My new "Hobby"

[Magicman]

Those are very innovative and creative to say the least.    

[WV Sawmiller]

   Now I think I know what's been happening to all my silverware.

   Great work. Very creative.

[aigheadish]

You've got an incredible eye for making everyday stuff look like something else. The saltshaker-top hat is great!

[Old Greenhorn]

All your work is great, but this one is particularly inspired. Love the addition of the colors and I still can't quite figure out how you hammered out the hat. Just amazing stuff you make.

[SwampDonkey]

First I've stumbled across this thread. Those are great works of art. Do you call them miniature sculptures? You have a creative eye, that is for sure. 

[olcowhand]

Thanks for all the nice comments, guys.
@WV Sawmiller , If you think I'm going to drive ~650 to Hinton, West (by God) Virginia, to steal silverware from what has to be the Baddest BA in the land of Bad BA's, you haven't been thinking straight! (your bride sends them to me via UPS....)

@SwampDonkey , I just call them Weld Sculptures. Thanks for stumbling upon these. I'll add a few more pics, including a FB post that came out yesterday, regarding an up-coming Juried Art Fair that I'll be attending.

[SwampDonkey]

Very nice Steve.   I like those to, especially the fishing themed ones. 

[Magicman]

I identify as multi-fascinated....I love them all !!!  

[Bert]

Mark me down as impressed!

If you start taking custom orders I'd love to have one of a guy running an old hand set circle mill! 

[WV Sawmiller]

Thanks for all the nice comments, guys.
@WV Sawmiller ,  (your bride sends them to me via UPS....)

All I can say is I am getting tired of eating my soup with a set of chopsticks and a plastic fork.

[olcowhand]

Since everyone seems to like these, I'll post some more...
I get quite a few requests for commissions after attending a Juried Art Show. Last year, after my Cadillac Show (the one that I posted about visiting FF Family....), I had a request for 4 commissions: one for this couple's son (a runner), and another for their DIL (also a runner, but she competes with her "signature" cap- with the brim turned up). Then, later, she asked for one for each of her two grandsons- one is a LH Little League Pitcher, and the other is a skier. Enjoy....







Yes, she sent me pics of each of them to work from, which I won't publish.

[olcowhand]

Yes, Howard- Those skis were fashioned from your BBQ Tongs!

[olcowhand]

Mark me down as impressed!

If you start taking custom orders I'd love to have one of a guy running an old hand set circle mill!

@Bert Can you send me a pic of what that would look like? I may be able to put something together. If not, I'll let you know that I won't be able to represent the image.... Thanks.

[NE Woodburner]

@olcowhand - your work is truly amazing. I wish I had 1/2 of your artistic ability.

[aigheadish]

Are they soldered together or like TIG welded? I see the weld on the bottom of the skier but most of the connections seem tiny and very clean. 

[WV Sawmiller]

Yes, Howard- Those skis were fashioned from your BBQ Tongs!

Dang it! I thought those looked familiar!

[olcowhand]

@aigheadish , I use a MIG Welder to tack the joints. Most of the "Silverware" I use is some lower grade of Stainless, and while I have Stainless wire and pure Argon (which one should use when welding Stainless...)- I just use my rig set up with mild steel wire and 75%/25%.
If I tried to run a bead on Stainless with this set up, it's likely that the weld would fail. 
I should state that I have to really study the body position of the subject, or I will poorly represent the form. This entails me trying to adopt the stance or pose, then studying the position of the limbs. Legs are fairly simple, but hands, elbows and shoulders (relative to their ability to rotate) can be troublesome. It's tough to get a "flat" fork handle to duplicate the motions that an arm can achieve. Since arms and hands represent a large portion of the "action" we see when we watch an activity, it's important to get them right in order to achieve a "sense" of kinetic energy being displayed (if that makes sense...). It helps a great deal if I have personal experience with the activity being represented. For example, many folks have asked for a "Golfer". I have never golfed, and I have no interest in Golfing- so I can't wrap my head around how to represent the pose. Horses are a totally different world, so I'm glad I've been around them my entire life.
I'll post a few more somewhat complex sculptures I've done, that I feel I've done fairly well.

[olcowhand]

While we're stressing the need to "relate" to the subject, here are a few of my favorite things. I've done (or still doing) all these things, and I usually can create these from memory...

[aigheadish]

Thanks for the info! 

You really do find a lovely sense of motion. 

I'd love to buy one of these, if you have a gallery of sorts that shows what you have available. 

[olcowhand]

Thanks, @aigheadish
I have a FB Page and a website under my business name that shows some of my work.
If you see a piece you like or would like me to try something new- DM me. When we finalize a deal, I Cc our fearless leader so he knows the deal. If you contact me through another venue, please identify yourself as an FF member. I discount purchases that include multiple pieces or large items, and I'm known as someone who can answer calls for the unordinary... The commission I pay FF is between us, and the folks who buy from me know what it is.
I'll continue to include pics on this thread, and anything you see can be made again, albeit a little different.
I'll DM you with my contact info.
Steve 

"Business Card Holders":



Two versions of "Grey Wizard":





"Self Explanatory":

[aigheadish]

Right on, thanks man. 

I'll have a look through your stuff and let you know.