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 a job back in ’84, working on a custom chassis for a client who thought he could save a few bucks by buying those bulk packs of generic, flimsy abrasive sheets from the local big-box store. I watched Continue reading Using Sandpaper for Metal Finishing
I remember standing in a drafty fabrication shop back in ’84, watching a young apprentice try to force a heavy-duty joint together using nothing but a pneumatic gun and a prayer. He was rushing, trying to bypass the fundamentals of Continue reading Methods for Metal Riveting
I remember standing over a heavy workbench back in ’84, staring at a piece of high-grade tool steel that I’d just ruined because I trusted a cheap, knocked-off caliper. The smell of scorched oil and the sight of a part Continue reading Taking Accurate Measurements in Metalworking
I remember standing in a dusty fabrication shop back in ’84, watching a green kid blow through a perfectly good set of bastard files because he thought speed was the same thing as skill. He was trying to force a Continue reading Using Files for Metal Shaping
I remember sitting in my first shop back in the seventies, staring at a piece of brushed steel that looked like absolute rubbish because I’d tried to “speed up” the finishing process. I had grabbed a handful of whatever cheap, Continue reading Sanding Metal With Various Grits
I remember standing over a workbench in a drafty shop back in ’84, watching a young apprentice ruin a perfectly good piece of high-carbon steel because he thought he could skip the soak time. He was impatient, treating metal heat Continue reading The Importance of Heat Treating Metal
I remember sitting in my first fabrication shop back in the seventies, the air thick with the smell of cutting oil and the rhythmic, high-pitched whine of a drill pressing through a thick steel plate. I watched an older journeyman Continue reading Techniques for Drilling Holes in Metal
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