Twist Steel for Decoration in Metal Working
With some previous metal working experience, it is possible to learn twist steel for decoration purposes in metal working. Twisting steel allows the artist or metal worker to create decorative additions to a wide variety of projects, from home decor items such as wrought iron bed frames or picture frames with decorative metal curlicues, to kitchen hardware such as twisted-metal wine racks. With experience, even delicate metal jewelry can be created using twisted steel.
Instructions
1. Adjust your wrenches so they fit over your piece of steel slightly loosely so when the heated steel expands, the wrenches can still fit onto the steel--this eliminates the need to adjust your wrenches while losing precious time as your metal cools.
2. Place your piece of steel bar into a vice securely by tightening the vice. The portion you wish to twist should be free from the clamps of the vice, allowing ample room to work with the heated steel and twist it using your wrenches.
3. Put on your protective gloves and goggles and turn on the oxy-acetylene torch. Heat the section of steel you would like to twist until it turns orange in color. Place the torch aside on a torch rack where it can safely remain burning so it is available to reheat the metal when it loses its orange color and is no longer pliable.
4. Twist the metal before it loses its orange color. With a wrench in each hand, slide the wrenches onto your piece of metal until it reaches the orange portion and twist toward you with both wrenches to create twists that spiral upwards to the right; twist away from you to create twists that spiral upwards to the left; twist one direction with one wrench and the other direction with the other wrench for more ornate twists.
Tags: orange color, your piece, your wrenches, create twists, create twists that, Decoration Metal, Decoration Metal Working