Any Metalsmiths Out There?

Boilermaker/Structural Steel Engineering and Fabrication, by trade here.
Nothing fancy like jewelry though haha. I specialized in hand rails, guard rails, stairs, bollards and anything behind wall layers and concrete. Some of my best work will be hidden permantly from the world, other work you can fly into Canberra airport and see for yourself on the government buildings nearby. Spent near 3 years on the Brindabella Business Park fire stairs and window blades. M

However my most prized fabrication was for the Stromlo Observatory that burned down years ago. There were 4 of us in the workshop, 2 tradesman, a welder and me as the apprentice. And we all looked at this drawing like WTF we ain't seen nothing like this before. It was a mess, a wreck of twisted steel. It turned out to be a masterpiece and fuck knows how we did it with the equipment we had.

I wish now I'd had a camera when I was younger, just as proof or even gloating rights on the stuff I have achieved while in that trade. I believe I actually have a couple of pictures somewhere of the Observatory creation.. I do not know where they'd be and fear after more than a decade, they'll be white background when I do find them.

I quit that trade the moment I finished it due to a bad diminishing eye condition.

 

I would love to have my work in plain sight! Knowing that I assisted in creating something seen widely would be like my little secret that would always make me smile.

 

That sounds awesome, Skip! I have some metal and bone dread beads that I plan on making, and that just might be the place to list them!

 

I cannot wait to see! The flux I get in bulk is called "handy flux."

 

Send her holiday shopping!

 

this is a very inspiring thread, I am a jewellery maker myself, and often feel alone in the world. Without access to a studio or bench it is hard to make the time or get motivated. Maybe, instead of enrolling in a class I will simply post pictures to this forum, maybe it will finally get me back proudcing...thanks for starting this tread!

 

The pickle solution is a hazardous material, probably what costs you. I just buy muratic acid at the hardware store and dilute it to my needs.
I like a fairly strong pickling solution so I don't have to wait so long.

Hammered pieces I have to anneal often, and since I don't want to hammer any of the scale into the piece, I pickle every time.

 

Oh how exciting. I want to see photos! I've been working a lot lately (and studying for finals. I tend to keep my instagram updated more that this site since the image uploader glitches for me. If you have instagram, follow "Inept_Eloquence" on instagram or twitter to stay updated!