeder. That way he gets first pick of the new juice and it's hard for the others to run him off.

If you don't do something to frighten them they get pretty bold. Once they get used to you they'll even get a little pushy if you don't keep the feeder full.

Frosty The Lucky.

I can attest to that the one that will land on me will buzz back and forth at the screen door until I fill the feeder.