Metal Working
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That's me cutting out a kokopelli lawn sculpture from a piece of junk metal, clothes dryer door. I retired in 1999 after 35 years teaching high school Physics. My shop(garage) is in Columbia, Missouri. The city has been on 'the best places to live' lists for several years...currently we are on MSN's list at #9. Lawrence L'Hote
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I started with metal working as a branching out effort from woodworking. The links below will take you to my woodworking site(s). My first projects were made from 16 oz. copper sheeting and were used with some of my Mission/Arts and Crafts clocks. If you have any questions or comments I can be contacted at llhote@mchsi.com
| I'm currently using my back screened in porch as my metal working shop. You can see the torch I'm using and that Beverly shear toward the back. When I'm using the torch, I clear off the table and use some high temperature ceramic tiles over a piece of sheet metal. Not shown is a 24" brake I use for bending. |  |
A Few of My Projects
(click on picture for a larger view)
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These are the kokopelli polished and mounted on metal rods. They are happy dancing around my back yard. I still have to add a patina to them. I gave them to a friend for Xmas 2003 for her garden in Reno. |
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| The lady on the house was cut from a piece of 24 gauge galvanized sheet metal I dug out of a dumpster. The zinc was removed with muriatic acid and plated with a thin layer of copper. A patina was applied to the copper using one of my chemical concoctions. Magnets were glued to wall and the lady was attached. |  |
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This is one of my first metal projects. The design I stole from a commercial 'yard art' internet site. A patina was applied. I had to learn how to use a propane/oxygen torch in the process. I use one of those "Little Torches" that jewelry makers use and silver(5%)-copper brazing rods. |
| I built this presentation case for a friend for Xmas 2003. It is made from a salvaged wood pallet and metal from a clothes dryer door I found by a recycle bin. To see the whole story about this project click on the picture and you will be sent to another of my sites. Inside are a Starrett square and rule. |  |
| This fish is made of copper tubing and 16 oz. copper sheet. The patina was applied my mixing household ammonia, sal ammoniac and salt with water and mixing it into some sawdust. The fish was then covered with the concoction and placed in a sealed plastic bag for a few days. |  |
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The sun was made using copper tubing and given the patina the same as the fish above. The frame is made from salvaged oak. This sculpture was moved to a new location. Click here to see new setting. |
| This little guard fish was made from some 24 guage galvanized sheet I scrounged from a building site. The fish was cut out with a jewelers saw and pounded to get the rounded body. So far the deer and rabbits have avoided my hosta plants. |  |
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I've made three of the mission/craftsman lamps so far. The metal is some of that scrounged sheet metal. The metal was cleaned with muriatic acid and then patinaed. The lady was made from some copper wire I got from a dumpster at the same place I got the sheet metal. Her hair is one of those copper scrubbing pads. |
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Although not posed well, this picture shows more of the detail of two other lamps. Notice the brass-like coloring on parts of the frames. I chemically coated copper on parts of the iron frame then added the patina. The bases are made from a sawed up pallet runner. |
| Little mung pine bonzai tree. Note quarter for scale. Made from some copper wire I dug out of a dumpster. |  |
| This clock was made for my son's office wall. The wood is salvaged oak from some pallets. The copper is 16 oz copper sheet. The clockworks are from the Klockit company |  |
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This is another one of those ladies made from salvaged copper wire. This has dreadnaught hair and hangs on my deck out back. A spider is using her for its' home. |
| This is my butt-ugly fish sculpture made from some copper scraps left over from another project. It hangs off the railing on my deck and turns in the wind. |  |
| A couple of salamanders hung together on swivels. The top one is cut(using a jewelers saw) from salvaged galvanized sheet and the lower is cut from some brass sheet stock I've had around for years. These guys were relocated. Click here to see their new home. |  |
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Macintosh influenced frame with Glasgow rose medallion. Made from copper pipe and 16 oz. copper sheet. Design suggested from a jewelry piece. Verdegris patina may be added later. |
Site last updated January 31, 2004
Link to my Salvaged Wood WoodWorking Site
Link to my Woodscraps Woodworking Site
2003 Western MO Antique Tractor and Machinery Show in Adrian, MO.
2003 Missouri River Valley Steam Engine Ass'n Show near Boonville, MO.
My Garage Sale Finds and Dumpster Diving Page