The post whore thread.

[Irving]

I'll try to avoid that this time around, but great to know for future projects, thanks.

[ray1970]

Curious. Why steel and not aluminum?

[Irving]

Scrap metal yard art. I can't weld aluminum, yet.

[Great-Kazoo]

Scrap metal yard art. I can't weld aluminum, yet.

But you could

https://aluminum-weld.com/


https://alumiweld.com/

[CobaltSkink]

Would electrical knockouts removed from electrical panels fit your needs?
How squishy are your diameter requirements?
(I don't have a source; I'm just asking.)

[Irving]

That's a good question. I think for the smaller pieces, those might work, but I think those are mostly galvanized and I don't have the capacity to wash the zinc off. That's good thinking though. This is really a one time project (so far) so I'm trying to use the stuff I bought. I saw a video where a guy puts a metal blade into a jig saw backwards, then clamps it into a vice upside down and uses that. I really like that idea. None of the methods I have available to me so far seem easy or fast, but that just means it will take as much prep work as the rest of the project so far.

[Irving]

Basically, when I told my wife I wanted to learn how to weld, she said, "Great, you can practice by making me some cute yard art." So I went to the Adult Used Toy Store and got some material with the intent of making a chicken.


That idea turned into a fish instead.


This is where I'm at now.


I've been mocking up ideas for the next part and I like where everything is heading so far.

[Erni]

You got an angle grinder?

[Irving]

Yes sir.

Angle grinder
Sawzall
Dremel
Bench Grinder
Jig Saw
Metal Miter Saw
Scroll Saw
Hack Saw

That's about my metal cutting abilities.

[Erni]

So based on your drawing, the scales of the fish are hidden on one side.
Cut squares out, stack several and clamp, draw circle and use angle grinder to shape the squares into "D"s.
An agressive wheel will make asy work of the plate stack.