Industrial Art

[Forced_Firebird]

Every once in a while I make some things for the wife and family etc for gifts out of broken/scrap car parts.

This year for Christmas gifts I made lamps. A desk lamp for the daughter, she is not allowed to put holes in the walls at the dorm rooms, yet is always challenged with lighting. I got some clip lights free when someone was cleaning out a garage, they have nice flexible arms on them, so she can point them up if she needs to light the room. Just took the clips off and welded the nuts to the cam gear...





A table lamp for the wife. She loves industrial art/deco...





The cam came from a broken LS1 that I swapped into a Mercedes e-class race car this year, dual mass flywheel from a BMW, was replaced with a single mass, wire mesh and sheet metal left over from air ducts, 3/8" rod left over from ??, old timing sets etc. Only thing I had to buy was the clear coat to keep them looking used without getting dirty after handling and the bulb kit for the large lamp. Some things are better made than bought :-)

Yes, my shop is a mess. The new Rage cold saw ripped through the cam like it wasn't even there, used the MIG and TIG for them - nothing like welding oil soaked dirty metal! Either way, hope they like them.

Happy Holidays all...

-John

[ryanjones2150]

Man, rich people pay a lot of money for stuff we consider cobbled together useful things. Those lamps look pretty cool! Is your daughter a car girl? It's best when something like that solves a problem and looks cool, I'm sure she'll appreciate that. <br />
<br />
I really like the looks of the lamp shade, very sharp looking.

[Forced_Firebird]

Thanks!

Daughter isn't so much a car girl, but she has been with me in the passenger seat for some hot laps at the track, though. Actually all 4 of my kids have been at speed on the track. Every year we do an event called "Kids Racing for Life" where we paint a car white, bring some latex based paint and let terminally ill children and their families paint the car - then we take them for rides in it. And I mean real hot laps, at speed (they thumb up/down to let us know faster/slower), and many of the volunteer cars are real race cars. Here's me taking one of them, poor little fella could barely hold the helmet up, but he was so exited. This was 2016, he also rode with me this year, but the video didn't come out so well...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMmea_3M-Pc&t=10s

Here's a mom that I was able to build more speed...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd1i4BlzcRM&t=6s

Yeah, people like them, but I have only ever sold one clock. Never really pushed them, either, though.

One of the fellas on the race team accidentally put one of the cars in 2nd instead of 4th entering turn 1 at Daytona - it was in the first half hour of a 14hr race. Every valve was bent, so I made him a "trophy" using the valves and valve-train. Need to see if I have a pic somewhere.

It's all just for fun and to have something unique to give. Anyone can go to WalMart and grab something off the shelf, but to me, not matter how much thought goes into the purchase, these are one of a kind.

[ryanjones2150]

Ha! That kid may not have been able to hold the helmet up, but by god he wanted you to go faster!

[Oldgrandad]

That is awesome beyond words Forced_firebird hats off to you. Nice work Ryan. I'll post tomorrow what my kid made me for my b-day yesterday, not something you can get at the big box stores it's on par with your creations Ryan but i do need to clear coat it.

[H80N]

Nice...............

[Tinker Joe 2]

Nice really nice, like your work, looks like I met another one that does not throw, everything has a new life one just has to see not what it is but what it can be, that little on the ride but looks like Mom and some moments of pushed back in the seat, took a ride with my Neighbor the other day his car has 1,700 HP at 100 MPH he can get the tires to squeal that does not scare me but the fact that I have machined some parts on the lathe and Mill, one ride is enough, though I could never get out of that cage, have fun be brave when you young, Joe

[Oldgrandad]

As promised here is the gift my son made me. He cut the parts out on his plasma table then welded it up. Said he was worried the bottle would break during welding. Good news, I can't get the bottle out but I can open it.

[ryanjones2150]

That's pretty cool. Might have to get a little funnel to refill it.

[Oldgrandad]

Wh o need s a f u nn el I c a n Pou r stra ig ht eve n aFt eR a Few,.'

[ryanjones2150]

ha!...clearly you don't need no stinking funnel....

[jalopy12]

I find that lamps are always the coolest and best looking industrial art projects - I often make very similar pieces - usually I will drill a long straight shaft through some type of old car part - and then flow the electric up through the shaft to the top of the lamp where the light bulb nests. Often, my favorite part of the lamp, and the most variable is the lamp shade. You have shown a beautiful example of using perforated metal, but I often end up using woven wire mesh of stainless steel - (something like the 10 x 10 wire mesh woven see here (see link). The mesh lets just enough light through, so it ends up looking really beautiful and highlighting the old useless part from an old car to make it look like a masterpiece.

[Forced_Firebird]

Good idea Jalopy12! Although, I try not to purchase much when making these items, aside from the lamp lighting parts, and the clock mechanism, such as on this project...

[Forced_Firebird]

More clocks...





Some scrap bearings and thick filler rod...

[MAC702]

A bowler with a beer gut?