Reflection

In this class, we crafted a metal rose and vase for our first project. I started by tracing and cutting sheet metal. I sanded the metal with the sanding belt and various sanding tools before soldering the pieces together and bending the metal to form a rose. To continue, I started brainstorming vase ideas. Once I found a design, I cut up more metal immediately after. I bent the metal to form the swirls on both ends, adjusting the sizes in between when needed. I had to repeat this process a couple more times before getting the curves perfect. This step made the vase take longer to complete, as did learning how to function the bending tool. I then MIG welded the pieces to a scrap piece of metal to create the body of the vase. After discussing with Mr. Peterson, I added a heart to try to improve my work even further. I used a bike chain to create the heart and welded the hinges on the chain in place. The procedure was difficult because the chain always almost caught on fire. If I had done this project with more experience, I would’ve managed my time properly and have enough of it so I could braze my project and receive a better looking grade. Overall, I am quite proud of the final product and I enjoyed working with friends while learning new skills.