Metal Art Tools Overview

Most people associate a sculptor with a hammer and chisel. Yes, these are the basic tools of an artist working with stone or wood. When working with these materials the sculptor starts out with a large piece of lumber or stones and using these tools chips away at the material until everything that is not part of the work of art is removed.

Metal art is different because while excess material also needs to be removed, the creation also involves adding various pieces or materials to one another until the final art form takes shape. So while one is the process of removing the unwanted, the other is the art of joining and shaping.

Because of this the range of art metal tools is much wider, more complex and therefore more expensive than stonework tools. The tools the metal artist needs include:

Metal cutting tools:

·         Chop saws are the basic tool. These simple saws are good enough for rough cutting of metal sheets into workable sizes.

·         Band saws provide a more precision cut but since they use cutting fluid to continually remove filings and dust from the cutting area to allow for a cleaner cut, they are more expensive and messy. The artist will need a special work station to prevent the fluid from making a mess all over his studio.

·         And finally there is the plasma cutter which uses pressured superheated gas to cut through metal. Since the flow of gas can be focused down to a very fine point, this allows for extremely precise cuts and is the best for the final cutting of metal. Because of the technology involved, they are very expensive and costs can go as high as $10,000.

Metal joining equipment:

This involves welding of which there are two types:

·         MIG welding equipment is best used on metals like mild steel. A wire is melted and used to join two pieces of metal together.

·         TIG welding actually fuses two metal pieces into one. This yype of welding is best for aluminum and stainless steel welding. A filler rod is sometimes used to fill up an open seam.

Metal forming equipment:

Metal forming involves heating metal till it reaches a molten shape and then pouring it into a mold in which it will cool and harden to take its new form. This equipment comprises of:

·         A furnace or forge where the metal will be heated. Furnaces are of various types for specific applications and are fed by electricity, gas or natural fuels like wood and coal. These, depending on the size, may be expensive.

·         The molds into which the molten metal is formed are usually made by first creating a form upon which a wax mold is made. The wax mold is then used to create the final mold which is normally made out of fine silica sand. While little equipment is needed here, the recurring raw material costs need to be kept in mind.

Preparation and finishing equipment:

·         These consist of grinders and chipping tools to smoothen and remove any excess material for the finished surfaces.

·         Buffers are needed to polish and create surface textures.