Owners of garages and country sheds often have a question about what to do with the scrap metal that has accumulated in and around the premises. Decorative and applied art is the oldest type of folk art. Metal products have always occupied one of the main places in this area of human activity. Having mastered one of the types of craftsmanship, you can solve many issues related to metal waste.
Equipment, tools, materials
Before you start making metal crafts using welding, you need to make a preliminary sketch of the product. For this you will need paper and pencil. And of course the author’s imagination, which is the most important tool. You can also choose one of the sketches available in abundance on the Internet.
As the main equipment, you must have a welding machine and consumables. Also for this type of art you will need the following prosaic things:
- Sheet iron of the required size.
- A grinder to make the necessary patterns from a sheet of iron.
- Drill for drilling holes.
- Hammer for knocking down scale.
- Chisel.
- Pliers.
- Metal scissors.
- Steel rods of various lengths.
- Grinding wheel for cleaning metal.
- Sandpaper.
- Roulette.
The sheet metal must be thin so that it can be easily cut and bent. As a welding machine, we can recommend an inverter, which is easy and pleasant to work with. For decoration, you may need washers and bolts, and nails to connect parts. The specific set of tools and parts depends on the type of product being performed. You can find a lot on your farm; what you need is easy to buy in a store.
To pre-clean the metal surface, you need a product that will easily remove rust. Don't forget about the welder's equipment. The requirements for safe work are the same both for professional work and when small crafts are to be made by welding.
Buying a special suit, called a robe, for such purposes will probably be unnecessary, but the craftsman’s clothing should be tight, covering all parts of the body as much as possible. There should be a cap on the head, canvas mittens on the hands, and strong shoes with thick soles on the feet. The main element of proper equipment is a protective mask. The mask called “Chameleon” proved to be the most successful.
What can you make from an old bicycle for your garden?
Old bicycles were found on the balcony and attic, but it was a pity to throw them away. Then you can give them a new life by transforming them into something useful for the garden. For this purpose, it is not necessary that the vehicles be in a suitable condition.
You can use the remaining parts to create an unusual flower bed. It is formed by attaching a flowerpot with flowers to an accessible metal structure left over from a two-wheeled product.
Stand for cucumbers and other cultivated plants
Wheels from several bicycles are used for this. If rust is found on them, it is cleaned with sandpaper. The bicycle is covered with 2-3 layers of metal paint.
Some skip this stage to create the effect of the presence of antiquity. What is needed to create this metal craft for the garden:
Cucumbers will be able to curl around the wheels and be attached to a support to receive maximum sunlight. But this design will also be useful for other plants that can grow vertically and twine around objects: grapes, beans. However, the height of the wheels should be comfortable for unhindered harvesting.
If you liked exploring the possibilities of metal crafts, check out other materials on the site. There is still a lot of interesting things here.
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Let's train our hand
First you need to practice on small pieces of thin metal. You should carry out various manipulations with them, weld two pieces together, practice the technique of making a seam in various ways.
The obtained result must be analyzed. If external defects appear, try changing the current value on the welding equipment and setting different modes. It must be remembered that welding crafts are works of art and visible flaws and defects on them are unacceptable.
Then, as a training, you can perform some small product. It will not be advisable to immediately begin manufacturing such a bulky structure as a garden bench.
Gradually the complexity of the work should be increased. After such preparatory work, you can begin to develop your ideas.
Metal rose
Welding iron crafts can be seen using the example of making a rose. The first step is to cut the required number of petals of the future flower from a sheet of iron. For this purpose, metal scissors are used. To make a rose look beautiful and lush, you will need about thirty petals of different sizes. The edges of each petal are folded upward using pliers and processed with a sharpening stone to remove all irregularities and burrs.
To give the flower an authentic look, you need to cut out pieces from metal that will symbolize the thorns of the rose. To form the stem, you will need steel wire with a diameter of six millimeters, which should first be slightly bent, as is the case with a real stem.
All parts should be connected to each other using a welding machine, applying each petal to the stem in turn. Then they are cleaned. After the rose is formed, the thorns should be welded to it. All welds should be cleaned. The metal flower will be ready. You can finish it by painting it with a special paint designed for metal products.
Fun toys and decorations
Do-it-yourself metal crafts using welding can decorate both a garden path and the interior of a city apartment. Few people will remain indifferent when they see such a funny cat on their way, looking so trusting and friendly.
You can place DIY metal crafts using welding on your desk, for example, like this homemade lamp.
How to work with a welding machine?
This requires experience, practice and strict adherence to safety regulations. First, the newly minted master practices on a damaged piece of metal. This is necessary to acquire knowledge of igniting and maintaining an arc based on maintaining a constant gap between the electrode and the workpiece.
After this, the technique of making a weld is studied. If it turns out smooth without difficulty, then you need to learn how to correctly regulate the current strength to work with different thicknesses of the workpiece.
At its core, welding in the process of creating metal crafts is used to connect two parts. This occurs by melting the surface of the future joint. A solid metal structure is formed through the use of an electrode.
However, this is not an easy task and requires a lot of practice and experience, since it is necessary to ensure that the top layer of the workpiece melts, otherwise holes may form.
After acquiring basic skills in creating metal crafts by welding, you can move on to doing simple work to gain experience. For this, it is more profitable to use an inverter, since it has increased mobility and consumes less electricity.
