DECEMBER 2016 / WELDING JOURNAL 33 Diverse trades, including blacksmithing, 3D printing, and soldering, with handiworks from copper-wire sculptures to circuit board jewelry, were on display. Blacksmith Turns Metal and Wood Scraps Into Usable Objects Steven Miller, an environmental biologist who is now semiretired and works with a builder on high-end homes, lets his creativity flow through blacksmithing — Fig. 2. Visitors at Miller’s booth, Knot Square, Inc. (knotsquare.com), Orlando, Fla., watched him heat steel in a homemade blast forge, then move this piece to a surface where he hammered the metal and brushed it to remove excess carbon. “It’s just a personal interest,” Miller said of the craft, noting that years ago blacksmiths made everything they used, such as nails and screws, for farm work or fixing carriage wheels. Son Jon, a drafting manager at an engineering firm, assisted his father at this event. “He does it ‘cause he has fun with it. I share in that with helping him. He’s been teaching me my whole life,” Jon proudly said. Miller focuses on recycling, repurposing, and preserving resources. He heats and stretches horseshoes to create artistic pieces; forms vegetable choppers with handles from heating, cutting, shaping, and sharpening car brake pads; and much more — Fig. 3. Building upon his family’s carpentering history, he also custom-makes furniture and trays. “When you cut a tree, there’s so much value to that wood,” Miller explained. “Discarded wood becomes attractive and has a living use now with making bowls and boxes.” He always wonders what to make next. “When the opportunity arises, I salvage items. If someone does not want something, I will take it,” he said. 3D Printing Real Metal Parts and Various Shapes Several booths highlighted 3D printing, including Ability3D (ability3d.com), Casselberry, Fla. Company President Ben Willard said, “I was born a tinkerer.” He started welding at age 14. He also has a manufacturing background and worked for NASA. Willard spent 11⁄2 years inventing the Ability3D – 888. This machine is for 3D printing metal parts, including aluminum, steel, and stainless steel, at home — Fig. 4. Its build volume is 200 200 200 mm. The model on display had a gas metal arc welding machine attached and used Alloy ER4043 0.030-in. wire. “I want to see American manufacturing again,” Willard emphasized. He noted if you can quickly print a part by leveraging existing technology, such as gas metal arc welding, getting that into homes is empowering. The ability to 3D print plastics is possible as well. So is engraving with a rotary bit for circuit boards, plastic/ nonferrous metals, and wood/foam. The engraving area is 200 200 mm, up to 25 mm deep. Fig. 2 — Steven Miller prepares to use a hammer for striking a piece of steel that he heated in a home-made blast forge. Fig. 3 — Among Miller’s creations are an artistic piece made from a horseshoe (top), vegetable choppers (left), and knives (right).
Welding Journal | December 2016
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