I remember standing over a workbench back in ’84, staring at a beautifully machined brass fitting that I’d just ruined because I thought I could skip the degreasing step and head straight for the tank. The smell of scorched chemicals Continue reading An Introduction to Metal Plating
I was hunched over a rusted 1954 tractor engine last Tuesday, sweat stinging my eyes and a stripped bolt staring me right in the face, when I realized just how many folks are still trying to muscle their way through Continue reading Removing Damaged or Rusted Fasteners
I remember standing over a piece of salvaged mild steel back in ’84, the smell of ozone and hot scale thick in the air, trying to figure out why my surface looked like a cheap, stamped-out piece of junk from Continue reading Adding Texture to Metal Surfaces
I remember standing in a dusty salvage yard back in ’84, looking at a rusted-out enamel advertisement that most folks would’ve called scrap. A young kid from the local college told me I should just sand it down to the Continue reading Restoring Vintage Metal Signs
I remember standing in a heavy fabrication shop back in ’84, watching a young apprentice spray a thick, glossy coat of cheap sealant over a pitted steel beam. He thought he’d solved the problem, but within six months, that moisture Continue reading Preventing Corrosion on Metal Surfaces
I remember standing in my old shop back in the late eighties, staring at a piece of copper that looked like it had been through a war zone because I’d tried to force a finish using some cheap, store-bought chemical Continue reading Understanding Different Types of Metal Patinas
I remember standing in a high-end boutique last month, staring at a piece of “decorative metal art” that cost more than my first truck. It was nothing more than some thin, stamped sheet metal with a cheap powder coating that Continue reading Creating Decorative Metal Art Pieces
I remember standing in a shop back in ’84, watching a kid try to fix a pitted chrome bumper with a high-speed buffer and a handful of cheap, abrasive compounds. He was moving so fast he couldn’t even see the Continue reading Restoring Pitted Automotive Chrome Trim
I remember standing over a piece of copper back in ’84, watching a young apprentice try to force a finish by cranking the torch way too high. He thought he could skip the prep work and just blast the color Continue reading Creating an Antique Patina on Metal
Most folks see a hairline crack in an old skillet and think it’s headed straight for the scrap heap, but that’s a load of nonsense. They’ll tell you that once the iron breaks, the piece is dead, but I’ve spent Continue reading Repairing Cracked Cast Iron Items