April 9, 2010

Welding Lessons

Not really welding, actually, but metal cutting. When I went over to Housewerks for my weekly coffee talk with the owner Tracey, I found her getting a lesson in metal cutting from her business partner, Ben. welding 001 As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Housewerks has just taken apart an old Bethlehem Steel works and they have a ton, literally, of metal odds and ends.welding 005

She’s planning to use two of these metal carts for industrial-style planters and needed to add holes to the bottoms of them for drainage.

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Out came the acetelyn-oxygen torch and tanks and off to work they went, with Ben leading the way and Tracey learning.welding 017While Ben and Tracey wore dark safety goggles, welding 023 I just looked at the brilliant white light coming from the torch, fascinated with the way it could melt and then cut the metal. welding 015 Unfortunately, Tracey’s goggles were a little too big, so Ben had to hold them onto her face.

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After about 10 minutes’ work, ten holes were drilled in the bottoms of two carts/planters, and they were on their way to a new home and a new purpose.

9 comments:

  1. Meg I have always wanted to do some metal work scuptures. In fact I will have a feature & Interview up soon with a renowned area artist!

    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  2. i took a welding class a few years back, and it kinda scared me, so so much for my future as a famous metal sculptor...

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  3. Love the idea of creating metal sculptures...but I can't quite see me doing it! Sadly...xv

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  4. I was absolutely terrified when I learned how to weld - and I felt as if time stood still!

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  5. Those carts are great. Filled with large trees they would make a great statement.

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  6. I don't want to learn how to weld. I just want a pair of those kick _ss goggles.

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  7. Looks way fun. Those are huge planters!

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