Forged Stainless Steel Base For Picture Frame

[7A749]

After my experimentation with the stainless steel leaf, I decided to make my first real project out of stainless. As with just about everything laying around here, there's a story attached to it. In order not bore anyone to death with unnecessary details or get too far off track, I'll cut to the chase.

I made a picture frame out of 6061 1/2" aluminum diamond plate in the shape of a heart about 12 years ago for a photography display a friend did at a wedding show. Plans changed, they found out it couldn't go in the display so it never ended up getting completely finished, and it's sat in my closet ever since.

Perfect opportunity to use the stainless I recently bought to make a base for it. I have made several frames and bases using this same method, and like to create scrolls where the edges of the piece meet the surface they will sit on. I will turn these scrolls "the hard way" or into the finish side of the work. This means more metal finishing since if you do them "the easy way" where they turn into the back side, you can get away with a lot less.

For anyone interested in the specifics- the stainless is best of my knowledge possibly 304 (lots of other stainless they had in the same area was so I'll assume it is) Aprox 11 ga. The process I used to do the hot work I like to call torch forging. I've made bases like this before, and prefer using a torch so I can focus the heat in one place.

Anyways, to get started I used my plasma cutter to cut out a basic blank which I will make the base from. All contouring prior to heating I do with an angle grinder and belt sander. Being there are three main bends, most of the work will be done on a table using mild steel rod as a mandrel to bend the blank over, or in my large vise where I will turn the scrolls on the front and back. I'll also use a few different mandrels in the vise to hot forge on to get the desired contour. Very little anvil work with these. "Right" or "wrong", it's just the way I like to work when doing hot work on sheet metal. The wooden heart is the template I used when I made the original frame.

I make the first main bend by clamping a 5/8" piece of steel rod to the table over the blank where the bend will be. I heat to a bright orange heat and do this the entire width of the bend. Using a pair of flat bill tongs, I create the first bend over the mandrel. The bend isn't 90 deg, I just want enough of a contour to allow for shaping on the larger mandrel set up in the vise. After the first bend and contouring is made, I make the second and third ones the same way. Now, you can see the basic shape and flow of the piece, less the scrolls.

 

Turning the scrolls was a bit tricky. I normally use needle nose vise grip pliers and an adjustable wrench for turning them. This material is thicker than what I do in mild steel so I used a combination of pinching and rolling with the flat bill tongs, then used a pair of small round stock holding tongs and a 5/8" bar to turn them. I'll eventually either make or modify a set specifically for thicker stuff. 

A few more of the other scroll

After the scrolls are done, I had to flatten the center out and tweak the front and back so they all touch the table. Most of this was done by clamping the base to the table with vise grips and heating with the torch, then using a small piece of wood hit with a hammer. After a few adjustments it sits flat and is done as far as forging goes.

 

The piece after the final detail forging is complete. I put the wooden heart template in to demonstrate how the frame will sit in the base.

Now, I move to the metal finish portion. I decided to put a number one finish on it that would contrast the brushed finish of the frame. First, I do a complete grind down with a 50 grit flap wheel and remove most of the hammer marks and surface imperfections. I used my straight grinder to do this, and did a little with an angle grinder too. No, I don't use a guard on it for this type of work because it gets in the way too much. I do wear an apron, gloves and goggles when I'm doing work on the grinder like this. I DO NOT advocate using grinders without guards, but in some cases, it's just the nature of the beast. Besides that, you'll find a guard on every grinder I own except the one I use with a sand disc and a wire cup wheel.

Since I'll be using the buffer to finish this, it won't need to get much better than around a 240-320 finish. After rough grind, I use a die grinder with a 120 grit disc on it to remove deeper scratches left by the flap wheel. After the 120, I switch to a straight die grinder with sanding rolls to do the inside of the scrolls. I use a felt bob with compound to polish the inside pieces after they're finished.

At this point, I use an orbital sander and 240 grit sanding discs to prepare the surface for conditioning with a coarse non woven abrasive polishing wheel. This wheel skips from 240 to around 600 grit finish. It blends any deeper gouges left over after sanding. Now, I go to the buffer to do a quick buff on it to see how it looks taking a bit of a shine. I only use two wheels and two compounds for all wheel work I do. I learned the trade polishing guns back in the early 90s, and did a large number of them, along with knives and other accessories over the next several years. I use a woven sisal wheel and black emery for cut and rough color, then a loose muslin buff with green compound for finish. I use a die grinder with a 3" sisal wheel for doing inside contours where the big wheel won't reach.

[7A749]

I can easily achieve a number one finish with these wheels. Of course bench work prior to polishing is crucial for removing deep scratches and other imperfections on the material. Still, I can cut a large number of stages normally done with sandpaper using the sisal wheel alone. In some cases, such as a flat surface with well defined edges, a buffing wheel is not the best tool for the job. Then, more bench work is needed to get the material to a suitable finish do it takes a polish without doing a lot of material removal with the wheel.

After a quick buff up, I went back to the bench and did some stone work on the inside of the scrolls as well as some clean up in the center depression. Here the piece is pictured with a preliminary buff and then finished with the non woven abrasive (scotchbrite) wheel. The leaf has a subtle luster for comparison.

After doing the burnishing with the scotchbrite wheels, I go back for a final buff out, first with the sisal wheel and black compound, then with the loose muslin buff and green for finish. It's still not perfect, but is plenty acceptable for this job. I drilled a small hole in the back of the base where a screw goes thru and into a tapped hole in the frame to hold it all together.

Here it is, all done. Sorry for the length of the text, but I wanted to try and walk the reader thru it step by step.

Thanks for viewing

[bobasaurus]

That's a lot of forming steps and a very good polish.  Any health issues working with stainless?  

[7A749]

Thanks bob. I dunno as far as health issues. I wore a respirator for all the polish work and didn't notice any nasty smells or out gassing to speak of. Good question tho.

This is only the second thing I've forged from it. I've polished lots of stainless guns and welded a fair share of it (mostly TIG) and never noticed anything particular to speak of. I always wear a respirator when polishing it (or any other metal) tho..

[HEAP of JEEP]

As always, Steve, your work is amazing.  The only problem I see.... with how nice you made that base, the heart frame looks totally out of place... like Mutt and Jeff. lol.  Gonna need to make a much classier picture frame for it now. lol.

The forging stuff is great, but your finishing work, like on your other pieces, just fascinates me.  Great work, my friend.

[7A749]

Thanks. Truthfully, I don't like the way it sits in the frame. My wife told me to leave the brushed finish on it too... 

Now you've went and created more work for me 

Im getting stuff together for photos so I can post it on some social media sites. I have never messed with that stuff, but it's the best chance I have for some solid exposure. I just got the go ahead to make the lady that lost her son two more frames. One for her, and another home plate frame so she can give one to each of her granddaughters.

I might do some finishing tutorials here if the crew is cool with it. I got a little experience at a that

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