Galvanising Steel

Steel seems the most appropriate and realistic material for the design. If I am using steel then I need to look at where in the UK it is possible to galvanise steel and what are the specifications for this. This will ensure that the steel is corrosionand weather-proof for many years to come. I have looked at possible locations in the East Midlands.

Frank Hand (Galvanizers) Limited
Nottingham
Bath Size3.6m x 1.37m x 1.37m

Maximum Lift2 tonnes

Main Classes of WorkGeneral
Structural

Additional Facilities and Services
Grit blasting
Painting after galvanizing
T-Wash

Joseph Ash Galvanizing
Chesterfield

Bath Size15.3m x 1.7m x 2.65m

Maximum Lift8 tonnes

Main Classes of WorkGeneral
Structural
Tubular
Castings

Additional Facilities and Services
Centrifuge for spin galvanizing
Grit blasting
Painting after galvanizing
Zinc spraying

Worksop Galvanizing Limited
Worksop

Bath Size21.0m x 1.5m x 2.78m

Maximum Lift
16 tonnes
  
Main Classes of Work
General
Structural
Tubular
Castings
Wire work

Additional Facilities and Services
Centrifuge for spin galvanizing
Grit blasting
Painting after galvanizing

I need to keep in mind the size of the bath as the final piece will need to be able to fit into this space. I have also emailed each company requesting rough costings on galvanising.

Materials: A closer look

I have decided to look more closely at a few of the possible metals to help decide which material to use and to identify strengths, weaknesses and possibilities.

Bronze -

Bronze is an alloy of metal that is copper based with tin as the main additive. Some tins, though, can have phosphorus, manganese, aluminum, or silicon as the main alloying ingredient. Bronze is typically strong, tough, and corrosion resistant with high electrical and thermal conductivity. Bronze could be an interesting material to use however, bronze casting is very expensive to do and therefore is probably not a viable option for this project.

Galvanised Steel - 

Galvanised steel is produced by coating steel in zinc. The properties of galvanised steel are a unique combination that make it ideal for car bodies, nuts and bolts, roofs etc. All galvanised steel has a matte-gray appearance however it is possible to get specific paint that can cover galvanised steel. Zinc coating applied by using electrogalvanising is  the smoothist way and allows for a higher quality finish when painted. The steel must be formed before being gavanised however a small amount of work can be done afterward without the zinc starting to flake.Galvanised steel is as recyclable as other types of steel.

Copper -

Copper is the most efficient metal to conduct electricity and so is mainly found in electrical wiring, however it is becoming more commonly used to create sculpture. This is particularly since the colour range of different copper alloys is large, ranging from the salmon pink of copper through yellow, gold and green to dark bronze in the weathered condition. Copper weathers over time however it is corrosion resistant and ductility can be restored by annealing by a specific annealing process or by incidental annealing through welding or brazing procedures.

Lead -

The softest and heaviest of the common metals. It is very malleable and ductile, but has no elastic strength, and its tensile strength is so low that it cannot be drawn readily into fine wires. It is a poor conductor of heat and electricity. On account of its softness it can be readily squeezed through a press and thus shaped into rods or pipes.Bronze -

Heathrow Olympic Sculptures

A sculpture in tribute to 21 year old rhythmic gymnast Frankie Jones was revealed in Heathrow Terminal 5. It's plaque reads "This sculpture is dedicated to Francesca Jones, whose youth and talent embodies the Olympic spirit and the promise of a generation."  

Made by Eleanor Cardozo from carbon fibre resin the piece along with 10 other pieces are now on display until September in Heathrow's Terminal 5. Alongside Eleanor's piece; artists including Paul Day, John Buckley, Hamish Black, Judy Boyt, Steve Dilworth, Jilly Sutton, Alan Dun and Suzie Zamit have pieces displayed. Each sculpture represents a different Olympic or Paralympic sports including life-size wire sculptures of Olympic diver Tom Daley, and sprinter Jason Gardener.

Materials - Initial Ideas/Thoughts

To ensure that the design lasts and weathers well the correct material must be used. I want to look at a range of possible materials to ensure that the final piece is workable and viable for the space and the school.

