August 25, 200817 yr Started about 2 months making BBQ flippers. First weekend I made 5. Sold every one from my office at work. Next weekend I made 10. They took 5 days to sell. Then I started making matched sets. Flipper and a fork. First weekend made 3 sets. Sold all three that monday. Next thing I knew people were asking, "hey, can you make me a set that looks like-----". Sold one set with leaf handles, and the guy came in 2 days later and wants 3 sets for xmas presents. I currently only have about 8 hanging in my office. These are all to fill orders. The first pic is the twisted blanks before the fire. I use a Harbor Freight picket twister. The last pic, although not that good, is what they look like after I put a finish on them. Wire brushed, sharpened up with a die grinder, run the colors with my tourch, and brush on Linseed oil while they are still hot.
August 25, 200817 yr Very nice, all you need to do is add a spatula and a set of tongs and you'll have a full set. welder19
August 25, 200817 yr Author Spatula and tongs are in the works. Trying to find a good (cheap) source of stainless. For a plain set, I have been getting $40. Leaf sets, $50. Been told I am too cheap, but I don't have to haggle.
August 25, 200817 yr RLarkin very cool and not too hard to think about. And yet another way to practice scrolling. Paul
August 26, 200817 yr Author This is what the leaf handles look like all finished. Wire brushed, then hit with a torch to run some color. I then lightly brush with a brass brush to add a little "ANTIQUE", and then brush on linseed oil while it is still to hot to touch and wipe down before it hardens.
August 26, 200817 yr Author They are made from 1/4 inch cold rolled. For me, the edges and corners are to sharp to look right, but for some reason, my metal supplier has trouble gettin me hot rolled, which is a little easier on the edges.
August 26, 200817 yr Your 1/4 inch cold rolled is probably sheared from plate, which results in the sharp corners. A lot of smaller size cold rolled stock is rolled as a plate and then put through massive shears.
August 26, 200817 yr Stainless source - My transfer station ("The Dump") doesn't normally allow picking from the metal pile, but if I ask nice I can usually get something that's in easy reach. I recently scored a stainless steel sink that will serve for a few flippers. I suppose if I were selling in any quantities, that source wouldn't be the most reliable. But for a hacker, it'll do.
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