Making a Small Welded Steel Sculpture

This is an after-the-fact instructable as I did not take many pictures during the process.  I mainly just wanted to show off my sculpture ;)  It is a small sculpture of a dancer made from 1/4" and 1/8" diameter mild steel.

Step 1 Tools

The tools that I used to make this include: a hacksaw, metal files, a bench grinder, and a 110V MIG welder.  The MIG welder is not ideal, but it's what I had available.  A TIG welder would be much better suited to this type of work.  This instructable does not teach welding or shop safety.  Many community colleges offer welding classes and I would highly recommend this if you are interested in projects like this one.

Comments

[corey95]

do you think i could saulder it instead (i dont have a welder and i dont know anyone who does)

[scd]

Soldering will not work .. I used steel and a Mig welder because that's what I had and it's what  I wanted to experiment with .. but someone could probably make a similar sculpture using wooden dowels and a hot glue gun :)

[2 stroke]

or you can use copper and solder

[jordscot]

I tried this exercise. I am a electronics assembler, and I used a simple Weller soldering iron and solder, looks just as good. I have pics available on my facebook page. (By The Way, one does not have to use a Weller soldering iron, feel free to use any soldering iron.) For something different, I added 2x 5 mm LEDS and a sensor, and turned this girl into a tenpin bowler. Check it out. When she bowls a strike, her eyes flash.

[southbaysue]

scd:

she's very elegant and esthetically pleasing...

i'm sorry to turn welding talk to sex, but i like her little butt...cute

sue

[TIMMAH!]

Sorry welding noob here.  What makes TIG better for this application?  What would be different (both during the welding process and post welding process if you had gone with TIG?)

[scd]

TIG just offers more control of both the amoutn of heat and the amount of filler metal added.

[corey95]

now what you should do with this is buy some spray chrome (its in a spray paint can) and it'll look even better

[Phil B]

Thank you.  I love little welding projects.