How to Weld Metal Flower Garden Art

Materials and Tools:

5 stainless steel forks
3 feet of 3/16" steel rod
bucket of water
bolt cutter
chop saw with metal cutting blade
welder
oxygen acetylene tanks
table vice
wire brush
scrolling pliers
welding safety equipment (hood, gloves)

Steps:

1. Put on safety glasses. Cut the handles off five forks using a chop saw fitted with a metal cutting blade.

2. Place a 3-foot section of steel rod in the vice grips with 1-foot sticking straight up from the top.

3. Put on welding gloves. Light the torch and heat the stock where it meets the vice. Bend it into a 90-degree angle. Using the heat, begin turning the rod in a clockwise motion creating a tight scroll.

4. When there's not much stock left to scroll, stop, heat a small area under the scroll and using scrolling pliers, bend the base so the scroll is at a 45-degree angle to the stock. Turn off the torch. Quench the scroll in cold water.

5. Clean the soot off the scroll with a wire brush.

6. Place the scroll face down and weld the fork tops to the back of the scroll, evenly placing them around the back of the scroll.

7. Weld two fork handles to the stock halfway down to act as leaves.

8. Carefully put the torch handle in the vice. Light the torch. Heat the outside prongs of each fork, two per fork, being careful not to overheat. Bend the prongs out with scrolling pliers.

9. Repeat bending prongs for all five forks.

Aly Winningham, Cedar Creek, Texas
Website: www.terrafirmastudios.com