A Fun Welding Project

Preparation

• Horseshoes come in a variety of sizes ranging from a 00 for a pony on up to a size 7 for draft horses. For some projects you'll want the sizes to be uniform throughout, while for others, a combination of sizes will work best. Since a size 0 or 1 will fit most horses, these will be the easiest to find. If you obtain the used shoes, use a wire brush and sandpaper to remove rust and to smooth out any rough spots.

Small Projects

• A few small horseshoe welding projects to consider are hooks, business card or recipe holders, and hot plate trivets. To make a hook, take two horseshoes and place them perpendicular to each other. Weld the heel of one to the toe of the other. This will provide a solid hook to hang jackets, halters, bridles and many other objects.

  For a business card or recipe holder weld the ends or heels of one to the toe of the other so they're perpendicular to each other. Place two horseshoe nails approximately halfway down on the branches or sides of the one standing up. Bend the nails so they'll hold a card.

  Make hot plate trivets from standard shoes or egg bar shoes. Simply weld three together so the heels of one shoe are welded to the lower branch of another.

Larger Projects

• If you have lots of horseshoes, you can create tables, chairs or benches. You can also create animals such as armadillos, crabs and even cowboys with or without their horses. Several hooks can be welded to a rasp or bar to create multiple coat or bridle racks. Door knockers, hose holders and even welcome signs are variations of the hooks, business card holders and trivets.

Final Steps

• Once your horseshoe creation is finished, sand any rough spots before painting it with a rust preventive. When the protective coat has dried, finish your product with a glossy paint. Black works well for most of these projects. Use a painted horseshoe nail to attach hooks to a wall or other surface. Add cloth bandanas or pieces of rope to welded cowboys. A piece of glass will make a unique table top.