I'm taking a welding class as the local school. I've done some welding before, but it's changed a LOT since my high school days. The technology these days is incredible, and this was the first time I've really gotten to try out a MIG welder and a plasma torch. Now...since the class meets on Tuesday nights, this one was during Valentines Day when we probably should have been taking our wives out to dinner instead of cutting and welding metal scraps. The project was to make a flower sculpture, a rose. Cut out with a plasma torch and MIG welded.



You'll notice that I carefully hid the actual welds. It's safe to say that mine are nowhere near as pretty as Gary can make. Got a nice sunburn on my arms to boot, next time I'll wear a long-sleeved shirt.

Wow, looks Good to me. Nice Job. Keep at it and maybe Gary will be asking for some Assistance!!

Neat concept! A nice paper weight that you can stick in your lapel or a vase. I like it.

Kent

There ya go. Good job Sean. Looks fine.
Now, ya DID say you gave it to your Mrs. ... Didn't you? Ya know, a dozen of those in a nice steel vase would look great on the table!

You know Gary, that's a good idea! If I can gin up a decent looking vase, I'll probably make up another dozen and see if I can make them fit. Of course, I'm gonna have to learn to run a decent bead for the vase, unless I can figure out a way to make one where the welds don't show.

Of course the vase would have to be made up of something really heavy (maybe half-inch plate) since the "rosebuds" are about a quarter pound apiece!

thats a really smart piece of work ,,, wit till you get onto tig ,,, or , u tube laser welding ,,, its an education too.
still as a theraputic pass time its hard to beat a wee bit of gass welding too , brazing is very rewarding too.
last week i welded a digger bucket tooth as a quick fix ,,,, using a cutting torch and a piece of fence wire as a filler rod , the six inch nails were just too short , even when held with vice grips.
its nice to make things , even if its only a mess.

Cool rose. Hope your wife does not throw it at you.

That's pretty cool. Really unique

I like it, nice project!

Yep. A few long stems. Some weld bead thorns. Length of pipe for a vase body. Cut a circle of 10 guage steel two inches larger diameter than the pipe diameter. Cold hammer it to a ruffled edge. That will make it stand off some. Drill four holes thru at the diameter of the pipe. Turn upside down. Place base over pipe edge and weld thru the holes into the pipe wall. Will give you a clean base. You can also cold hammer the upper inch of the pipe over a horn anvil with a cross pean hammer on axis with the length of pipe. That will flare the mouth of the vase some. If you want some detail on the sides of the base, cold hammer ball peen spots all over to about an inch apart.

Have fun

Gary

gary ,,,,, relax ... lol.
just accept it for what it is ,,,,

I think I might experiment with using the plasma torch to gouge out some decorative designs, it carves out quite a nice smooth trench at a low setting. I was fooling around with it on some 1/8" wall square tubing, trying different amperage settings and tip speeds. While I'm certainly no expert on using the thing, it's amazing to see it scoop out a line of steel just like a hot knife carving wax. Of course, you DO have to watch where you point the thing, the sparks that fly out are pretty impressive. Especially when they catch your pants on fire.