How to Do Sheet Metal Art Designs

Sheet metal is an ideal medium for craft projects.

Sheet metal is a good material for design work. It is both pliable enough to allow you to cut and bend it into a variety of shapes by hand and sturdy enough to make objects that will survive well outside. You can easily join sheet metal to metal rods to create things such as ornate candle sticks or fit it into wood to make artistic racks for magazines and newspapers. Take your inspiration from buildings or nature, or make something entirely abstract.

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31 gage stainless steel sheet metal
Tape
Marker pen
Tin snips
Electric saber saw
Metal punch
Hammer
Vices
Scaffold poles
Pliers
Metal rod
Brazing torch
Flux
Brazing rod
Particulate breathing mask
Welding safety gear

Instructions

- 1
  
  Print out, trace or sketch the shapes you want for your project on paper. Cut them out. Tape these onto the sheet metal and draw around them with a marker pen. Cut the shapes out with tin snipes or a saber saw. Cutting out internal shapes and holes is difficult without the saber saw.
- 2
  
  Print out, trace or sketch any designs you want to punch into the sheet metal. Punching holes into sheet metal is good for objects such as lanterns, as it lets a pattern of illuminated dots appear on the surface of the metal where the light bulb or candle shines through.
- 3
  
  Cut out the paper shapes and tape them to the sheet metal shapes. Draw around them with marker pen. Pull the paper off and use the punch to create holes along the outline. Position the tip of the punch on the line. Hold it pointed straight up with your weaker hand. Keep your fingers well clear and bring the hammer down hard on top of the punch to cut the hole.
- 4
  
  Bend the sheet metal into curves using vices, clamps, pliers and scaffolding poles. Or, you can just lay the scaffold pole on the table, place the shape over it and press down on both sides to achieve a bend. Alternatively lock several scaffold poles into position with vices, slide the sheet metal between them and use the pliers to bend.
- 5
  
  Cut slices into the shapes with the tin snips and bend each slice individually to create a feathered effect. This is good for sculpting dynamic forms such as water, birds in flight or flames. You can also bend the strips laterally to give helical twists.
- 6
  
  Create stands for your shapes, such as those you would see on an ornate candle stick, using the thin metal rod. These come in straight lengths but you can easily bend them using the same method as you bent the sheet metal. Bend it before cutting it to size to give yourself extra leverage. Bend and then cut with a hacksaw.
- 7
  
  Join the sheet metal to the rod with a brazing torch. Put on heat proof welding clothing and a particulate filtering mask. Work in a well-ventilated area and make sure all the surfaces are clean.
- 8
  
  Clamp the sheet metal shape and the metal rod into position so that they are touching each other. Warm the tip of a length of brazing rod and dip it into a jar of paste flux, scooping out a dollop on the end. Heat the metal rod and sheet metal with the brazing torch. Move the tip of the brazing rod over the joint and melt with the torch. The molten rod will drop into the gap and form a strong bond when it cools.