  

Metals - 

Bronze tends to be the most used metal however, gold silver, aluminium, copper, brass, steel, lead, and iron are also used. Most metals are extremely strong, hard, and durable, with a tensile strength that gives a freedom to design compares to stone or wood. Metals can be worked in a variety of ways in order to produce sculpture. They can be cast, squeezed, hammered, bent, cut or welded.

Stone - 

In the past stone has been the principal material for sculptures, this is due to most stone being resistant to the weather which means it is particularly suitable for external use. Most stone has a homogeneous texture and a hardness which make it ideal for carving.

Wood - 

All woods can be used for sculpture as the structure of wood gives it considerable tensile strength. This strength allows it to be carved easily and a number of pieces of wood can be jointed together before carving if a larger piece is being produced. However, wood is primarily used for indoor sculpture, as changes of humidity and temperature can cause it to split, and it is often attacked by insects and fungus.

From these details it seems that metal is the most straight forward and long term way of producing a piece on-budget. I am interested in looking in more detail at possible metals and to get a rough idea of its possibilities, strengths and weaknesses.

Info found at: http://www.uv.es/EBRIT/macro/macro_5005_69_5.html

The Olympic Torch

Throughout this project I am trying to remain aware of other Olympic designs therefore I have decided to take a closer look at the Olympic Torch for 2012.

The Olympic Torch is made from a golden aluminium alloy and is pierced with 8,000 circular holes which represents the 8,000 torch bearers and 8,000 miles that will be carrying the torch around the UK over 70 days. 

The torch represents the best of British, using British designers, engineers and manufacturers. The British theme and the representation of the holes for the communities and people carrying the torch shows symbolism similar to those that I want to see within my final piece. The torch has been heavily criticised for not being eco-friendly and the design itself has been questioned by critics. However, whether the torch is the most beautiful, least eco-friendly or most criticised; it still pulls opinion from people and whether bad or good, people having an opinion on the piece is better than them having no opinion at all. 

Understanding what the torch stands for is much more important than liking it.

John Lovely

A welder from Arizona has designed a messy metal tree, John Lovely created an 8 1/2 foot tall tree which started as basic branches and was then added to. It was built up from a flat metal base which provided a strong and secure platform for the tree to grow from. The final piece is a stunning mix which initially looks incredibly messy but taking a step back and look at the overall effect it creates a beautiful piece.

Written on the Leaves

One of my original ideas was to write the award winners name etc onto the leaves that can then be attached to the tree. A similar idea has been used at the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial in Budapest, it has over 5,000 Holocaust victims names engraved onto the leaves as a commemoration. This tree is meant to be a lasting memory and is a similar design idea to what i want to create. The symbolism of the names on the leaves is the congratualatory, history and experience I want to capture within the piece for Frederick Gent School. 

Recycled Flowers

Christine Eige has done some interesting floral displays by recycling tin cans, The use of the materials create extremely attractive final pieces. Unfortunately I am interested in the long lasting factor and these materials would be difficult to keep looking good for a long period of time. However, the use of the metal and the colours is extremely eye catching and I am interested by the iconic company names that can be seen as well. Although it seems to be quite an easy material to use the sharpness of cut tin means it can be very dangerous and would therefore be a little dangerous for a school courtyard.

2012

Having entered the year of the London Olympics it seems that the country has got even more excited about the prospect of the 2012 Olympic Games. 

Whilst thinking about sculptures and 2012 Olympics it is worth looking at the sculpture that will soon  become the tallest UK sculpture and will actually wit within the Olympic and Paralympic Park in London. The piece will be called the ArcelorMittal Orbit and will contain a viewing platform which will be 114.5 metres tall. Made from 2,000 tonnes of steel and designed by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond the sculpture will give visitors views of 20 miles from the viewing platform. 

This piece has the foundations of what I hope to achieve with Frederick Gent School (although in a much smaller scale), the designer Anish Kapoor expresses that;

 “the ArcelorMittal Orbit has been conceived as a structure made-up of discreet elements which seek to engage the viewer in experience through form, colour and reflectivity. The work invites public participation and engagement."

These wishes of engagement and experience are very similar to what I hope to achieve using student, teacher and community participation as an actual element of the piece itself. Materials, interaction, form and function are all areas which must combine to create the final piece.