[TheForge] Grape Leaves

[John Chobrda]

Dave;
    I my opinion you would be better off going to your local dealer a seeing if
he has any used/rebuilt machines. I think you would be happier with a good used
tig welder and it would probably cost about the same as upgrading your machine.

John C.

Dave wrote:

> At 07:09 AM 3/1/03, you wrote:
> >I recently had a request for some towel bars with grape leaves on the ends.
> >I had never made a grape leaf so I started doing resarch on the form and
> >discovered that there are a dozen different varieties.
> >
> >I picked one of the simpler ones and started banging away. I started with
> >1/2" sq stock to make sure that I had enough material. ...<snip>... But
> >unless I get much faster there is no way I
> >could make this a regular part of my product line. Of course as with most
> >new form it takes for ever at first and then with practice gets faster and
> >looks better.
> >
> >Have any of you made grape leaves? Do you have any pointers on the process?
> >
> >Bob Ehrenberger
> >Shelbyville, Mo
>
> Bob,
>
> Haven't made any grape leaves, but have an idea what they look like.
>
> Do you have a TIG welder?  If so, then make the leaves from sheet metal of
> appropriate thickness, form/scarf the transition zones on the stem of the
> leaf and the vine, then TIG it together.
>
> I'm in Minnesota with Gene Olson helping him with a residential railing
> (balconies and stairs) and had the opportunity to try/use a TIG welder for
> the first time.  This is a really great way of welding.  No flux, but clean
> surfaces required.  The pieces are fused together and, if done right, no
> extra filler rod is needed, the pieces provide enough metal themselves.  If
> you need filler, you can use commercial filler rod, or a clean scrap from
> the parent material that you intend to weld.
>
> Headed home tomorrow.  Job's not finished, but I've been here two weeks now
> and need to get home to my own jobs.  Gotta get some money scraped together
> to get the TIG add on's for my PowCon welder power supply.  It's designed
> for TIG (i.e. GTAW) as well as MIG and DC-stick, so the upgrade shouldn't
> be near as much as getting a new unit.
>
> Dave Brown
> Green Bay (but TDY to Elk River, MN)
>
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