Friday February 1, 2013
The technicians in our fabrication lab can build just about anything, and have a keen eye for nature to boot. Add a little artistic flair, and you can get some impressive results, like this salmon-themed gate one of our techs has been constructing. Here you can see the work-in-progress propped against an orange welding shield, which blocks dangerous light from people not wearing a welding mask. To create this work of art, Earl first drew the design on large paper to make templates of fish and rocks, which he traced onto 1/8-inch steel sheet metal. Then he rented a plasma cutter to cut out the metal shapes, welded 1-inch square tube steel to make the frame, and bent ½-inch rods to simulate water. He has a variety of looks to choose from for the finished product, such as natural rust, polished steel, or paint. If you stop by our Oakdale office, you can see some of Earl’s other handiwork on display in front of our shop—we gladly encourage his creative expression!
