Hot Metalworking How-Tos

How To: Wire a candle holder into a lamp

Have a candle holder that would make a great lamp base? You can wire that candle holder and turn it into a working lamp for your living room's newest decorative piece. This video takes you through the process of how to do so... However, with no narration, this how-to tutorial falls a tad short of being helpful. Wire a candle holder into a lamp.

How To: Make a shopping cart chair with MAKE magazine

Kick back with John Park as he demonstrates how to upcycle a no-longer-usable shopping cart into an easy chair. This Make: magazine-based project offers an introductory look at how to cut, bend, and shape metal using metal cutters, saws, vice grips, and other tools common to home workshops. John also attempts a “deluxe” version of this project that employs motors and switches to transform it into a “go-kart chair.” View the clip to see his mixed results, and download the PDF.

How To: Make a chain mail suit or shirt

For all your jousting and costume needs, finally, an instructional video guide to building a chain mail suit of armor. While periodically inaccurate for Renaissance Fairs, Medieval Times employees or reenactment actors might be curious to either learn how to make the suit or at least witness the process. Chain mail was used as a protective armor in Medieval times, and was nearly impervious to arms of the period, but new advances in weaponry caused it to become obsolete. Chain mail is essentia...

How To: Make an aluminum flower bouquet out of soda cans

Watch and learn with the GOMI crew. This instructional arts and crafts video shows you how to turn your empty cans into cool, beautiful flower bouquets. Recycle cans and make a fun flower design for your bedroom, dorm room or front porch. Place the aluminum flowers in a recycled glass bottle to use as a vase for your beautiful bouquet.

How To: Weave Byzantine chainmail

This metalsmithing video segment shows how to speed weave Byzantine chainmail.The Byzantine chain is a popular metal weave pattern for supple and flexible necklaces, bracelets, and other pieces of jewelry. This video assumes you know how to construct 2x2 chainmail units.

How To: Making European chainmail

Watch this instructional metalsmithing video to weave a European chainmail pattern. You can expand this pattern to make a costume for your local Renaissance festival. This is also known as the four in one chainmail pattern.

How To: Chainmail a 4 in 1 European pattern

It's as easy as 2,3,4,5,6,7...what happened to step 1? This is Chthonic chainmail at its finest. This instructional metalsmithing video will help you in making your very own chain mail vest using a four in one European chainmail pattern. After going through the basic process of chainmailing a four in one pattern, you can troubleshoot to see how you can improve your metal working process.

How To: Make chain mail

This how-to video shows the steps for making chain mail, just like the authentic armor of the Medieval period. Making chain mail is fairly simple, requiring only a couple supplies. You will need a rod, wire cutters, two pairs of pliers, a variable speed drill, and a spool of un-galvanized fencing wire. Watch this video metalwork tutorial series and learn how to make chain mail.

How To: Make European 4 in 1 chainmail

Watch this short 3d animation of rings forming into a chainmail pattern to learn how this chainmail pattern holds together. This four in one metalsmithing pattern seems complex at first, but after thinking it through once or twice, the linking pattern should come quite naturally.

How To: Weave chainmail with a fork

It is possible to weave chainmail with a plastic fork. This instructional metalsmithing video will show you how it's done. This chainmailing technique does work better with a metal fork, though. You still need a pair if needle nose pliers to close the rings and work at a reasonable pace. Do you think it is possible to weave chainmail with a fork an knife? Now that would be truly decadent.

How To: Chainmail a spiral pattern

This instructional metalsmithing video demonstrates how to knit the spiraling chainmail pattern. This spiral pattern is useful for some chain link bracelets and necklace forms. Don't forget to use a quality set of pliers to save your hands some trying metal bending work.

How To: Make a chainmail cube

Watch this instructional metalsmithing video to make a chainmail cube. This is a simple pattern that takes a long time to complete, but creates an impressive design that differs from jewelry and armor chainmail projects. This metalwork cube is satisfying to hold in ones hand.

How To: Make chainmail

This instructional metalsmithing video demonstrates the basics of making chainmail. Making traditional chainmail is a long and involved process. First, you must spin the wire into a spool. Then you have to cut the coil into individual rings. Embark on the long process of closing and linking the metal rings.

