interesting find

[ausfire]

Metal sculptures can be made much more easily if you find a piece that just suits the project. I have to make another mantis and this piece called out from the scrap. I'm not sure what it is (possibly a hanger for a sliding door??). I don't think I have to do much to this to make the head. Dollar coin for size reference.

A lucky find:

 

[Daswulf]

I don't know what it was, but it is destined to be a mantis head. How brave are you to split the threaded shaft to male the palps.  

yeah I had to look up what they were called.  

I got video this fall of a praying mantis eating a spider. They are quite aggressive eaters. It's really something to see. 

[Charcold]

Do those wheels spin, or did they at one time? Looks almost like an adjustable linear caster foot. Cant guess why they'd grind away the threads tho, i suppose the weight of whatever is there would be on the jam nuts, perhaps the threads stop that jam nut from binding under a lot of weight so it can be adjusted freely. 

[HammerMonkey]

6 hours ago, ausfire said:

 I'm not sure what it is (possibly a hanger for a sliding door??).

That is exactly what it is. The bolt with the sides ground flat goes through a slot in the bracket attached to the door. It keeps the bolt from turning when the adjustment nuts are turned to true up the door.

[ausfire]

8 hours ago, Daswulf said:

I don't know what it was, but it is destined to be a mantis head. How brave are you to split the threaded shaft to male the palps.  

yeah I had to look up what they were called.  

I got video this fall of a praying mantis eating a spider. They are quite aggressive eaters. It's really something to see. 

Das: I might shorten that shaft and then split it. Alternatively, the shaft should be forged sharp to make a formidable proboscis for a mosquito. I like the triangular shape for a mantis though. Does it look weldable to you? The main part has a cast look to it. A bit tricky to weld onto the small amount of thread showing in the middle.

Charcold: Yes, the wheels do rotate, front and back. They are set on roller bearings.

Shady: Thanks for the confirmation. There was a rusty bracket threaded onto the flattened shaft. It's a fairly robust piece - probably for a heavy garage door or similar. I'll have to hunt around in the scrap and see if I can find its mate.

[Daswulf]

Looks weldable to me Aus. If you just get some weld on the threads as well it should be even stronger.  I've had luck welding on some cast when it isn't structural. Hopefully it is cast steel which would be better. I'd never weld onto cast iron for anything structural but as long as the pieces aren't dropped and hit the ground right they have been fine for me. 

Can't wait to see the finished mantis. 

Funny you mentioned mosquito, I could see that piece working for that as well. 

[ausfire]

6 hours ago, Daswulf said:

Can't wait to see the finished mantis. 

This one's not going to happen overnight, but I'll keep you posted. I found a good-size gearbox mainshaft for the body. This mantis will have to be about 800 - 1m long to maintain the proportion with that head!

I should get a bit more time on the scrap art now that the wet season is here. Only a few visitors to the Village Forge today and I expect numbers will continue to drop away until a revival in Easter. Raining heavily as I type this.

[Marc1]

Yep ... I have the exact same in my sliding door at the back of the house. 4m wide and with 9 lights each side 6mm laminated glass they weight a ton and I had to buy industrial strength. Designed for a rural shed. Mine are made in Italy.