November 2, 20223 yr With winter and the holidays fast approaching, it is time to get started again. Everyone’s invited to participate, from beginners to hobbyists to professional smiths to even resident curmudgeons! It is a decoration theme, on a tree, inside, outside, etc. It can be anything and any size you choose, and made from new stock, old stock, copper, brass, mild, wrought, titanium, high carbon, stone, glass, wood, bone etc. The deadline for the challenge will be December 24, 2002 2022, Christmas eve. Edit to reflect correct deadline.
November 2, 20223 yr Great! Time to get thinking on what I'm making. I'll need to look for some inspiration first. ~Jobtiel
November 14, 20223 yr Well I tried to make a santa hat wall hanger for stockings a couple weeks ago. Trying to decide how to finish it and improve the design for next time. Made it from a tyre.
November 16, 20223 yr So my thinking is hardware instead of ornaments hardware. Hardware can be decorative, right? Anyway tried a wreathe hook today. A bit to wide where it will hang on a door so that needs corrected. Also thinking maybe bending more towards the door on the inside part, scrolling the end a bit and making it a spring kind of thingy to clamp to the door. Tried a couple other things but this is may take on a wreathe hook so far. The hard part is getting the top thin enough to fit in the door jamb. Edited November 16, 20223 yr by BillyBones forgot something
November 17, 20223 yr Way to think outside the box!... or outside the wreath? Anyway, looks good and your proposed improvements sound like it will be perfect. We've never been able to use a wreath hanger on our front door as it's too tight a fit.
November 17, 20223 yr Good idea Billy, a little refinement and it's a marketable one. Different sizes. Wide where it goes over the door isn't a bad thing it'll help keep it from rocking in a wind. Frosty The Lucky.
November 17, 20223 yr Good looking idea, Billy. I might want to make one as well, thanks for posting. The pointed end adds a nice touch. You might consider putting some stick-on felt on the insides of the part that goes over the door to prevent marring the paint, if any.
November 17, 20223 yr Ha! So my good friend just asked if I'd make her a plant hanger that would hook over her cubical wall. Looks like I'll be making a wreath hanger yet! She sent me a video of her cubical and it looks like where she'd hang it shares the other side with another coworker ... so then I wondered if it would be nice to add a little hook on that side too - like a double hook I guess?
November 17, 20223 yr Shainaru, A hook for her co-worker would be a nice touch. Arkie, i was thinking the same about the felt. Frosty, i should have said to long, the flat on top extends about 1" from the door. Or at least my door.
November 17, 20223 yr Ordered a tree for the new year. Started doing. There will be souvenir hooks. I don't really understand why.
November 17, 20223 yr Ha, apparently it's not a coworker - just bin sorting trays. But she likes the idea of a little hook on that side that she could hang a little seasonally appropriate sign or something from. Totally not "Winter Challenge" related - I just thought it was funny that she requested it after I had just seen Billy's hanger because it's about the same - I just have to extend the hook out a bit further than a wreath hook would. Something else in mind for the Winter Challenge. Hoping to get started on it after Thanksgiving.
November 17, 20223 yr Shaina, I have made these for folk to hang things over the joists in the ceilings of their shops. I find that the real trick is to get the 2 hooks to come out symetrical in both diameter of hook and length. It may be easier to do the 2 90 degree bends at the top first and then make sure the legs are the same length before drawing them out. You may want to reduce the 90 degrees to about 45 while drawing out for ease of handling. You will say bad words at the 1st one or #2 but it will come easier with 3+. They are not quite as easy as you might think. Actually, asymmetry is pretty unnoticable once the double hook is in place. Who will notice that one side is not exactly the same as the other? Also, make sure you have an accurate measurement for the thinkness of the cubical wall so that you know how far to put the 90 degree bends apart. Finally, you are doing enough stuff and for other folk that, IMO, it is time for you to begin using a touchmark. You can do something really basic like an SR done with a small chisel or come up with something more elaborate. It is surprisingly easy to carve something in the end of a punch with files and a dremel tool. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand."
November 17, 20223 yr I already have a design! I just need to get a dremel and work it into a piece of steel. I was hoping to get that done before the brooches get sent out for Christmas. The name I picked for my smithy - even though I wasn't even really doing anything yet (lol) - was "Sunshine Smithy". Kind of a play on words. My childhood (and current) nickname is Sunshine and my last name is Smith - but a blacksmith's shop is also called a Smithy - so I just had to work it in there somehow. So the dashes coming out the top curve is meant to represent the rays of sunshine and the separated 'S' is kind of an illusion to look like two different 'S' shapes depending on how you look at it. I'm adding some mock-up pics I sent to my friend. She was undecided on how far down she wanted it to come from the top and luckily I also work in a cubicle so I could send her a frame of reference for 'top', '2 inches down', and '5 inches down (which includes fancy twist since it's longer)'.
November 17, 20223 yr 1 hour ago, Shainarue said: "Sunshine Smithy". I love it, your touch mark looks great, much better than my RFH in an oval.
November 17, 20223 yr I got your touch mark without the explanation Shaina and using your last name is more appropriate. A smithy is just a place, a shop and doesn't make anything. The Smith is the maker. Sunshine Smith is a perfect touch mark moniker. I got involved being all windy again so I guess I'm x3 on the touch mark. Don't forget plant holders don't have to be hangers, a simple ring slightly smaller than the rim of a pot looks nice and is practical. Frosty The Lucky.
November 18, 20223 yr Not really part of the challenge but some pre Christmas mischief! so I was cruising online looking for the perfect Christmas cards to send out here in a few weeks and I came across this ridiculous tacky shower curtain, so I did what any unreasonable person would do…. I ordered it! Bahahaha! I can’t wait till that silly thing gets here, imma wait till ash is Gone to work an max is at daycare and I’m totally gonna swap out her fancy shower curtain! I’m usually still working out in the shop when she gets home so I’ll just let her walk in the bathroom an find it!
November 18, 20223 yr OMG Frosty, thanks for that wind, I kinda also like Sunshine Smith. The mock ups and my own sketches finally got her brain moving and this is the latest sketch up (from the friend) of her ultimate request - if it's possible. Specifically solid round plate for the indicated plant base. I told her I'd have to play with some clay to figure this one out. I won't have a welder until after the new year. I'm thinking I'll probably attach the round plate with rivets but I need to work out how it will be braced since it'll be holding an unknown weight. Like maybe cut the sides of that section of bar and bend to form kind of a cross. Then rivet through each of the 4 "arms". Also, a flat round plate sounds like a recipe for a plant on the floor, lol. I proposed a spiral base instead of solid, kind of like the coil on an electric stovetop. And have each ring just slightly dropped so it would hug the pot regardless of size. I might still make one that way just because I like the idea but she doesn't want it, lol
November 18, 20223 yr Haha nice curtain. Nice tree alexandr. Not a christmissytree. But looks nice. I also have to make a tree, to hang earrings on it. I was thinking of making it from wire (have some 1,2mm steelwire leftover from tying rebar together) and twisting together.
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