Friday, April 4, 2014

Some things take longer

Amazing as this might sound - bigger pieces of work that involve multiples take longer to create. This afternoon I set myself a target of getting as far as I could with making 25 larger (about 25-27cm long) leaf forms that are riveted to iron rods (8mm diameter and 80cm long). The final product (installation) will go to Goondiwindi for the Aspects Art Show.
©2014 Barry Smith - Folded copper leaf forms on iron rods
Well - given I was starting with some seriously weather annealed copper that I cut about a month ago I knew I had a challenge on my hands.

©2014 Barry Smith - Badly weathered annealed recycled copper sheet
The metal needed to be cleaned by pickling; and they came up well after a rub down.

©2014 Barry Smith - Lovely colour in the pickle pot - really an old slow cooker
©2014 Barry Smith - Clean copper ready for folding
The rods needed to be cut into lengths - note my substantial 'bolt cutters' (about 90cm long).

©2014 Barry Smith - Cut rods and a serious bolt cutter
Ends of rods needed to be flattened with a 2kg hammer on my rough round anvil (bought at a garage sale) so that I could form the leaf over the flattened end; and then drill and rivet the rods into the folded leaf forms.

©2014 Barry Smith - Cold forming iron rods
The folded forms were then cut into the half leaf shape ready for hammering.

©2014 Barry Smith - 25 leaf forms riveted to iron rods
©2014 Barry Smith - 25 leaf forms riveted to iron rods
So that is where I left off  - 25 leaf forms riveted (copper rivets) to the rods ready for further hammering tomorrow.  They look like a stash of spears - I did feel as though I was in weapon production mode. Now it is time for a Friday drink.

5 comments:

  1. they look good in a grouping. maybe not swords, but ploughshares?

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  2. Hmmmmm....I look forward to the finished work....interesting.

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  3. Love your comment on the last photo...I'd just had a vision of a horde of yard gnomes running amok thru your lovely yard...all waving your spears. A gnome mutiny of sorts....sorry. It's early here and I'm still half asleep.

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  4. Almost like viking oars... or weaponry at this stage, but look about the size for a rat warriors, I think.

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  5. V, JM, JQ & VA - thanks for your comments about this new work - always good to have support on the new ventures. V - or maybe copper feathers? JM - and now tis done. JQ - you must have had strong coffee to see visions of rampaging gnomes - but it did make me smile. VA - rat warriors!!! Go well. B

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Comments are welcomed - it is good to connect with fellow travellers.