Home Improvement Store: Metal Rose

So far all the metal roses I've seen on websites require more tools then a lot of people have access to. I was inspired by the metal roses on Instructables, but they had steps that novices might think is not in their wheelhouse. So, I designed a rose that the materials are either available at home or easily acquired at a home improvement store and used tools that new makers probably already own.

Step 1: Tools and Materials

All the materials should be readily available at the home depot. Here are the Products I used down below.

Tools

Needle Nose Pliers $6.82

11mm $1.97 or 7/16" $2.49 open ended wrenches x 2

Hand Drill or Drill Press

HDX Tin snips $9.88

Gloves 10 pairs for $10.00

1/4 inch Drill Bit $4.97

Consumables

Threaded rod 1\4"x 20 x 12" x 12 $0.98

1\4"x 20 nuts (25 Pack) $1.47

Lock washers (18 Pack) 1.18

12 in. x 18 in. 26-Gauge Zinc-Plated Metal Sheet $4.97

Step 2: Print and Cut Out the Templates

I have made up templates that you can print on a regular 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. Print and cut them out for tracing on the metal sheet.

Step 3: Tracing

Layout the templates you cut on the piece of metal making sure all of them fit and have a bit of space in between the individual pieces. Then trace with your sharpie to transfer the design to the metal.

Step 4: Drilling

I find it easier and better to drill all the center holes on the material before cutting out the parts of the flower.

Step 5: Cutting Out the Parts

Take your tin snips and cut out the main parts out of the entire sheet. I usually cut them all out first then worry about the details after.

Step 6: Getting the Stem Ready

Put two nuts and a lock washer on the stem about an inch down from the top of where your Rose will sit.

Step 7: The Stack

Time to stack your rose.

Starting with the sepal the 5 pointed star.

Then the biggest 6 petal.

Both the other 6 Petal pieces.

Then the 5 petal.

Then the 3 petal.

After all the pieces of your flower are in place put 2 nuts on top to make sure the petals don't go anywhere.

Step 8: Lock Down the Flower

Use the 2 open ended wrenches to tighten the inner most nuts closest to the flower.

after that start at the top and lock down the top 2 nuts together.

Do the same with the bottom nuts

The second nuts and lock washer will ensure that the assembly will not get loose over time

Step 9: Bending With Pliers

After the flower is locked down start by bending the petals with the needle nose pliers on the top of the flower.

Then move to the next set of petals. Starting with one then moving around the flower.

Step 10: 6 Petal Flowers

The 6 petal layer is a little different. For ease of bending and to get more layers bend up 3 alternating petals at a time. There are ends up being 6 layers of petals bent to fill out the flower. Bending the petals in different ways makes it more organic looking.

Step 11: More Bending

Continue bending the petal layers. till all the petals look like a flower.

Step 12: Bend the Sepal

Then time to focus on the Sepal at the bottom. I usually bend the sepal in half to give the look of a rib that holds the leaves together. Then twist my pliers down the sides of the leaves to give the crinkly appearance. Finally bend the tips in different curls or straight just random in appearance to be more organic looking.

Step 13: Bend the Stem

Bending the stem helps to gives the illusion that the flower is more organic then it actually is. Also it looks better in a vase or stuck into the ground.

Step 14: Finished

Now its time to give it to some one you love or care about. This flower should last a long time and be prepared to make more because everyone will want one of your roses.

Comments

[smj56]

We are just finishing up this Metal Flower Project in our Beginning Manufacturing&Production class. We do mostly sheet metal and metal projects plus I introduce students to Arc welding.
This flower project has been a work in progress for the past year or two.
I first used 24ga. galvanized sheet. We typically use that for all my metal projects. I never was sold on that gauge sheet for that rose project. Students seemed to struggle with the process of bending and shaping it. I knew it was a little thick but did not have a supplier for smaller gauge sheet.
As I was looking around Menards, which I always do, I saw this coiled roof sheet. It was thinner than 24ga. and we looked it up and it turns out to be 30ga. Comes in 12in x 6ft coil for about $14.00. Perfect.
Students had a much easier time cutting, bending and hammering the flower. BTW most students take that first flower home and they end up making more because someone in their household thinks its such a cool project....they want one also. I have had students make up to six!
I mostly followed the plan in the Instructable. I think I did scale down the largest piece to to 5" dia. and scaled all the rest along with it. The stem is 1/4" threaded rod. Students beat that up to make it look 'like a branch'. Some students leave it. I have students double nut--that is tighten 2 nuts against each other--about 1/2" from one end. The top nut is tightened up against those 2 nuts to secure the leaves. We also use a lock washer. Students can typically make one in an hour or so.
Some have painted their flowers and their stems, also. Typically I have them take it home to do that. I have had issues with spray cans and high school students in the shop area.
That's about it.
Thanks to the creator of that original Instructable. I'm always inspired by projects here.

[booksmart]

Thank you for sharing because I was looking for something like this. Thanks again. I will be making it soon. God bless

[bedandbreakfastforsale]

Almost as good as the real thing but longer lasting.

[theatre_tech_guru]

And you don't have to remember to water it.

[PardoByNight]

this is really beautiful ^^

[theatre_tech_guru]

Thank you, I would love to see your take on my flower!

[mtray]

Nice job. I tried following one those other intractable you referred too, but I couldn't source copper sheets locally. I ended up with "copper" colored aluminum... you can imagine the fun I had trying heat it with a blow touch to undo the work Hardening so I could bend it after shaping it... I burn a few too many wholes and lot of lumps.

[theatre_tech_guru]

yeah that is why I went with steel because it was more readily available. I am going to try a few other materials but sourcing them is the problem.

[doitoitmself]

Wow! Beautiful. I think I will try with all the aluminum cans I have. Is there a way to blunt the edges?

[_soapy_]

Not really, as the aluminium can is so thin it is blade-like even at it's bluntest. You can roll the edges over though.

[doitoitmself]

I guess i'll try that. Thanks for the advice. Again, like the roe a great deal.

[mtray]

I tried this with Al sheets. I ran into work hardening issues. You might not have it as bad with the cans but Al will get brittal quickly after hammering or bending. (The instruction I was following was for copper and called for it to be heated to soften again, but the aluminum proved to be very touch about it)

[Cris DIY]

Beautifull work! congrats! Voted :D!

[theatre_tech_guru]

Thank you so much for voting for me. I hope you find an occasion to make one and share it with all of us!

[WilliamH96]

I used a brass screw to hold the petals together. For the stem I used copper tubing and inserted the brass screw into the end of the copper tubing. I then soldered the screw and a few copper leaves I made to the copper tubing. It looks beautiful and you don't have to deal with the threads on the threaded rod.

[theatre_tech_guru]

I would love to see how you did that!

[cavalier19]

Excellent idea & awesome tutorial. Future project

[PeanutPlays]

Thats really cool!

[prismaticmem]

Awesome tutorial. I just had a picture pop in my head of making this rose out of soda cans. A sprite can for the leaves and a cola can for the rose petals. I have no idea if it would work but I may just try it. Thanks for the inspiration.

[MarkP47]

I was thinking the exact same thing. Great minds think alike!

It'll take a bit more bending and folding to blunt the edges though, or there could be some deep cuts...I suppose it's one way of keeping pesky cats out of my garden though!