MetaFilter posts tagged with metalwork

Conceptual bikes

madamjujujive — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:13:40 -0800

Putting heart and muscle into the term "bespoke," Josh Hadar creates hand-crafted metal sculptures that double as functional bikes. He describes his process in a recent interview with RocketBoom. Intrigued? A bicycle custom built to your whims could run from $12-$35k, or if you live in NYC, you can try your hand at welding and metal sculpting at his Burn Clinic. (via bioephemera)

Hand-built bullet trains, made-to-order

armage — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:08:51 -0800

Yamashita Kogyosho (jp) is a small manufacturer of about 30 people based in Kudamatsu, a city in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan. Like many small urban factories (so-called "machikoba"), they specialize in precision metalwork under contract to major corporations. But Yamashita Kogyosho is special: they create the noses for bullet trains. By hand. (relevant scenes begin at 2:54 in the video above) Kiyoto Yamashita, the founder, began by hammering out the nose cones for the original 0 Series Shinkansen in 1963 for Hitachi. Yamashita Kogyosho craftsmen have since created the noses for the N700 Series and 500 Series Shinkansen, the Taiwan High Speed 700T Train, and the 500 kmh experimental maglev train, among others. Today, the man in charge of actually crafting these nose cones is Jiro Kunimura. Using sheets of aluminum only a few millimeters thick, it takes him approximately three or four weeks to complete one 15 meter-long nose, and he and his team can produce up to 20 per year. Yamashita and his company were recognized in 2007 by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry with the Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award, which recognizes unique contributions to Japanese manufacturing. Monodzukuri (or monozukuri) literally means "the making of things," but in Japan refers to an entire way of thinking about manufacturing and the economy. However, the company's chief concern isn't orders -- they have enough for the next three years -- but rather passing on these unique skills to the next generation. It takes ten years to master the technique and only constant practice makes perfect. Interested? They're recruiting.

Woking Walker

Kronos_to_Earth — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 18:24:57 -0800

"Once the tripods start to move, no more news comes out of that area..." Fortunately Michael Condron's tribute to The War of the Worlds, put up on its centenary, will continue to remain in place.... But just in case, Mr. Condron has some microbes at the ready to help take the thing out....

Lace metal welding sculptures

peacay — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 21:43:35 -0800

From her isolated rural New York property, Cal Lane produces amazing filigree lace patterned sculptures by welding everyday and found objects. My favourites are the shovels and wheelbarrows. Background at New York Times and NSCAD University. [via gardenhistorygirl]

Dr Evermor's Art Park

jonson — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:46:39 -0800

Dr Evermor's Art Park featuring the world's largest scrap metal sculpture, the Forevertron, is one of the most impressive metalwork collections I've ever seen. Great write up on the place over at Neatorama with tons of pix.

Full Body Chastity Cages

jonson — Thu, 24 May 2007 17:32:03 -0800

Being the virile demigod I am, sometimes the average chastity belt isn't enough to keep me from having sex. Fortunately, the kindly metalworking folks @ Permanent Bondage have created a series of full body wire cages to help me contain my savage lusts. A couple more photos here. Oh yeah, some of these links may be perceived as NSFW.

Post Apocalyptic Giant Beetle

jonson — Tue, 22 May 2007 21:54:18 -0800

Terrifyingly awesome giant robotic beetle. Sadly, only a sculpture... for now...

A spoon further

Wet Spot — Mon, 04 Oct 2004 19:26:36 -0800

There is no spoon.