Daswulf Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 I have been looking for something fun and small to make that I can more easily make more of to be able to sell. I do autobody work and always am taking things apart to see how they work. Years back I found that vehicle door power window motors had a great armature in most of them. Recently as I was cleaning up I re-found some I had saved and when I ran across some ball bearings from a wheel bearing I had a thought that they would make great dragonflies. Figured I'd share the fun. I'm not great at explaining things but here goes in hopes someone might be inspired. It doesn't take much if you have a welder, access to an auto junk yard ( friend at a body/ mechanic shop) a goodwill or junk store for some junky butter knives ( steel or stainless), some nuts and nails and some other more common tools. Need I say PPE? That too. Including a respirator and good ventilation while welding unknown scrap. At the scrap yard find a little older door power window motor or whole regulator if you have to. Most I have seen other then some very newer cars have ones usable for this. Just need the armature out of the motor. Also some small ball bearings out of a wheel bearing. ( you could also take doughnuts to a mechanical or body shop and ask nicely. They throw these away or scrap them all the time.) get the the armature out and clean off the grease and cut a bit off the one end ( if you want. ) that's the body. Next get 2 bearings and a nut and tack weld them together. I modified some vice grips because I plan to make more. Then weld them to the end of the armature. Next get your butter knives and cut the handles off of them. Arange them and tack them to a nut in whatever position you like that looks right. Then weld them to the armature back. Wire wheeling the work as you helps in a nicer finished project. Now soften ( grind it so it isn't sharp) the tip on 6 nails. Don't wanna scratch furniture if it's free standing. No need if you will weld it to a cattail or other things. Then arrange them and tack them one at a time to the belly of the armature. After they look good to you you can fully weld the 6 of them. Then you can bend them with pliers. ( if not hardened nails then you need heat) I used 3 1/4" stud nails 1/8" thick. After that that set it on a flat surface and tweak all the feet so they all sit flat on the surface. I start by pushing down on the center of the top of the piece to start them out ( if bending cold). Then little tweaks here and there. Thats it. You have a dragonfly. Hope this was a little inspirational and understandable. If you make one please share pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 Das, Another superlative sculpture. Bravo. SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted December 7, 2016 Author Share Posted December 7, 2016 Thanks much Slag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 They will sell really well, Aric. People like the coppery look of the armatures. I've used them for bird bodies. The ones I used came from burned out angle grinders and orbital sanders. I see you weld the ball bearing eyes the same way I do. Yep, you have a sure-fire seller there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted December 7, 2016 Author Share Posted December 7, 2016 Thanks Darryl! Great to hear. I'll take these first two to work tomorrow to test the waters. Funny enough they are a good indicator or interest. Very excited. I have some from grinders and other motors as well. They are great looking pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted December 7, 2016 Author Share Posted December 7, 2016 Ok, one more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 Very reminiscent of some creatures in the Young Adult book "So You Want to Be a Wizard" (I try to read what the grandkids are reading so we can talk about it.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted December 7, 2016 Author Share Posted December 7, 2016 That's great Thomas, good way to bond. I have been a fantasy and science fiction junky since I was little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 Started with my kids and still talking about various post apocalypse books with my eldest and various zombie works with my youngest and her 3 children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 was going to get rid of some motors tomorrow at the scrapyard, may not now great work as ever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted December 7, 2016 Author Share Posted December 7, 2016 Thanks ID. Give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 Cool project to make on the fly. The wings are kinda cheesy, but I guess there's nothing butter to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted December 7, 2016 Author Share Posted December 7, 2016 You can cut up whatever you land to spread for wings. It's all Parkay as long as it has a bearing on the piece. There is a large Margarine for error. You'll know by looking at it if you nailed it or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 some of us are just armatures at this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 I felt that one brush by me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted December 7, 2016 Author Share Posted December 7, 2016 We're all wired a little differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 Except Tesla---he was wireless! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTBlades Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 Wow wow wow Das you are the man....this is so awesome. Keep them coming, I dig seeing your work...so inspiring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted December 8, 2016 Author Share Posted December 8, 2016 Thanks CT. I do what I can when I can. This is a busy time of year at work and at home. I really need to push through an owl that has been eluding me. once it starts coming together I'm sure it will flow. just need to crest that hill. I've been loving seeing what you have been making as well. Keep at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmall Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 Once you figure the owl out, everything will be Olay. Not trying to milk this thread or anything. Just trying to stop the idle clabber. (Sorry, couldn't resist) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 Once you get the owl project off the ground, it should take flight and develop owltitude on its own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTBlades Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 1 minute ago, Glenn said: develop owltitude Is that some sort air born disease? Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted December 8, 2016 Author Share Posted December 8, 2016 Lol to all. Geesh! You guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 More cool pieces Das. Marketable for sure. Now I'm thinking about armaturedillos, curse YOU! Wow I missed a lot of punishment. That'll teach me to start a reply, walk away from t he comp for a few hours then sit back down and just finish without reading the rest of the thread. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted December 8, 2016 Author Share Posted December 8, 2016 Just sharing the curse Frosty. Armaturedillo would be cool. In some modern window motors the armature is shorter, they could make great mice. Might make a good addition to the owl. Thanks for the idea Frosty! Gatta keep the imagination soaring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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