Yesterday I went to a bud's granite shop and picked up a rock for a table.
Yesterday I also picked up over a hundred feet of one inch schedule forty pipe.
Today between showers I'm going to hopefully start forging the pipe into shape for a small table and two stools.
The rock not only has beautiful grain but the colors match those in the room.
I'm using the pipe instead of solid stock for two reasons. First is it's fun to work with and not many people do. Second, the table is for a retired weldor who's got Parkinsons in a pretty serious way.
I'm starting off with a vague image in mind that will refine itself as we go along.
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When you look at something as beautiful as this rock one has to be blown away by nature's beauty.
I hope we don't have any problems with breaking!
The rock is a 3cm piece of scrap from a counter top. It's polished on one side. I'll cut it to shape and then have the granite shop polish the edges.
One of the amazing things about granite and marble is the colors and patterns that come out of the ground. The patterns will vary with the cut. Sorta kinda like the difference between quarter sawn and cross cut with lumber.
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I've just about decided that the most important thing for a dream to have is a bushel basket of flexibility. Sorta kinda like us I guess.
Originally I was going to forge the pipe into place. It would be more fun. A lot more work of course. And in the long run more original in design and finish.
But economies of scale grabbed me by one hand and common sense with time frame in mind got me by the other.
So I did some Hossfielding one oh one.
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The Hossfield is the best friend a fabricator ever had. This one and me have an agreement. Neither one of us gets crazy and acts up. So far it's worked out fine for both of us.
Larry, the fella I'm building this for, is a tall man who was a union weldor from Alaska to the gulf and just about everywhere in between. That's the reason the pipe is so interesting and appropriate for me.
He has Parkinsons. It isn't going to get better over time we can reasonably assume. So there's two very serious considerations for the stools and the table. One of course is no sharp edges or rough corners. The other is to have available hand holds so he can manuever easily.
What I did today was bend up a hundred foot of pipe. Tomorrow I'll start assembling. When ironwork is complete I'll take them down to the powder coaters where they'll be sand blasted and then clearcoated.
I think the sandblasted grey will go great with the grays in the granite. The clearcoating will not only keep rust away but give the finish a gloss not unlike that on the granite.
This is all being done by the seat of my pants, no plans, no drawings. What I'm wanting to do is allow the steel and stone guide me.
Here's a hundred foot of pipe with the twisties.
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The way a project like this works with me is I start off with an unfocused image in mind. As it evolves the image becomes more defined.
I wish I could be like most folks and start off with one thing and end up with that one thing. But wishing and fishing will get you little more than wet if you're not lucky.
Here's a shot of the first stool evolving
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I thought it was there, here.
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But the foot rest had to come off. A good idea--for another time and another place.
Here it is with the tacked up table frame. Note the footrest on the table instead--better idea for this place, this time.
Keep in mind the curved pieces are more about handholds than artfull dodging.
When it's all done hopefully Larry will be able to brace himself a couple of different ways at the same time off the table and chair as he positions himself for viewing the wildlife out in the backyard over morning coffee or afternoon tea.
This is more about function than creativity.
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I've been doing so many other things that I've had the table on the back burner. Today I got to work on it some more.
One of the things I liked--disliked about my design was it was going to end up looking institutional. So I decided to throw in a design detail that would be obviously hand made.
Look at the horizontal braces on the table frame.
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First you cook the pipe.
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Then you stomp a groove in it.
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If you don't think that puppy's hot check out the hundred percent cotton t shirt that looks rather banlony.
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Looks sorta like scorched link sausage, huh?
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This is after I've wire brushed it.
Keep in mind this is what the whole frame will look like when it's been sandblasted and then powder coated a clear finish.
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I might be wrong, have been, will be, nature of the beast. But I've decided at my age those little imperfections you see where I moved when I shouldn't, didn't when I should've, are signatures instead of flaws.
One of the greatest freedoms a person can have is to fail. When we lose our fear of failing we can go on to try. I have been accused of being without shame. They might be right. But I think it's more about accepting failing as another step forward in the process.
Here's how I cut three cm granite.
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Another view.
This is a framer's Dewalt worm drive with a diamond cutting blade. The blade cost more than the saw. But a regular circular saw doesn't have the grunt to cut like a worm drive will.
The water is important. Just as important is having GFI breaker real close when working a hundred ten and water. I've got to get me one of those.
What will surprise some folks is some of the best granite counter top craftsmen do it just like this. They'll have their sheets of stone delivered to the job site. Put up a temporary shade and go to work. And their work will be just as good as some of the stuff cranked out of the shops. Sometimes better.
No magic, just effort and patience, how do you think Rome was made?
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I've got to finish up the stools. Finish welding up and cleaning all the welds on the table too.
I'm going to epoxy some stops under the table to fit snugly inside the frame. That will enable us to dismantle and deliver the table.
I will take some grinding wheels and shape the stone to my desired shape. Then it will go to the granite shop. They will router a bullnose edge and do a final polish.
I want the bullnose because it will compliment the pipe framework.
It's coming together. I like that.
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This is the rock at the granite shop after I rough cut it out.
That was last week. If I get the time we're going to have them do their magic while I'm there to photograph it. It might be this week or next week. That will take the granite shop and me coordinating our schedules.
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Here's the router that does the deed in action on another rock with a different bit that what we're going to use.
This thing is awesome.
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Another shot
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I finished one of the stools today.
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It's funny how these things seem to work. I start off with a concept and then the project sorta kinda takes off and I'm just along for the ride.
This isn't what I originally had in mind. But it led me to a better place. I like and need that.
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I thought someone out there might enjoy seeing how I made the seat cushion.
First I had to bend a piece of quarter by half bar stock to fit inside the pipe frame.
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I use a Craftbender a friend of mine makes and sells at swap meet--trade days. It's handier than a pocket on a shirt for doing stuff like this.
The trick is making lots of little adjustments, lots and lots. The bar stock starts out straight. Then usualy the first half the one eighty goes pretty easy. The second half will curl hair on a bowling ball. But with enough bends and unbends it comes out okay eventually.
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Another shot of making a fit without having a snot slinging one.
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The "fabric" is twenty six gauge sheet metal punched out to look like wicker material.
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Sheet metal scissoring one oh one and we have "fabric" for the seat.
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Then it's a simple matter of welding twenty six gauge to quarter inch stock. Simple.
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Then it's to the anvil and my Uri hammer to do the fold over.
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All that's left is to put some welds underneath when the frame's been all ground and polished.
You know I have to wonder if Ibrahim probably rolls his eyes everytime he sees me start one of these projects. All that bandwidth...........all b.s. (band stuff)
And there's a chance it might end. I've been offered a job more appropriate for my age and disposition.
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Pocket T and Rustler jeans, I'm fine.
This is the finished rock. I picked it up from the granite shop today. Those guys could make the donkey look like a show horse.
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