SpankySmith Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 I've had a charity I annually support ask me about making several textured "branches" that will be wall mounted in their office (from which leaves enscribed with donors/supporters names will hang). I know exactly what they want, the illusion of a branch growing out of the wall. To get that, the branch would need to be flush, hidden mounted...somehow. I'm assuming two anchor points for each branch, so I can design 16" on center mount points, but I have no idea how to mount flush without a visible screw or bolt. ???? Help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 Make a keyhole on the back of the branch, something that's not visible from the front. Then put a screw in the wall (perhaps with a wall anchor), and slip the keyhole over that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted November 5, 2016 Author Share Posted November 5, 2016 I figured key hole would be best to make it flush to the wall but I can't seem to wrap my school-addled brain around how to forge that exactly, the little part that has the slot the screw slides UP into? I think my Senior Brain only has so much capacity, and right now it's full of research papers! Some help on how to forge a keyhole slot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 If it were me, I'd probably punch a number of keyholes into a flat bar, cut the bar into sections, and weld the sections over pre-punched holes in the branches, grinding and/or forging to finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistedCustoms Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 I don't know how practical forging the slot would be but it could be done by slitting the end of the branch/stock into two tabs or fingers. Space the two fingers to fit snug on the shaft of the anchor screw and then heat and fold them back over the base of the branch to sandwich the head of the screw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 You could also bend some thin stock into a "U" shape and then weld it into one end of an oblong pre-punched hole, with the open end of the "U" towards the other end of the hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoggy Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 Why not just use normal screw holes but forge the screw heads into leaves ....if you use a standard screw first to make a threaded hole, it can then be replaced with leaf head screw by hand....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 A "keyhole" doesn't have to look like the old school keyhole. Think dovetail, just a tapered slot that will hook over a screw or nail head and be held by gravity. I like the idea of making one or more of the leaf stems screws. That is a beautiful bit of simple efficiency. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Easy keyhole; drill a hole then file a slot with a round file. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted November 6, 2016 Author Share Posted November 6, 2016 But doesn't a keyhole require both the slot and the sleeve for the screw head to slip up into? I get drilling the hole and filing or punching in a slot, but can't get my head around that sleeve for the screw head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 I like Frostys suggestion of using a dovetail. Make the dovetail tapered top to bottom and it'll slide on so far and stop. I might have to try one soon on a couple projects I have rattling around in my confused little brain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted November 7, 2016 Share Posted November 7, 2016 15 hours ago, SpankySmith said: But doesn't a keyhole require both the slot and the sleeve for the screw head to slip up into? I get drilling the hole and filing or punching in a slot, but can't get my head around that sleeve for the screw head. No not at all. Assuming you make the branch from pipe just the head of the screw fits into the pipe. The hole needs to be larger than the screw head, the slot just larger than the shank but smaller than the head. The slot needs to point upwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted November 7, 2016 Share Posted November 7, 2016 Drill through branch and countersink or counterbore. Screw straight into studs, prayerfully on 16" centers. Fill countersinks with some sort of putty, maybe even jb weld. Sand smooth and paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted November 8, 2016 Author Share Posted November 8, 2016 Frank, whilst pondering this topic that thought had occurred to me, I've used JB Weld before, my only hesitation was the client hasn't told me whether they want a painted branch or a polished one. I'm supposed to meet with them sometime soon to see exactly what they are looking for. If it's polished hiding the screw hole with something like JB Weld is just a bit trickier - doable but trickier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 drill the screwhole a bit deeper, run the screw all the way down and then epoxy on the ladybug/lady bird you forged to cover it. I've seen this done using rivets to cover a hole in a flower that was forged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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