# Winter shop time



## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

I was reading of a person who was getting rid of the television satellite service and wondering how to take up her time.
This is what I do when things are getting a little stir crazy.
I had some photos of a pieces precipitated by the winter doldrums. Thought I would share.
The wedding set is made of 3/4" round-304 Stainless. The towel bar is made with 9/16" a-36 hot rolled steel.


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## nebo (Dec 16, 2013)

Very nice work.


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## sapphira (Mar 24, 2003)

Wow ! I would have no clue how you did these.


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## CuriousWanderer (Feb 23, 2014)

That towel bar is incredible! Do you sell these?


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## FarmChix (Mar 3, 2013)

Do you blacksmith or buy the rolled steel?


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

I run 5/8" hot roll steel through a swedge die in my power hammer to bring it down to 9/16' or 1/2". Whatever I'm in need of at the time. I'm getting to old and hopefully smarter than to draw it out that much using a hand hammer and a swedge. If I forged steel starting from a "pig" to useable shapes there would be more labor in the piece than could be relized in the sale of the product.
If you look close, at the photos, you can see some slight imperfections in the finish from going through the swedge..


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## FarmChix (Mar 3, 2013)

Ah! That's the problem Hubs is having with his blacksmithing. He has so much time in the pieces, he could never charge what they would be "worth".....


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

What do you want for that towel bar?


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

That towel bar is already sold. I have a high end store that will take anything that I want to produce. They mark it up 50% to 100% and sell it. I've been working with them for many years with great success.
At first they would only take things on consignment but my items sell so they now buy them outright.
I do things like steel framed mirrors, candle sconces, coat trees, lighted copper pot racks, coach lights, table sconces, and many other kinds of interior house sundries.
Lately they have been calling me to do custom requests also.
I can build you one similar to the one pictured. I usually build them as a set along with a toilet paper holder, and several coat hooks for the bathroom.


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## christinarobert (Sep 19, 2014)

Lovely and very creative! You did a fantastic work. Good job.




--------------------------------
Christina
Unique Indian wedding cards- A gateway to perfectly planned marriage!


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

Thankyou. We've been working for alot of years.


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## Elie May (Apr 24, 2008)

I can't see the images? Is it just me?


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

I can't see them either so I posted them again. While looking I found a photo of a horse head hoof pick that I built out of 1 half of a #0 horseshoe (keg shoe).


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

I hope you folks aran't tired of this.
The knives are made from found steels with firewood handles. They are a blade and a half caping blade and a drop pointed skinner. The second photo shows a French Curved Skinner.
The third photo shows all the tools that I use to make the hoof picks. I've made each piece of tooling. The hammer is made from the axle of a 1963 Kenworth and the chisels and punches are made using O-1 and S-7 tool steel.
Fourth photo is a custom railing that I built and installed. The post is forged from a piece of 6" black pipe and the rail is decorated with acanthus leaves.
The fifth photo is a copper and steel chandilier. There are over 100 floral attachments on it.
The last is one of the sconces that I did that hangs on the wall of the 7th floor, in the Federal Reserve Bank. Julius Schramm built them originally in about 1901.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Very nice indeed!

Matt


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## Janis R (Jun 27, 2013)

My goodness, your stuff is so beautiful, very nice craftsmanship.


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## nebo (Dec 16, 2013)

CIW>>>have you make one of these. They are made from a rail road spike. If you would make one I would buy one from you.

http://d2478sdr3mun1a.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/image_1-671x954.jpeg


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

I've built many over the years. I'm out of spikes right now. I'll go get some of the old spikes and build one up. Then post a photo.


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