Bench in the garden
DIY iron welding crafts for the garden include, first of all, a garden bench. At the dacha you should not only work, but also find time to relax. It is better to do this in the fresh air, sitting on your favorite bench, made independently and to your taste.
In this case, in addition to iron, you will need wooden boards, slats or beams, which will be laid on a durable metal frame. You can make a bench completely metal, but sitting on it will not be so comfortable.
The shape of the benches can be different:
- with or without backrest;
- narrow or wide;
- single or combined with a table.
The shape of the metal profile can also be different, for example, steel angles, fittings, thin pipes. In addition to the benches, you can make a table made in the same style. Such large metal crafts by welding require preliminary development of a drawing. All overall dimensions must be indicated on the drawing. This estimate will help to prepare the required amount of material, avoiding excess.
The drawing is preliminary. During production, it can be adjusted and changes made to it. The main requirement when making metal products with your own hands by welding in the form of a bench is that the frame must withstand the loads of people sitting on it, that is, be strong enough. In addition, it is necessary to take into account their height so that it is comfortable to lean on the back of the bench. It is necessary to prepare clamps for fixing large parts before starting to weld them.
First, markings are made and the parts from which the base of the bench is supposed to be made are cut into pieces. The cut end must be strictly perpendicular in order to connect the parts using the butt method. To ensure that the parallel parts are the same, one of them is made first, and then it is used as a template for the others. First, make long connections, and then proceed to shorter ones.
From the obtained parts, the sides of the frame are first made. Both sidewalls should be compared with each other to avoid distortion during installation. The products to be joined must be adjusted to each other and firmly secured with clamps. If the shape of the legs is bent, then you will have to use not only a ruler, but also your own eye.
Welding must be done according to preliminary markings made using a marker. To grab the metal parts to be joined, spot welding is first done, and then the main seams are made. To stabilize the bench, metal thrust bearings can be welded to the base of the legs.
After completing the manufacture of the frame for the bench, scale is knocked off the seams with a special light hammer. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the appearance of the product. If untidy deposits of metal appear, they are removed with a grinder. All surfaces are treated with a wire brush.
After this, all that remains is to cover the metal welded frame with wooden boards and you can sit on a bench made by yourself. Having gained this experience, you can begin building a gazebo on your site.
What does metal serve as in the interior?
Today, metal is constantly found in the interior of the house. Its use is common among professionals who present original projects. For them, stone and wood are not the only materials that emphasize the naturalness of the surrounding space. What can metal be used for?
- Furniture items;
- Decor;
- Finishing.
The artistic design of the apartment includes different elements. Some of them are often made of various metals, becoming an unsurpassed solution for the interior.
Metal furniture in the kitchen interior
Metal chandeliers in the kitchen
Chandelier with metal decor
Metal vase for interior
White metal book stand
Furniture items
Metal furniture has been made for a long time. In many cases, they complement the tree, adding “zest” to the surrounding space. Such a harmonious home design attracts attention. The reason is its inner strength and unsurpassed combination of unusual variations. Experts have long been advising this approach, showing how you can abandon standard techniques. Such decorative elements remain a traditional option for room design.
Metal coffee table
Kitchen set and hanging shelves made of metal
Metal coffee table
Table made of wood and metal
Metal coffee table
Decor
Interesting metal decor for a home or apartment includes non-standard details in the surrounding environment. By using stone or wood as the basis of the interior, people believe that they have managed to fully cope with the task. Only monotonous elements are not suitable for artistic decoration. In this case, it is more useful to combine different parts to create an original design of the space. Thus, metal candlesticks or a wrought-iron fireplace grate are irreplaceable. Such original products cannot be replaced by any imitation.
Metal panels on the wall
Metal sculpture in the bedroom
Metal mirror decor
Decorating a wall lamp with metal
Metal wall key holder
Finishing
The decoration of an apartment or house can be made from various materials. In this case, imitation wood is often used, and the stone usually remains natural. This design emphasizes decorative details, putting them in a favorable light. If you choose panels from this material for decoration, the combination of interior features will change. Particularly interesting is aged metal, for example, copper, which is not inferior in its attractiveness to other options.
Metal bathroom finishing
Metal finishing of kitchen walls and ceilings
Metal support in the interior of the apartment
Fireplace trim with copper sheets
Metal bedroom floor and walls
Gates and wickets
What else can be done using welding on a personal plot is beautiful gates and wickets. Such DIY metal welding products can significantly decorate the entrance to the site. They should be harmoniously combined with each other, being the calling card of a country house.
It is necessary to weld such large items on a flat surface, for example, on a special table. This will ensure the flatness of the product and eliminate distortions. It is not difficult to make such a table yourself by taking a cement-bonded particle board and installing it directly on the ground on pads.
Preliminary preparation consists of marking and cutting metal in accordance with the drawing. It is convenient to cut using a grinding machine. On the table, outline the silhouette of the future frame with chalk and place the details according to this unique sketch. If necessary, they should be adjusted to size. Then you need to prepare the edges of the joints to be welded, securely fix them and begin welding.
After manufacturing the metal frame, you should carefully beat off the slag and inspect the result. After removing it from the table, you should weld the necessary fittings in the form of loops to the resulting product.
