We’ve got an L-shape railing underway where the corner will include an element facing diagonally outwards, kind of like a ship’s figurehead and here are some pics showing the start of that element.

We are a 2 person shop so this is just us and a sledge hammer.

The fluted volute scroll at the top of this piece is 7” wide and is forged from ½ x 4in steel. My husband Elmer Roush did the striking and I did the fullering.

I started off with our #3 fuller and progressed to the #5 + #6 for smoothing.

The fullered flutes start out as thin grooves...

which are then smoothed out to become 2 wider flutes.

We start at the end and move up the bar in sections, comparing our progress with a drawing of the flat shape we require as we go.

This bar will be welded to another piece of ½ x 4 flat bar that will be shaped to form the other end of the element.

We kept it separate to manage the weight, and having now welded it to the other section and working with the full length piece, I am glad we did.

Here is a smaller version of a fluted volute scroll that I used as a table leg & you can see part of the sample panel for the railing on the layout table with the drawing.

More photos to follow for this railing project.

Lynda Metcalfe

Metcalfe Roush Forge & Design

www.metcalferoush.com