Looking for a flower that will last forever? Look no further! Follow these step-by-step instructions to create a DIY metal rose.
MATERIALS
- Personal Protective Equipment: Welding jacket, welding gloves, welding helmet, safety glasses and fire-resistant clothing
- Forney Easy Weld 20 P Plasma Cutter
- Forney Easy Weld 140 MP Multi-Process Welder
- Paint marker
- 20-gauge sheet metal
- Angle grinder
- Flap discs
- Small hammer
- Blunt nose pliers
- 7-in-1 MIG wire pliers (aka “welpers”)
- Metal Snips
- Quick change flap disc
- Quarter 20 bolts
- One 1/4″ round bar
- Two 1/8″ round bar
- Wooden base
- Power drill
- Die grinder
- Printable Template
STEP-BY-STEP ASSEMBLY
1. Begin by downloading and printing the template provided. Using a paint marker, trace the shapes on the 20-gauge sheet metal. Then cut out the shapes using the Forney Easy Weld 20 P Plasma Cutter.
2. Attach your flap disc to the angle grinder, and polish the metal for a smooth and appealing look.
3. Using your metal snips, cut out each shape.
4. Now, you can clean up the edges with the quick-change flap disc and die grinder.
5. Take the 1/4″ round bar and Forney Easy Weld 140 MP and weld one of the quarter 20 bolts to the top of the bar, and one to the bottom.
- Tack one side, then tack the other. Then you can fill in the gaps.
- Let your bolt cool down before the next step (quench tank preferred).
- PRO TIP: Protect the thread of the bolt by using masking tape or heat resistant tape. This will protect the bolt from BBs and spatter.
6. It’s time to start assembling the head of the rose. Take the smallest shape and set it on top of the nut. Then screw on the bolt, securing the layer in place. Each layer was designed with tabs to fold over the nut to trap it in place. Identify these tabs, and line them up around the bolt.
7. Using your small hammer, hammer the tabs down and around the bolt to secure it in place.
8. Using either pliers or a custom tool, add a slight bend to your petals.
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9. Again using your pliers, bend the petals upwards to begin shaping the head of the rose.
10. Once the petals are bent up, you will begin overlapping them. One petal will be on the inside, one will be on the outside and so on.
11. To give a more rounded appearance, use the small hammer to curve the outside layer.
- NOTE: Each layer gets easier, the first layer is typically the hardest to shape.
12. The process is repetitive to shape the rest of the flower petals. Remove that first layer, add the next petal, then place the first previous layers back on top of it. Repeat steps 8-11, working the pedals around the first layer and bending the outside edges. Repeat this process for all remaining layers.
- PRO TIP: For the bigger layers, try to bend the petals on the gaps to give it a layered look.
13. Now that all of your petals are curved upwards, you’ll want to add some depth by curving the outside layers in the opposite direction.
- This part might be difficult, and you’ll need to made adjustments later on. It takes practice, but the blunt nose pliers should help the process.
- Start with the outside layer and work your way in. You can always remove layers as you go to make it easier.
- PRO TIP: Use a vice grip to hold the rose in place and work against the vice grip if your hand gets tired.
14. Your rose head is completed! Time to move on to the star pattern and the leaves. Using your welpers, cut the leaves at the base.
15. Next, it’s time to add some texture to the leaves. Using your chisel, work your way down the center of the leaf to create the illusion of a ribbed spine. From there, twist your leaf and create lines coming from the spine to mimic veins in the leaf. Repeat this step with your second leaf.
- PRO TIP: Create a custom tool for this process with a small gap in the middle to help form the ribbed spine.
16. If you’re happy with the look of your leaves, tack weld the front and back of the first leaf onto top of the 1/8″ round bar.
PRO TIP: Always start your weld on round bar, and tilt slowly towards the leaf. Take your time doing this, as the metal is thin and you could blow a hole through your leaf.
17. Now you can hammer down the top of the round bar above the weld so that it blends nicely into the leaf, and add another tack weld to the top.
18. “Taco” the remaining sheet metal from the leaf around the 1/8″ round bar with your small hammer. Then tack weld again to fill the seam.
19. Repeat steps 16-18 with your second leaf.
20. Using the die grinder, clean up the welds on both of your leaves.
NOTE: Make sure you’re only grinding the material from your weld and not the round bar.
21. Time to cut out the last piece, the star. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect, you can trim the excess sheet metal and then clean it up with the die grinder later if needed.
22. Using the same technique that you used for the leaves, create texture on each edge of the star
PRO TIP: Make these grooves slightly deeper than you did on the leaves.
23. Using your small hammer bend each tip of the star in the opposite direction of the groove you just created.
24. Now remove the head of your rose from the 1/4″ round bar and attach the star. After this is completed, reattach the head of the rose.
25. Next, you’ll add some curve to the 1/4 round bar. With a vice, or table with holes, create a slight bend to the stem
26. At this point, it’s time to tack weld the leaves in place. Using the same technique you used in step 24, add a bend to both 1/8″ round bars.
27. Take one 1/8″ round bar and tack weld it to the 1/4″ round bar a couple of inches down from the top. If you like the placement, lay another tack weld on the opposite side to secure it in place.
28. Now you can wrap the remaining 1/8″ round bar around the 1/4″ round bar using your welpers. Once the 1/8″ round bar is wrapped, tack weld the bottom to the 1/4″ round bar to secure it.
PRO TIP: To make this process easier, you can apply some heat to the bar using a mapp torch.
29. For the second leaf, repeat steps 26 & 27- but on the opposite side of the first leaf. Wrap the remaining 1/8″ round bar in the opposite direction that you wrapped the first.
30. Remove the head of the rose from the 1/4″ round bar. Then, using the die grinder, touch up some of your welds and grind down the bolt.
NOTE: Be careful not to harm the threads on the bolt.
31. Now, grab the wooden base and drill a 1/4″ hole in the center and set a nut inside. Now you can attach the bottom of the 1/4″ round bar to the base.
32. Reattach the head of the rose, and check your balance. Make necessary adjustments if needed.
That’s all there is to it, the rest is up to you! Take it apart and paint it, sand down the base, or even blue the head with a mapp torch.
Don’t forget to tag us @forneyind on our social media platforms to have your rose featured!
