One never knows if one can make a thing until one tries!
(Unicorn Weathervane Part -1)
I think I may have mentioned it before, but I LOVE making things! Especially things that I have never tried before. So when a very close friend of mine asked out of the blue whether I could make a weathervane similar to one she saw online, I jumped at the chance. Heck, any excuse to try something new right!
First things first when taking on any new commission; make sure you and the client have a clear understanding of both what the expectations are (timeline, costs, etc.) as well as what the thing is going to look like! For this project, there were some basic size requirements as it was going to be installed on the top of a child’s playhouse, so things like proportions and weight were a consideration. I had thought 1/4″ or 3/8″ stock was going to work, so I did up a couple of test twists both to get the right look and to see what the visual weight is going to be. After sharing these tests with the customer (boy, this really feels ‘sanitary’). After sharing these tests with the amazing and outstandingly awesome Jamie Hudson, she and I agreed that both of these sizes made for a really bulky looking piece. More tests, more conversation and we decided the 3/16″ bar was going to be the right call.
After getting the final go-ahead, it was on to the actual making of the bits and pieces!
Unfortunately, this is where the pace of the shop outweighs the picture-taking. I really need to sort out a better way to do work in progress shots…but that is for another time. Needless to say, there were a couple complexities with the final bar sizing; the most significant of which was the fact that flat 3/16 bar stock smaller than 1/2″ wide doesn’t exist! All the scroll’s stock needed to be flattened out from 3/16″ round stock. Not the biggest issue as mild steel moves like playdough when hot, but it was interesting to see how things would likely have had to be done ‘back in the day’ when things like the Metal Supermarkets didn’t exist!
Hand sawing metal sucks. A lot. Like, a whole lot!! In hindsight I really should have outsourced this to a fabricator with a plasma or waterjet CNC setup…but you live and learn!
Next up, assembly and finishing!