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Bronze sheet metal sculpture

J4 - Thursday, January 21, 2010 - 7:55pm
Fabrication

Hi,

I'm about to get ready on some over due sculpture endeavors and wanted insight on the type and thickness of bronze to use for a fabricated piece. It would be tig welded together, and some pieces may need to be rolled. Also I would like it to be vandal proof as far as denting is concerned.


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Rich Waugh's picture

Sorry, not enough

Rich Waugh - Thursday, January 21, 2010 - 10:28pm

Sorry, not enough information to answer all your questions. The material to use for ease of fabrication by TIG welding is high silicon bronze (Everdur), alloy C65500. Atlas Metals in Denver carries it in sheet and other shapes.

As for thickness, that is a function of size, stresses, section modulus of planed cross sections, etc. Could be anywhere from tissue paper thin to several inches thick.

Vandal-proof? No such thing, if the vandal(s) are determined enough. Ever seen the damage wrought by driving a D( Caterpillar bulldozer into something? If the sculpture is a hollow enclosed form, fill it with concrete and it will be darn near dent proof for most purposes.

If you provide more details of the proposed pieces such as size, location, shapes, etc, I can give you some more detailed guidance, probably.

Rich


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Chaz's picture

I did a 14' tall, weeping

Chaz - Friday, January 22, 2010 - 1:13pm

I did a 14' tall, weeping willow tree-esque fountain for the City of Rising Sun IN. See it here: www.amstudio.us
I used 18 ga. sili bronze but first built a stainless steel bar, skeletal structure to build it around. Worked out great and you can TIG the skeleton right to the skin.

Just a thought,
Chaz


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