How To: Forge a medieval arrowhead, or long bodkin

Watch this video demonstration on how to forge a medieval arrowhead, or long bodkin, by Paul Selby at an English Heritage Living History event at Kenilworth Castle. This type of arrow head was commonly used during the War of the Roses. This arrow is a professional craft, but a blacksmith in training can also learn how to forge arrows like this. These long thin arrow tips are designed for penetrating chain mail.

How To: Blacksmith decorative steel scrolls

Watch this instructional blacksmithing video to forge three different types of steel scrolls. You can use these techniques to forge fence posts and other decorative metal designs. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and add a creative flare to your blacksmithing projects.

How To: Blacksmith a steel rose

Watch this instructional blacksmithing video to forge and sculpt a steel rose. This blacksmith demonstrates the techniques involved in making an ornamental metal rose as well as other organic shapes. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and forge a decorative flower.

How To: Forge blacksmithing tongs

Watch this instructional blacksmithing video to forge a pair of tongs for a small blacksmithing workshop. You can use this technique to make other tools for metalworking. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and forge a useful tool.

How To: Forge a steel striker for flint and steel

Watch this instructional blacksmithing video to forge a high carbon steel striker for flint and steel. The flint and steel striker served as the original portable lighter. Flint and steel lighters are also used on outdoor trips to light camp fires. These detailed instructions will allow you to begin the craft of metalsmithing and forge a useful tool.

How To: Weld figurines

Watch this instructional metalsmithing video to weld a set of figurines out of sheet metal, nails, and a coat hanger. Oxy-acetylene welding is the only gas flame type of welding that is hot enough to melt all commercial metals. Use 22 gauge sheet metal to make clean and safe metalwork. Use a plasma cutter to quickly cut out the basic pieces. You can also use a blacksmithing hammer to bend the metal into unique props fpr your metal figurines.

How To: Begin welding with the proper tools

Interested in metal inert gas welding? This video tutorial provides some sage advice for beginning MIG welders. It's important not to dive into your welding projects without the proper tools. You will need a welding table, and wire brushes for steel and aluminum. You will also need wire cutters, sheet metal shears, a canister for storing stick electrodes, a chipping hammer, and an angle grinder. Once you have these simple tools on hand, you can begin to troubleshoot with larger welding equipm...

How To: Run a bead in beginning MIG welding

Curious about the basics of metal inert gas welding? Watch this instructional welding video for some vital safety tips. A shielding gas tank contains 3,000 psi of pressure, so keep your welding equipment safe distance from your high pressure tanks. To run a bead, you need to set your wire feed speed and your voltage in order to begin welding with an average angle iron. This video provides all of the preliminary steps to running a short bead.

How To: Get started with MIG welding

Ever needed to know the the basics of metal inert gas welding? This beginner's guide displays the necessary safety gear, such as the all-important welding mask and deer skin gloves. You'll also learn of some basic equipment options for gas cylinders, welding wires, feeders, and the essential parts of a welding gun. Follow these safety guidelines before getting started with MIG welding.

How To: Mig weld using the push technique

This MIG Welding Video shows the demonstration of a push welding technique that is use when mig welding. When mig welding you can either push or pull the welding torch. The push technique is the most common. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to weld using the push technique.

How To: MIG weld two pieces of sheet metal together

This Mig Welding Video Demo shows how simple and easy it is to use a MIG welding machine. Mig Welding Machines are use throughout the world. They are the suited for many welding applications. This video demonstration demonstrates Mig welding by welding two pieces of sheet metal together. Watch this video welding tutorial and learn how to fuse two pieces of sheet metal together with a Mig welder.

How To: Choose welding gloves

Keeping the hands protected from burns or rough equipment is the main requirement of welding gloves. There are a few things to look out for: quality material (all leather), reinforcements, good stitching, softness, toughness, comfort, and length. Watch this video welding tutorial and learn how to choose an appropriate pair of welding gloves.

How To: Arc weld

This video welding tutorial shows two arc or stick welding machines and explains how to connect the leads and hook it up ready for welding. Those interested in welding for metalwork will learn the proper machinery and equipment needed for welding and how to use the equipment correctly. Watch this instructional video and start welding.

How To: Strike an arc with a welding electrode

In order to properly strike an arc with a welding electrode, the idea is to make contact between the metal of the arc being welded and the electrode that is doing the welding. While practice is the best way to learn how to weld, some tips can give a solid beginning. Watch this video welding tutorial and learn how to strike an arc with a welding electrode.