How to Make Welded Garden Sculptures

The various kinds of welding include shielded metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding, gas metal arc welding, plasma arc cutting and oxyfuel cutting. Gas metal arc welding is an easy, safe process with less expensive equipment than other forms of welding. It is a good process for home hobbyists and inexperienced welders to use to create attractive garden ornaments. An old shovel, miscellaneous metal scraps, metal parts, screws, nuts and bolts are good materials to make welded garden sculptures.

Sculpture design
Welding equipment
Safety goggles
Welding gloves and apron
3-foot metal pipe
6-inch metal pipe
Metal snips
Long-nose pliers
Metal seamer
Heavy duty metal file
Sheet metal or scrap metal pieces

Instructions

- 1
  Design the sculpture by sketching a draft on paper, including measurements. Sketch large sculpture designs on a large easel pad or sheets from a large roll of brown packing paper. The look of the sculpture is up to you -- abstract, realistic or themed, whatever you want to accent your garden.
- 2
  Cut pieces from softer metals using the metal snips. Use the metal file to dull sharp edges and remove burrs or shards.
- 3
  Lay out metal pieces on a large table or counter or on the floor, or in a large shallow box, in the shape you want to create the sculpture.
- 4
  Weld the 6-inch metal pipe to the larger pipe 8 inches from the bottom, to form a cross-bar with which to push the sculpture support pipe into the ground. Use welder’s gloves and apron and wear safety goggles.
- 5
  Weld the first metal piece onto the metal support pipe to form the main support, onto which you’ll weld the sculpture.
- 6
  Cut out design pieces with metal snips and bend and bend and form pieces with pliers and a metal seamer.
- 7
  Weld the main or largest piece firmly to the metal pipe support, following it with other pieces to complete the sculpture.

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