[Masthead]
This Site Last Updated: Wednesday, December 31, 2003
This Page Last Updated: Monday December 15, 2003
Going up in size does cost more, but the scale is not always linear. Sometimes the increased costs for material and coating are offset by lower costs for cutting, because when the fine detail is enlarged for the larger piece it becomes simpler to cut the metal.
Fine detail usually requires very low cutting speeds which take longer and thus cost more. There are also minimum charges for coating each piece, so the increment for larger areas is not always linear.
Contact Us For Exact Prices
At this time please contact us for pricing in specific sizes and finishes, or if you have any other questions. Each piece is made to order, so you can choose almost any size or finish. Many pieces cannot be made less than about 6 inches because of their fine detail, but all can be made quite large.
Artwork is available as metal wall hangings and as free-standing pieces. (Textiles and ceramics are still under development.)
Wall Hangings
Wall hangings have a small hook on the back, like a metal loop, to allow them to be mounted with a standard picture hook. Heavier pieces require more substantial picture hooks, but likely pose no greater mounting difficulty than hanging a heavy framed picture on your wall.
Free Standing Pieces
Free standing pieces are welded to a metal base or are mounted on metal poles to be stuck in a garden.
Materials
At this time, the only available materials are steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, each with different coating options.
We are investigating making pieces from copper, brass, bronze, silver, and titanium, but these require special cutting procedures and finishing processes.
Our sculptures use "mild steel", essentially the same composition as the wrought iron used by blacksmiths for everything from tools to horseshoes to hinges. One everday example of mild steel is the plate used to cover a hole in a roadbed after the crew leaves for the day.
Wrought iron should not be confused with "cast iron", which, while strong, is quite brittle and not workable when cold.
Because each piece is made to order you can have virtually any size you want.
We typically cut steel up to 3/8 inch thick, with most being made from 3/16 inch, since thinner steel is easier to handle, cut, and coat. Large, thick pieces -- up to about 1/2 inch steel -- can be made, but the pieces are very heavy and tricky to cut and finish. Contact us with your requirements and we'll tell you if the piece is doable.
Available finishes include a matte black oxide, nickel, and titanium nitride.
The standard finish is a matte black oxide. This is not a paint, but is instead a special buildup of iron oxide on the steel's surface. Iron oxides come in all shapes and colors, ranging from reddish to yellow to black. This finish is more durable than paint and preserves the feel of steel.
Nickel provides a shiny, silvery, high-gloss finish. It requires additional processing because the sculpture's surface must be polished smooth before plating. This increases its cost over the basic black iron oxide.
Titanium nitride is a bright, goldish finish. Most wristwatches use titanium nitride instead of gold, because it is harder and thus significantly more wear resistant. The coating is so hard and durable that is typically used for drill bits and cutting tools. Plating with titanium nitride requires a special vacuum deposition process, and this limits the maximum size of sculture that can be coated.
A brushed stainless steel finish, with a clear protective topcoat, is also available. In addition to being a little more expensive from the material aspect, stainless poses some problems for cutting and finishing, so the price of a stailless steel piece is slightly higher than mild steel.