Fireplace Surround and Mantle

We’ve shared some of our fireplace tools here as well as a variety of custom fire place screens we’ve created over the years. For this next project, we got to go a bit bigger in the world of fireplace accessories.

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Kyle and his crew created this custom fireplace surround and mantle in forged and fabricated steel with a rust patina finish. While rust is usually the enemy of steel, when applied and sealed correctly, a rust finish offers a beautiful warmth and richness. The mantle brackets support an oak mantle that coordinates with the other wood in the client’s home.

(By the way, if you like the mantle brackets, you can find a similar set in our Lucia Metal Studios Etsy shop.)

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Cat Tail Sculpture Commission

Over the last few years, Kyle has created a series of cattail sculptures. This is one he was commissioned to create for the client’s front porch. Take a peek at the design and creation process below!

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Creating a to-scale drawing of the sculpture is the very first step in the design process. Next we re-create the drawing in full size on the steel layout table (the blacksmith's equivalent of a workbench.)

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Next up: making the cattail flowers. In the first photo, we're using a fullering tool on the anvil to shape tube steel. The last photo shows the needle gun we use to create the texture on the cattail.

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We used angle iron to create the leaves. Here we're cutting the ends into points, then shaping the leaves hot using a tool known as a bending dog in the the vise.

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To make the base, we cut the shape out of steel plate. We added texture later on with the hammer.

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And now to assemble all the parts!

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This piece was finished with a rust patina, a finish that works well with the subject matter and holds up great for exterior work. Here the piece is installed on the happy owner's front porch!