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Question for our American and Canuck brethren right now. My boss was telling me that you guys don’t paint anything (or rarely do) when it comes to your structures and let the rust be form the surface protection. To back up this claim he showed me a bunch of posts from instagram like this one here. Now he hasn’t been known to always be correct but I’m wondering, is he right? Do you guys paint it after erection? Or just leave it raw?

I have a (Harbor Freight) abrasive chop saw. I was watching some videos about notching pipe for 90° joins, and I was impressed by the use of a saw to cut the notches. I think the abrasive blade won’t be very accurate, so I was thinking about replacing it with a steel-cutting blade like this one: https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-66t-cermet-carbide-circular-saw-blade-for-metal-cutting-saws-with-1-in-arbor-57321.html

Unfortunately, the saw appears to have a higher rpm than the blade’s limit (4100 vs. 1800 rpm).

Is there a safe way to use the non-abrasive blade on this chop saw? If so, how? I would also welcome other suggestions to cut these fish mouth notches. I have a bunch to do, and I’d like to use the bestest, quickest method.

Thanks.

Hey all, I have a question for this community, and hopefully some one can help me.

I have a project going right now in which I am making some game tokens for Memoir 44 replacing the plastic men with soft pine blocks etched with the NATO symbols for infantry, armor, artillery, etc. I wonder if a set of steel stamps might be useful? I think I can drive them in, stain the wood (The cervices will gather more stain and thus darken) and finally lacquer them. I envision the size of these dies would be 13mm x 13mm, 13mm x 20mm, and 13mm x 45mm. Unfortunately I have no experience with stamping or sourcing the dies.

My question is: Does this community think this would work and if so does this community have any steer as to where to get them? TIA.

I got a chop saw and the disc has quite a bit of wobble or run-out. I do not have the means to measure this but it looks like ±2 left and right, for a total 4 mm. The whole point of getting this saw was to make more accurate cuts than I could get with a handheld angle grinder, but with a 4 mm margin of error I'm not sure it's worth keeping. Another thing I've noticed is the sheet metal base is not perfectly flat, which further complicates matters. Would these issues be considered normal for a chop saw?

Don't know if this is the right sub for this so sorry if it isn't.

I just got a sawzall, should have got it way sooner omg, but I'm having some issues. Like 1/3 of the time it cuts super super slow, 1/3 of the time it shakes everything to death, and the rest it cuts like it's going through butter smooth and fast AF. Cutting 1/8 steel angle. I can't tell exactly the issue, my best guess is that you need a small point of contact? Like cut the edge not the flat of the steel? Still doesn't always seem to want to go though even on the edge.

I know very little about metalworking but know people with tools/welders etc.

Is building a 1-3 foot diameter spiral trellis possible? If I could build them 12 feet tall I would.

I’m assuming I would need some thicker metal to support vines.

I could get some stakes in place too

———

What kind of material/tools might I use to bend the metal?

Are neat spirals possible?

Rebar or another type of metal?

Feel free to poopoo this idea too!

Thanks

Have been charged with figuring out a few different patinas for the company I work for (high end furniture and architectural metalwork). We do a lot of work in brass—range hoods, interior architectural fittings, metal clad shelving and the like. My boss is partial to sculpt nouveau products (and for good reason, so far my experience with them has been exceptional).

Does anyone have experience with sculpt nouveau antiquing patina effects that they were really happy with? Especially toward the darker colors. My results so far have been really good, but somewhat ‘flat’. Trying to figure out how to get more depth to my patinas. Looking specifically for a rich brown with darker undertones. Any experience and or advice would be appreciated.

Hey guys. I need one of these for a custom curtain rod project. I would like it made in SS to go along with what I already have. 1 ½ inside dimensions for the rods to slip into. It can be something else aside from SS if necessary because it'll all get powder coated.

I tried couple of thigs to clear this off of galvanized sheet. They dont really come off. Thank you in advance.

I'm seeing this tool at auction and I'm guessing it's a manual metal shear. Not certain though. Anyone have an idea on what the width of material to be cut is? (If it is a shear)

howdy! i posted yesterday asking about inlays. well tinkering around this morning i decided to try something like a press fit. its a .001 interference fit, just using a parting tool for the groove. and it came out perfect!!! as a noob i couldnt be happier with this outcome. i cant even find the seam under a magnifying glass

hey yall. im toying with a few ideas to finish this stainless ring, and one of them is doing a nice brass inlay or two. im not quite sure how its done, but im thinking just cut a groove, and work in a strip of brass. if anybody could chime in how they would do this id love to hear it!

I am 17 and I have always had an interest in metal work but never had the motivation or a specific reason to start but lately I have been renovating my room and I have scrap pieces from my old closet I feel bad throwing and I want to use to make small pieces and a curtain rod and stuff but when I went on amazon to look for tools I got overwhelmed with all the options I don’t know what to choose and when I looked it up it gave me a long list of serious tools and I don’t know if I should buy those serious looking tools because it just seems too much for such small parts and idk what to do I need help please someone help🙏