METAL EXPERIMENTATION

This project was inspired by the effects achieved in experimenting with twisting and bending steel using oxy-acetylene. In practicing twisting square pipe stock, my partner and I made the connection that the twists looked similar to the twists at the ends of wrapped candy. As such, we tried to make an actual prototype of a “fake candy” and from there we were set on the direction of recreating classic candies. The choice of a decorative mirror frame was because a mirror is a wall hung object that people naturally stare at, and therefore are able to engage with the form of bent steel up close.

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

After a lot of practice at the routine of using the oxy-acetylene torch, my partner and I settled on a system where she would heat the steel and I would watch for the most suitable temperature to stop at, at which point I would do the necessary bending and she would safely turn off the torch. The forming of the steel itself involved the use of multiple clamps, rotations, reheats, and hammering. After that, I laser cut the mirror component out of double-sided mirror acrylic and cut the frame out of 16 gauge sheet steel with a plasma cutter. We also used a black oxide finish and steel wool to emphasize the industrial aesthetic of the mirror.

FINAL DESIGN