stainless finish

hautsteel - Friday, August 14, 2009 - 10:57am

Hello!

I have a quick question:
How do I achieve the scalloped/swirl effect on stainless steel sculptures that is so typical?
Obviously, it is accomplished with a grinder/pad combo - but which pad? Just a sanding disc or
something special?
I am about to experiment with stainless for the first time ;-)

Dino

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Stainless finish

Stephen Fitz-Gerald - Saturday, August 15, 2009 - 1:16am

Stephen Fitz-Gerald

Hey dino,
Are you referring to a "Smith Finish"?(a la David Smith?
There are nearly an infinite number of what one might term swirl finishes out there,so it's hard to know without a photo which one you're speaking of.
I use Scotchbrite velcro backed pads by 3M company.
They are called CONDITIONING PADS and are sold through 3M's industrial devision. I use the 7" diameter ones with a backing pad,but they come in several other sizes.There are many cheap counterfeits but none that work as well as the real thing.
Remember with working stainless,the most important thing is to avoid contamination.I mark each pad with an SS so I know it has not been sullied by mildsteel. If you use a grinding disc or polishing pad on stainless that has previously been used on mild steel,it impregnates your stainless piece with microscopic bits of the mild steel which will likely rust in a couple of weeks if outside...
Don't even grind mild steel around stainless as the sparks can burn in and rust as well.
Here's a monolithic work I co-built with my father (his commission) that we did the swirl finish on stainless:
http://people.tribe.net/stephenfitz-gerald/photos/87efac17-a1a7-447a-b098-3b77b8527c1d

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I wasn't aware of the "Smith

hautsteel - Saturday, August 15, 2009 - 11:44am

I wasn't aware of the "Smith Finish" but I will be sure and look into it. I am very familiar with Scotchbrite and 3m products from my bygone auto body days, so I think I would catch-on quickly.

I also appreciate the stainless tips, as I am truly a stainless neophyte.

Thanks again!

Dino

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Greaseless compounds

Dick C - Saturday, August 15, 2009 - 9:50am

If you use a stationary arbor, flex shaft, or something that would accept buffs, greaseless compounds applied to buffs can create a wide range of finishes. Formax supplies a variety of compounds and buffs. The greaseless compounds come in a range of grits from 60 to 600.

I'm sure Scotchbrite and bristle discs would often more be convenient. I thought I'd mention this in case you weren't familiar with it.

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I was just told last night

hautsteel - Saturday, August 15, 2009 - 11:47am

I was just told last night by an old machinist, that a drill press fitted with a wooden dowel and some valve grinding compound will do the trick ;-)
My pieces will be a bit too large and irregularly shaped to lend themselves to the stationary arbor technique, but it sounds great for smaller work!
Thank you for responding - I appreciate it!

Dino

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Dino, The finish your

Rich Waugh - Sunday, August 16, 2009 - 12:14am

Dino,

The finish your machinist friend was talking about is what is called "engine turned." Done very carefully, preferably on a milling machine, you get a beautiful fish scale appearance of overlapping concentric swirls, usually between 1/4" and 3/4" diameter ,depending no the size of the work. Very time consuming without a CNC machine, but a wonderful finish for machine tool parts.

Rich

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Hi Rick, Yes, I have seen

hautsteel - Sunday, August 16, 2009 - 10:34am

Hi Rick,
Yes, I have seen this finish - nice indeed! I think the Scotchbright method that Stephen describes is the way to go for me on the next project (e.g., an idea a have for a garden gate integrating a couple of koi).

Thank you guys for all the great info. - I appreciate it!

Dino

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stainless finishes

Stephen Fitz-Gerald - Sunday, August 16, 2009 - 1:26pm

Stephen Fitz-Gerald

Hey Dino,
So we've met ?
And you live relatively close?
Well,I invite you for a visit to my studio and I can show you the equipment I have and we can discuss some of the multitude of intricacies in regards to stainless finishing.Even though I've been working this material all my life I still learn new tricks all the time and these guys on Art Metal are the perfect resource for techniques and other equipment that exists...Stainless is one of the most wonderful and enigmatic of metals,and depending on the analysis number possesses characteristics that seem truly magical at times...

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Hello Stephen, Indeed we do

hautsteel - Thursday, September 10, 2009 - 11:54am

Hello Stephen,
Indeed we do live in very close proximity (as indicated in the email I sent to you). I apologize for the delayed response, but I recently acquired a new Boxer puppy (a great nephew of the beloved "Vinnie" on my web site) and he has been consuming most waking moments ;-)
I would be honored to drop-by your workshop in the near future and will contact you beforehand.
Thank you!
Dino

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swirls

visitor - Saturday, August 22, 2009 - 2:28pm

I just use sanding pads of various grit with a cobalt pneumatic hand tool. experiment till you get what you like. You have to get a good rythm going when lifting up and touching back down on the metal to create a nice pattern.
A good friend of mine made a custom grill he cut out on a plasma cutter and achieved a very consistent swirl pattern with the same technique.

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Thank you for the reply.

hautsteel - Thursday, September 10, 2009 - 11:56am

Thank you for the reply. Sounds like there are no hard fast rules, but rather, a unique process derived from experimentation :-)

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Stainless Finish

visitor - Monday, August 24, 2009 - 7:30pm

It was and I guess still is called Painting on Metal. If you are in the Washington Baltimore area go to the BMA and the Hirshorn Museums and you can see close up the works of Isamu Noguchi and David Smith. Especially the Smith in the Hirshorn Garden. In full sunlight the metal traceries are mind boggling. As far as their techinques check out some of the pix of these guys in their studios. You can see their tools. I use sandiing discs and wire brushes to achieve my effects. I don't think there is any formal training - but that's ok - experiment and see what is yours.

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I am not familiar with these

hautsteel - Thursday, September 10, 2009 - 11:57am

I am not familiar with these artists - but will be sure to look them up. Thank you for the reply.

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Painting on Metal

Stephen Fitz-Gerald - Thursday, September 10, 2009 - 7:27pm

Stephen Fitz-Gerald

Dino,
As soon as I heard the visitor use the term "painting on metal" in the above remark,I remembered my friend/acquaintance Andreas Nottebohm said that's exactly what he does...He's a metal sculptor down in Marin County.
Here's his website:
http://www.andreasnottebohm.com/
I'm not sure but he may still be looking for an apprentice...

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