Table project rock

[wroughtn_harv]

Yesterday I went to a bud's granite shop and picked up a rock for a table.

Yesterday I also picked up over a hundred feet of one inch schedule forty pipe.

Today between showers I'm going to hopefully start forging the pipe into shape for a small table and two stools.

The rock not only has beautiful grain but the colors match those in the room.

I'm using the pipe instead of solid stock for two reasons. First is it's fun to work with and not many people do. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Second, the table is for a retired weldor who's got Parkinsons in a pretty serious way.

I'm starting off with a vague image in mind that will refine itself as we go along.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

When you look at something as beautiful as this rock one has to be blown away by nature's beauty.

I hope we don't have any problems with breaking!

 

[DaveNay]

How many showers do you take every day? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Not going to do a miniature table rock for technique testing purposes this time?

I see you didn't put this one flat on the bed of the truck /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Dave

 

[EastTexFrank]

That is a beautiful piece of rock. I was born in Aberdeen, Scotland which is known as the "Granite City" (among other things) because so many of the older buildings were built out of granite. It was all grey granite, occasionally red, but nothing as pretty as your table top.

How are you going to finish it? I couldn't tell from the photo if it is already smoothe or polished.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( How many showers do you take every day?)</font>

Not one more than I have to. And yes, I might be slow. But I'm not stopped. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The rock is a 3cm piece of scrap from a counter top. It's polished on one side. I'll cut it to shape and then have the granite shop polish the edges.

One of the amazing things about granite and marble is the colors and patterns that come out of the ground. The patterns will vary with the cut. Sorta kinda like the difference between quarter sawn and cross cut with lumber.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I've just about decided that the most important thing for a dream to have is a bushel basket of flexibility. Sorta kinda like us I guess. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Originally I was going to forge the pipe into place. It would be more fun. A lot more work of course. And in the long run more original in design and finish.

But economies of scale grabbed me by one hand and common sense with time frame in mind got me by the other.

So I did some Hossfielding one oh one.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

The Hossfield is the best friend a fabricator ever had. This one and me have an agreement. Neither one of us gets crazy and acts up. So far it's worked out fine for both of us. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Larry, the fella I'm building this for, is a tall man who was a union weldor from Alaska to the gulf and just about everywhere in between. That's the reason the pipe is so interesting and appropriate for me.

He has Parkinsons. It isn't going to get better over time we can reasonably assume. So there's two very serious considerations for the stools and the table. One of course is no sharp edges or rough corners. The other is to have available hand holds so he can manuever easily.

What I did today was bend up a hundred foot of pipe. Tomorrow I'll start assembling. When ironwork is complete I'll take them down to the powder coaters where they'll be sand blasted and then clearcoated.

I think the sandblasted grey will go great with the grays in the granite. The clearcoating will not only keep rust away but give the finish a gloss not unlike that on the granite.

This is all being done by the seat of my pants, no plans, no drawings. What I'm wanting to do is allow the steel and stone guide me.

Here's a hundred foot of pipe with the twisties. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

And here's a photo to keep it on the subject of tractors.

"Can you spell Caterpillar?"

 

[EastTexFrank]

wroughtn_harv : Your vision, expertise and skill never cease to amaze me ... not to mention your compassion. You don't know how much I envy people like you you. Unfortunately I'm one of those people who can build just about anything, especially in wood, but I've just got to have a plan or drawing to work from or else I waste so much time and material. The result is that prior to every project, I spend a lot of time doing research and gathering information that I'm sure my wife thinks I'm just goofing off. She could be right. She knows me pretty well after 25 years. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Keep the photos coming. This looks as if it will be another great project.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Hmmmmmm, I think I know you Frank. You were the kid in school that drove me crazy doing all those perfect pictures when coloring, the model car kits that looked just like the one on the box, etc. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I was the one that drove you crazy. The one that figured the lines in the coloring book were where you were supposed to start, not stop. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif The one that bought three models and made two......and not a one like anything on a box. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

It might interest you to know this table and chairs or going just east of east Texas by a mile or so, Vivian. Your description of your property sounds a lot like where my wife's aunt and uncles lived, Atlanta, Texas. If you ever worked for Hunt, Penrod, you might have known a Sonny Minchue. He passed away earlier this year. He traveled the world for Mr Hunt fixing things.

Thanks for the interest.