David Kailey Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 So i started with 700lbs of steel.....240 of it for the gate frame. I then forged for 38 hours while the outside temp was between 90 and 104, with my shop holding at a steady 125-130 degrees. I then welded for 18 hours..... The gate is raw right now and has 20 hours of work to clean it up and finish it up. May daughter and 2 friends who come and forge with me Nick, and Ethan helped out with several aspects of the process. This is 2" x 3/16" flat bar cut with a 3" angle on one end. I would put a small taper on the square end and then knock the point to the center. Then using crown dies to shape and texture the cattail leafs. Over 80 were forged at different lengths.. The center was a plasma cut tree, we cold hammered a it into a a rounder shape and then did a knock down weld texture. My daughter Madelynn did 90% of the texture herself and It looks fantastic. Next we forged curly Q's, delyo"s, cattails, dragonflies, butterflies, and some odds and ends. . Welded up the 1.5" x 3" frame and then cut fit and welded all the components together. I still have a lot of clean up and some structural welding to do. Here are some more pictures of the build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Sawicki Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 Wow that is one fine looking gate. Great work!!! Love the tree texture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 Truly stunning! I hope it's being installed someplace that doesn't have the 4" ball test in their code though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 I have to assume this is going to be on rolls in a fence or wall. It's a beautiful piece of work. Summer in Spokane is always hot so I only have limited sympathy for you there. I don't know who it's for but it's going to be a neighborhood or community show piece. Summer is also why you don't need to worry about me dropping by in summer. My sister lives in Boise, the folks used to live in East Wenatchee so, yes I've experienced July in Spokane. Still, you MIGHT get a call one winter day. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gergely Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 Real nice work, David! That tree is amazing with its thorough texturing. But the whole thing is, too. I especially like the picture where you have the tree on your shoulder while hammering a branch Looks very comfy! Bests: Gergely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe elliott Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 On 8/3/2017 at 7:08 PM, ThomasPowers said: Truly stunning! I hope it's being installed someplace that doesn't have the 4" ball test in their code though. 4" does not apply to driveway gates Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Wow, Awesome work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 In your location? Great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58er Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 very, very cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
careful_eugene Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Superb piece of work, I love the texturing on the tree. What finish will you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kailey Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share Posted August 7, 2017 4 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: In your location? Great! There is no 4" issue for the gate, and it is being installed at a property to the NW of Spokane, Wa, that sits on the Little Spokane River. On 8/3/2017 at 7:58 PM, Frosty said: I have to assume this is going to be on rolls in a fence or wall. It's a beautiful piece of work. Summer in Spokane is always hot so I only have limited sympathy for you there. I don't know who it's for but it's going to be a neighborhood or community show piece. Summer is also why you don't need to worry about me dropping by in summer. My sister lives in Boise, the folks used to live in East Wenatchee so, yes I've experienced July in Spokane. Still, you MIGHT get a call one winter day. Frosty The Lucky. It is actually going to be a swing Gate. It weights in at only 550lbs 1 hour ago, careful_eugene said: Superb piece of work, I love the texturing on the tree. What finish will you use? The customer wants either silver vein or copper vein powder coating. On 8/3/2017 at 8:09 PM, Gergely said: Real nice work, David! That tree is amazing with its thorough texturing. But the whole thing is, too. I especially like the picture where you have the tree on your shoulder while hammering a branch Looks very comfy! Bests: Gergely Lol. It was several hours of hammering the tree into wooden swedges, due to the fact that it was all done cold and there was not much of a break from hammering, I did manage to get some very severe cramps in my hand and forearm which may have been the result of the look on my face. Frankly with the outside temperatures being 93-105 over the last 4 weeks and having so much forge work to do which kept the shop around 120 plus....... it was actually pretty comfortable because we did no forge work so it was only around a hundred in the shop that day. Thanks for checking out that work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasent Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Great job Dave! It looks awesome! The heat has been rough on us all lately! One of these days I'll get off work in time to catch ya at the shop. Just love that tree! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 That is truly lovely; an inspiration! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 550lbs is a lot lighter than it looks. Had I thought about it it really isn't set up for rollers. Can we see pics of it installed please? Even though I grew up in southern Cal. I can't imagine working in 100+ temperatures I've lived here too long. Believe it or not the feds, office of emergency management I think, issued a high temperature warning for last weekend. Temps were predicted to hit the high 70s maybe even 80! Go ahead laugh but 70s is hide in the shade and run the AC weather here. The TV news was interviewing tourists in Anchorage who were laughing about it, we all are, but the tourists were almost all wearing jackets at . . . 75f. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 I was in Germany one summer when it hit the mid 80's and they were shutting down factories and schools due to the high temperatures! Of course very few had Air Conditioners; we had to switch to a hotel that had AC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.