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dcarch7

When You Come To A fork ------ #4

OK, guys, learn to do a little soldering also. It's simple.

You will need to get:

Solder (Home Depot)

Soldering flux (for stainless steel, Home Depot)

dcarch

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Comments (22)

  • beck_wi
    14 years ago

    your backs are prettier than most fronts... what did you use to bend the bowl of the fork? I'm assuming it was laying on something and you smacked it with a hammer--- at least that's what I would do.
    I'm thinking of taking this idea and bending the tines around a marble and making a magic wand for my daughter.

    very cool.

  • shrillmtb
    14 years ago

    It WOULD be a shame to cover that up with a plate! Very nice work!

  • sunnyca_gw
    14 years ago

    Another creative work of art!!Who knew you could do so much with old silverware/stainless! Jan

  • concretenprimroses
    14 years ago

    this is the best one yet! Although I reeally like #3 also.
    Thank you for also showing how you did it.
    I agree that its too pretty to put on the back of a plate. I think it should not be flattened out but clasp a pretty crystal vase, that could point downward a bit so it didn't fill with water.
    the magic wand is a great idea also.
    kathy

  • Rusty
    14 years ago

    They just keep getting better and better.

    Or should I say prettier and prettier.

    How do you heat them? Will one of those little hand held propane torches do the job?

    Thanks,
    Rusty

  • kacram
    14 years ago

    WEll, you're having just too much fun with your torch and all those forks! LOL this one is too good for the back of a plate!

  • texasfern
    14 years ago

    Boy are you armed and creative!
    They are beautiful!

  • dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thank you all for your nice comments.

    Now how I made them:

    There is no tricks or secretes. Just heat up the metal to red hot and bent or hammer, depending what you want to do.

    I used a propane torch to heat the forks. It helps to have a few kiln fire bricks to surround the flame to heat things faster.

    You will need a pair of locking pliers to hold the fork firmly. Have a container of cold water around to cool your tools. DonÂt heat up your tools too hot or you'll ruin them.

    No. I donÂt sell any of my stuff. These are just other examples of my thinking out of the box.

    If you are interested, I also post here in the cooking forum (search "dcarch"). You can see how I apply the same thinking process in cooking.

    There is so much beauty and surprises to be discovered in common things.

    dcarch

  • Rusty
    14 years ago

    Yes, definitely look at his food art on the cooking forum.
    There is no other word for it.

    I wish I had even a little of your creativity, dcarch.

    And thank you, too, for your generosity in sharing your ideas and creations in pictures.

    Rusty

  • luna_llena_feliz
    14 years ago

    I hope you still have some forks in the silverware drawer! These are quite stunning. TFS the pics and instructions.

  • kacram
    14 years ago

    Put a big crystal, fancy marble or something cool in the center and use it on it's own! I wouldn't put it behind a plate, that's for sure!

  • concretenprimroses
    14 years ago

    dcarch,
    I am writing a plate flower tutorial for my blog. I plan to reference your marvelous creations. Would you mind if I actually posted a pic, which I would of course attribute to you?
    kathy

  • daisydal
    14 years ago

    there are uncommon miracles to be found...
    in everything common...

  • Dottie B.
    14 years ago

    I'm sorry if this has been mentioned before, but I couldn't find it. How do you attach the forks to the plates?

  • kacram
    14 years ago

    LOL yeah, like that!

  • concretenprimroses
    14 years ago

    I personally would recommend Plumbers Goop for glass to metal if it is going out doors for the winter. My glass plate flowers that came off the pipe elbow after more than a year outside still have the washers stuck to them with plumbers goop.
    I just did a variation of gardencraze's spoon method (which I'll post a pic of as soon as my camera recharges) and i used plumbers goop. Its going out for the winter for the ultimate experiment!
    kathy

  • Dottie B.
    14 years ago

    The problem with plumber's goop is that it can't hold the weight of a glass flower for very long....especially in the summer....at least that is my experience. It heats up, gets soft and comes apart more often than not. I've heard that the 2-part epoxy is the only thing that works for sure when you have weight involved and are gluing different materials together vertically. I use Lexel for all my glass flowers and totems and that works great, but I have yet to find a glue that will also hold the weight of objects when help vertically for long periods of time.

  • dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Rusty, thanks for your support.

    Luna, thanks. No more forks. I have to learn to use chopsticks. LOL

    Kathy, be my guest. Use whatever pictures you want. If you make a million dollars, I want half. :-)

    Adina72, check this out:
    http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/junk/msg1006175018694.html?14

    dcarch

  • concretenprimroses
    14 years ago

    Thats interesting that you use lexel, Adina. Is it clearer than ge ii? also do you leave your creations out all winter? I don't want to make too many things that have to be brought in.

    Thanks dcarch. If I can turn a free tute into a million dollars, you'll be the first to know!

    I think I will do an experiment with a several different methods and put them all out over the winter. Goodness knows I've got the plates, lol. I will do MAC glue, which is very expensive but dries clear, and maybe Lexel on the plate part (already have lots with ge ii so know it works in my garden). And spoon method on back with (new tube of) Plumbers Goop on one and epoxy on the other. I'll try to get them out by Thanksgiving. Sounds like I should do 4 flowers to be safe. Purely for scientific reasons having nothing to do with a glass flower obsession. Or maybe six flowers or...
    kathy

  • mmqchdygg
    14 years ago

    these are amazing!

  • Jolitta
    10 years ago

    dcarch, I have just started making plate flowers and have been searching for what I want to do for the backs. These ideas are amazing! One question though -- will any silverware solder together -- ie, does it matter what they are made of? And what type of solder do you use? I also do stained glass (new to that also) and was wondering if same type of solder will stick to the forks. Thank you!!

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