Over the last couple of days I have been working on and off a commission. I have a request to create a stand for a brass singing water bowl-font. I'm not sure how or if it works. I need to make a very solid piece with an iron top to hold the font as it apparently depends on the contact with iron and water to create the sound.
So I have cut two strips of scrap plate iron; cold formed them in the vice; and riveted them together (overlapped) into a circle (about 25cm in diameter) with copper rivets. I made short cuts into the top with a thin reinforced blade in my angle grinder in the inner slightly wider circle of iron; I bent the pieces out to fit the curve of the bowl; and gave them a bit of a leaf shape with the grinder.
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| ©2013 Barry Smith - Circle with 'petals' to hold the singing font bowl. |
I have cut iron feet from the same scrap iron; and riveted them on with the copper rivets. These feet will be nailed to the post with copper nails; and the font holder will sit raised above the post by about 5cm.
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| ©2013 Barry Smith - Circle with feet in the test position on a hollow post (brass bowl to the right of the post) |
I made a hollow post from a large heavy and thick (5cm) broken wooden bench I salvaged.
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| ©2013 Barry Smith - Hollow post (90cm high by 25cm square) from recycled wood and scrap iron bought from a garage sale in test position |
I now need to cut down another scrap piece of iron and attach the iron top on the post. I will then rout a design into the post faces; and attach the iron circle font holder to the post. But I think those jobs will be for Friday.
B, even if it works or not, either way... it is looking good. K
ReplyDeleteThat's some task...beauty AND music. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteabsolutely fascinating -
ReplyDeletewhile i am sure it will work - because you not only have a brilliant aesthetic sensibility, but good sense and knowledge - i am in awe of the project. you take on such interesting things - give them your 'stamp' and make them wonderful.
thank you for sharing this process shots. so much appreciated.
Always intriguing.....
ReplyDeleteK, JM & MJ - thanks for checking the progress. The stand is now complete and seems to work. MJ - thanks for your confidence in me. As you say it does have a bit of a Barry look and feel about. And I hope it is a great welcoming piece for the home of the folk who commissioned it. All - go well. B
ReplyDeleteB, I think the whole point is that it has a 'Barry look and feel' - such a delight!
ReplyDeleteC - I was asked whether I signed such works - but I just quoted you and said no - folk can just see it has a Barry look about it. Go well. B
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