small sculpture thingy.

[chunkolini]

I was messing about the other day in the workshop, and had seen some pictures of Brittlestars, the deep sea starfish, and liked them. So I had a play with some gas welding rods and some pennies.


One of those simple ideas that worked.

Chunko'

 

[mrcheese]

Very nice. Thart would look good in my garden.

 

[BeeJay99]

Very nice job. Presumably this will be going to someone who isn't superstitious? What's the centre boss, new part or recycled?

 

[dickie bell]

very nice! it's easy to get caught up in trying to be too fancy when a simple clean design like this is so effective.

 

[chunkolini]

Glad you like it guys.
I ha not realised there were 13 legs, I just kept adding them until I was finished.
I sold this one a couple of days back and made one with 12, the odd number looks better.

The boss in the middle? just a 30m ball from Rourkes lopped inhalf with a grinder.

Beejay, (fnaaarrr fnaaarrr) 'Whats the centre boss' Initially I thought you were calling me Boss, and askig me what the centre is.

Chunko'.

 

[Hitch]

I reckon it would look better with plain discs Chunko, rather than a few pennies welded onto bits of rod... perhaps rods in Stainless.....discs in rust... or tother way probably easier...

 

[gordon stephenson]

Looks OK with the coins (the wheel of fortune) may be with just a touch of brazing or silver solder to lose the ball where they attach

 

[chunkolini]

The first ones I made were using steel slugs from stampings at a local factory, worked well but a pain to source.
For out doors I do have a bag of stainless discs, but getting these is a complicated process, I think the foreman (are they still called that?) has to be off site.

Brazing? I have tried that and it looks better. BUT, Mig welding them? shockingly fast process, keeps the price down or the profit margin up. I think the audience are looking at the effect, not the method.

Next thing is to play about with colour. the copper goes through an amazing spectrum. Plan A, make the thing and clean it up like above, then get the oxyt/acetylene torch out. Wave the coin through the flame, until it starts to colour and quench it instantly as it goes purple. I will report back.
Chunko'.

 

[rtbcomp]

Do you get different effects with pure copper and the copper-plated steel coins?

 

[Hitch]

I saw one of them design programmes on the box years ago, back when there was loads of them, the woman designer (short, ginger, Anne McKevitt iirc)
Used slugs instead of gravel on some fancy garden.

 

[chunkolini]

rtbcomp, no idea. but watching the colours change is fascinating.
heat up a two pence piece eg with a speck of mig weld, then while it is taill very hot clean it with a brush on a bench grinder, it will go from copper colour through blue to purple to black.
So I thinks, a neutral flame and a bowl of water will be an interesting experiment.

Hitch, did the slugs get squished?

Chunko'.

 

[BeeJay99]

Beejay, (fnaaarrr fnaaarrr) 'Whats the centre boss' Initially I thought you were calling me Boss, and askig me what the centre is.

Chunko'.

Wasn't I?

The odd/even number thing is interesting and I think the 13 element sculpture looks just right.

 

[strube1369]

Nice, Chunko', nice. I like the simple clean design.