Creating a Lake

[Depmandog]

Eddie

One possibility is to use stainless steel and apply your own finish - perhaps like these two examples. The designs are only limited by your imagination. Air tools and sand paper.







Have your metal shop cut your metal into the size you want. Then purchase an English wheel and roll the metal strips to fit the double curve of your roof.

English wheel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you are using light gauge metal, I think it's a doable project for an English wheel newbie. Might suggest you buy a bit extra to practice on. Oh and you will end up with some very toned forearms when done!

I only suggest stainless - since copper is out. Stainless can also be heat treated to produce different color tones (I think).

Hope this helps.

 

[Jisgren]

What about making metal dragon scale shaped shingles.

 

[EddieWalker]

Steam Bent Shingles

Love the steamed shingle idea. I've never done it and might give it a try. The dragon tiles look like they are from Barcelona. We loved all the Gaudi buildings there and would love to do something like that. I like the idea of metal, but copper is the only metal that I like the natural look of, which is what Karen doesn't like.

What will probably happen is I will start using cedar shingles and modify them to fit. I doubt I will get to it this weekend, so the following weekend should be when I commit to something.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[sld]

How about thin gauge stainless steel and then powder coated? The shapes would be unlimited and the finish would last a long time.

You could almost cut them to look like shakes but they would be easy to form. With powder coating, the colors are unlimited. Even a multi-color might look good.

 

[KiotiJason]

Hi Eddie, why don't you try copper, it will age and has a very natural patina after a few years!
Great thread by the way, I've spent the last few days going through all the posts, very addictive. Congratulations on your achivements they have been literally outstanding. Jason

 

[dave1949]

Rubber-based faux roofing slate might be flexible enough to use. Ceramic or porcelain tile is a possibility but would be heavy, and you would need scaffolding to hold the wet saw next to the dome. :laughing: Some of those mosaic tiles that come in sheets (like used in showers) are very flexible.

I saw lots of onion domes in places like Bavaria and they looked like slate. The Germans have composition look-like slate roof materials that I think are somewhat flexible. You might look in that direction. Real slate roofs in new construction there are rare, but people still like the more traditional look of composite slate.

 

[EddieWalker]

I've been watching a lot of you tube video's on steaming shingles and reading everything I can online. It seems pretty doable and something that I'm going to try. I'll never know until I start if it will work or not. LOL

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

Hi Eddie, why don't you try copper, it will age and has a very natural patina after a few years!
Great thread by the way, I've spent the last few days going through all the posts, very addictive. Congratulations on your achivements they have been literally outstanding. Jason

Thank you Jason!! Copper is my first choice material for this, but it's just not going to happen because I hate the shiny look of it and Karen hates the Patina look of it.

Eddie

 

[radioman]

I like the idea of metal, but copper is the only metal that I like the natural look of, which is what Karen doesn't like.

Oh eddie -- life of marriages.... Look -- its a compromise. put it up shiny, get married with shiny pics then let nature take over. like wine, it becomes better over time.by the time its green your marriage has something to look back at.

How about thin gauge stainless steel and then powder coated? The shapes would be unlimited and the finish would last a long time.

You could almost cut them to look like shakes but they would be easy to form. With powder coating, the colors are unlimited. Even a multi-color might look good.

great idea but I am not sure if I wanted to do that. every piece will needs to be cut, formed and hung. then removed and labeled then put back. For something that complicated shape I think its best to use different idea.

 

[KiotiJason]

Thank you Jason!! Copper is my first choice material for this, but it's just not going to happen because I hate the shiny look of it and Karen hates the Patina look of it.

Eddie

Yes I agree the shiny new copper would look a little odd. You can get an aging solution that you rub on it. I'll be interested in seeing the steamed cedar for a natural look. I love working with ceder Should be in keeping with the environment there.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Here's a building with many different styles. Remember, the architect on this building was put to death after he finished it (so it couldn't be duplicated). Not sure which one I like best.

 

[scott_vt]

Steam Bent Shingles

Love the steamed shingle idea. I've never done it and might give it a try.

Thanks,
Eddie

Good Morning Eddie,
I also have been itching to try my hand at steam bending, seems very doable to me with the right setup, via steaming tube and then forms to clamp steamed parts into position ! Will be watching your progress on this one, even though I am planning on using the technique to build some rockers etc...

 

[EddieWalker]

The forms are where I'm hitting a road block. My current thought is to use a log and build something to hold them onto the shape of the log.

Eddie

 

[bindian]

The forms are where I'm hitting a road block. My current thought is to use a log and build something to hold them onto the shape of the log.

Eddie

How about large rubber bands or small ratchet straps? My brother used huge rubber bands when he worked on fiddles.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Western]

A lot of what I'm doing is based on an idea without too much of a clue how to get there. LOL

Eddie

Eddie, I think it is looking great!! I quoted what you said earlier, that was the same in the 60's when we where looking at the moon. Some of the best things come from just the will to get it done.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks Dennis!!!

Eddie

 

[Western]

Eddie, if you change the style of the cedar shingles on the copula, like cut them into 3" strips, may be allot easier to manipulate and would change the "format" of the look, but retain the texture. Almost like a mosaic blend to top it off. Make sense. May be able to place the shingles horizontal, length wise as well.

 

[EddieWalker]

For the cupola, I've been thinking that I want the bottom of the shingles to be round. Kind of like scales. I thought of a point at the end like a pine cone, but that takes away more material then I want to lose. For the bottom part, I'm thinking I need them to be 6 inches wide, then for the curve, they get ripped to five inches, and then each one gets thinner as I go up.

I'm going to walmart on my way home to see if they have the a hot plate and pot to create the steam. From the videos I saw, I need a lid that stays in place, and that I will be able to drill a hole in it big enough to run the hose to the box I will have to make. Hose is either going to be a dishwasher hose or an automotive water heater hose.

Brandi gave me a great idea with strapping the shingles to the log. This gives me all sorts of options on where I want to bend them and how to hold them in place!!!

My goal is to start bending shingles next week, after work.

Eddie

 

[Western]

I have seen shingles soaked in a brine for a period, then dried on a form. dont know if that would work in your case, but it would free up your time while it soaks.

 

[bindian]

For the cupola, I've been thinking that I want the bottom of the shingles to be round. Kind of like scales. I thought of a point at the end like a pine cone, but that takes away more material then I want to lose. For the bottom part, I'm thinking I need them to be 6 inches wide, then for the curve, they get ripped to five inches, and then each one gets thinner as I go up.

I'm going to walmart on my way home to see if they have the a hot plate and pot to create the steam. From the videos I saw, I need a lid that stays in place, and that I will be able to drill a hole in it big enough to run the hose to the box I will have to make. Hose is either going to be a dishwasher hose or an automotive water heater hose.

Brandi gave me a great idea with strapping the shingles to the log. This gives me all sorts of options on where I want to bend them and how to hold them in place!!!

My goal is to start bending shingles next week, after work.

Eddie

Eddie,
Cool. Glad my blond two cents helped out!
hugs, Brandi