Just before it runs like water, white hot steel has the consistency of jello. Rick Gregg uses this transition stage to ‘push’ metal where he wants it.
Class at work. Rick gives Jim's piece some 'help'
Myself and several others spent this past Saturday and Sunday learning from Gregg to ‘move’ metal using his oxygen-acetylene art welding techniques. This was a beginners class though one of the attendees, Ken, had quite a bit of related experience. Rick gave us the basic tank and torch orientation and we were welding within 30 minutes. We started with tack welding and heat assisted forming of metal rods in space to create 3D grid patterns. Once the basic grid form was defined Rick led us through fill-in welds and incorporating formed sheet metal elements.
Rick Gregg talks about fill techniques with Ken
Surface texturing techniques included smoothing using the pushing action of the weld flame against the fluid metal, adding holes or bumps, burn/quench, and burnishing. Use of a cutting torch (impressive) was demonstrated and tried by each. Safety precautions were discussed throughout the sessions with an emphasis on knowing where your torch flame is at all times and don’t burn your neighbors butt off .
Most recently I have been working with wood, encaustic wax, and cement sculpture. None of these require welding but learning feeds creativity! This weekends welding definately sparked (pun=yes) some ideas for incorporated metal elements in cement sculpture; particularily torch cut pieces with their ragged globule edges (globule, is that a word?).
To view Ricks sculpture or contact Rick , visit his web site:
http://www.rickgreggstudio.com/
Brian, Rick (instructor), Jim, and Ken. The Weldinators or Blues Brothers?