How-I Do-A-Wire-Brush-Polish-Finish

How-I Do-A-Wire-Brush-Polish-Finish

In the course of time I've been creating High-End-Custom Steel Furniture - it's amazing how many people (Designers, Customers and End-Users) LOVE the "look-of-Steel".

A softer, more pewter-like-silvery-gray-color is one that I like too, but- is not-so-easy-to-create.

The process I use, after all my fabrication is complete (weld-splatter's removed + welds are smoothed) is to have the object Sandblasted-1st.
Then, using a Cup-Shaped-Knotted + Twisted Wire Brush (attached to my variable-speed right-angle-Milwaukee grinder) I go over the sandblasted surface and create a cloud-like-atmospheric effect on the Steel Parts.
After wiping the dirt off the the Steel using Mineral Spirits (or Xylol) I then either wet spray the piece- or lately have been coating with a Matt Clear Powder Coat.

Today- I noticed my trusty Steel Wire Cup Brush (I use a separate one for Type 304 Stainless and NEVER cross-contaminate them) was wearing down and I should get a new one. 

Part Number 12306 Weiler Knotted + Twisted Wire Brush Cup Brush @4" diameter

That led to a very frustrating round of Phone Calls- 
1st to my local Welding Supply House- WISCO who did not have the brand, or the size of Cup that I wanted-. 
Next - I went to The Manufacturer's WEILER's website, BAMMM! and found what I was looking for.
Now....where to buy it?
On WEILER's website is a page that directs you to retail sellers of their Industrial Product 
(I do not "get" that segregation of Industrial v.Retail Customers personally- but that's for another Blog Post!)
So- I type in my ZIPCODE to that box on that page - and 
lo-&-behold-are familiar (Grainger, FastenAll, etc.) 
names, that I don't usually buy from (poor Customer Service being the main reason)- 
so I hold my nose😬- and call.
And Call.
And call some-more. 
Either they have me on hold, can't find there part number I give them from Weiler's website, or- they have none in their Inventory.😫
I know - look at Amazon😎. Not available to ship until 2 weeks from today.😡

 

4" Single-Row-Knotted-Wire-Cup-Brush

 💡So..........I go back to The Manufacturer, and call Customer Service. I explain to The WFH-staffer in Customer Service my woes. He listens. And- he provides me with a phone number to The Regional Sales Rep. David Blaine. David answers - listens to my dilemma and time spent trying to buy a part, from a Company that he Reps, that no one wants to 

or is able to sell to me - and does something that is quite amazing.

He (David) offers to send me one- FREE-Of-Charge, for my being a tenacious Customer.

That- Ladies and Gentleman- is great Customer Service. 

And, a- Thursday afternoon bit of "drama"- that a "Normal-Customer"- normally- would have navigated another route, found a comparable item, or- just made do with the short-haired-Wire-Brush-they already owned.
Not me.

If you are ever in the need to POLISH Steel- in a non-linear-fashion, and to get that effect need to buy a WEILER brand Cup brush........think of how grateful you are, 
in now knowing- How-A-Pro-Does-it! 😉

"1000 Ideas For Creative Reuse"

Quarry Books recently published a softcover book on rePurposed Furniture and Furnishings called- "1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse"- featuring my work (5 images) and the work of my brother

(6 images).

This book is written by an artist from Eureka ,California named Garth (can't help but think of Waynes World when I hear that name- sorry dude!) Johnson who found my work thru flickr (ahhh- the wonders of Social Networking/ aka Web 2.0 !)

Garth chose to break his book into chapters that group the work into what I feel are slightly confusing categories.

For example, his first chapter is titled "Paper,Collage, + Assemblage"- which implies a material based taxonomy - but then other chapters are arranged by function (for example the chapter titled "Housewares + Furnishings" ),

but, then there's a chaptered titled "Geek Craft + Man Craft" (which sounds waaaaay to much like a term HGTV uses called a Man Cave- which I cant stand!) -

so - I'm a little confused by his method of taxonomy.

Also - for visual purposes - they chose to display the books photographs with out any text to explain/support what the image is.

The only text is a credit for who made the piece and who photographed the object.

All of the explanation of materials used- what the object was reclaimed, upcycled from, exists as an "Image Directory", which I found very clunky to use when reading this book.

What I'm pleased about is how diverse the range of creativity is that Garth has assembled in this book- it's truly wonderful to see how vastly skilled and talented artist and designers can be.

And- it's the very first book that has published my work- and the work of my brother Aaron Kramer. (.......who's counting, that there's 6 images of his work- and only 5 images of my work- really- who's counting!?!?)

This book has spawned some ideas for me personally, to publish a book- that showed more examples of this vernacular-

but shown in situ.

How many times do most folks need to see how a piece of Furniture or a Lamp will "look" in their home- or a home "like" their home......so simply showing an object without seeing it in it's context...anyway- I don't want to give away too many ideas for my book.

Here's the ISBN to order the book:: 978-1-59253-540-8