Metal Sun Garden Art Sculpture

Step 1

Steps:

1. Wearing a face shield and leather gloves, use a plasma cutter to cut a 12" diameter disk from 1/16" sheet bronze. Smooth the edges using a belt sander.

Step 2

2. Cut a 38" length of 1" x 1/8" bronze flat steel to form the rim for the circle. Bend the steel around a jig to the circumference of the round disk.

Step 4

3. Wearing safety gear, weld the rim around the disk.

4. Draw a face on the disk with a black marker.

Step 5

5. Heat the surface of the disk and form the raised and indented facial features with a treadle hammer.

Steps 6-7

6. Cut 12 pieces of 1" x 1/8" bronze flat steel 24 inches long to form 10 sunrays and two scrolled base pieces.

7. Shape the 24" flats into sunray shapes using the appropriate jigs.

Step 8

8. Shape two of the pieces using a scroll jig for the base.

Step 9

9. Weld the sunrays and scroll base pieces to the outside of the sun face.

Step 10

10. Using the completed sunrays as a pattern, cut pieces of 1/16" bronze sheet to fill the voids.

Step 11

11. Shape them using a wood mallet and steel molding block. Grind the edges on a belt sander to smooth.

Steps 12-13

12. Weld the flat sheet pieces to the inside of the sunrays.

13. Attach the support of twisted 1/2" x 1/2" square bronze and weld it to the bottom of the sun and attach a 4" x 6" x 1/8" plate to the bottom of the twisted 1/2" x 1/2" for the base.

Steps 14-16

14. Cut eyes, nose and mouth from 1/16" bronze sheet. Shape the pieces and weld them to the face.

15. Add accent lines to the face to develop character with a MIG welder.

16. Lightly brush the metal sun garden art sculpture with a wire wheel to give highlights.

Growing up on a farm, Daniel Martel was exposed to blacksmithing at an early age. And when he used his metal skills to create a steam engine for an eighth grade science project, he knew he wanted to develop his talent further. Now with a workshop on his own farm, he spends every chance he gets forging a wide variety of metal pieces, from functional letter openers and candlesticks to decorative sculptures and garden art.