Welding is something I have always wanted to try from a crafting perspective, but it isn't very practical. Unfortunately I fear that welding is one of those "all or nothing" crafts. You can't exactly dabble in welding the way you can dabble in other crafts. It takes a lot of skill and practice not to weld your hand off (or whatever) (I admit I am vague on the dangers, but I know that there are many).
This is a real pity, because you can do some amazing stuff with welding that you just can't with other crafts. For one thing, it opens up a whole new realm of crafting materials. I know of one local artisan who creates giant bells by cutting off the bottom of old fire extinguishers. He then cuts the bottom bit into a clapper for the bell. Not only is this an awesome item, but it also is a great example of upcycling.
Welding is great for upcycling. There are so many random items of metal that are going unused. I found a great horseshoe wind chime, a bowl made of welded together nuts, and a horseshoe planter just as a few quick examples. Scrap metal is cheap, and you can probably scrounge a lot of it for free if you keep your eyes open.
I have another friend who is a professional welder who often has cause to use his welding skills around the house. When I built my chicken coop, I mainly used scrap wood. When he built his, he welded it out of steel. It is amazing!
Welding is also great for large scale projects that are meant for outdoor life. Not just ironwork gates but metal statuary as well, like the lawn Dalek that I recently profiled. Wouldn't you love to create your own lawn Dalek? Well, you will need a welding shop and a lot of instruction and safety equipment first. Sad!
Image courtesy Flickr/Barnshaws
0 comments