METAL MASHING TRIAL

Prior to making a start on the fabrication of the metal skin, it was important to get an understanding and a feel for the process of shaping. With the intent of creating a draft object (unrelated to the chosen shape) and ultimately fiddle with the metal sheeting, this proved to be a useful tasks in order to be familiar with the processes and steps required in order to shape a metal sheet. This task, although recreational was also challenging, as it required thought into how to move and alter the metal sheet in order to create a desired outcome or visual quality. Although the final product was nothing of an object, the time spent during the workshop provided an understanding into the materiality, workability and also labour required for metal shaping.

With the sole purpose of getting a feel for the tools and mashing the metal sheeting, using a spare sheet of aluminium sheet found in the workshop, was used as a test dummy. The sheet was cut down to a circular shape using the sheet metal cutter as well as tin snips. The edges were then 'shrunk' by using a hammer against the tree stump shrinker. Ridges and curvature to the metal sheet were creating by using the teardrop shaped mallet against a sandbag, allowing to create a nice curve. Different tools were used to aid the movement of the sheet metal. Most interesting and efficient, was the use of the wooden stake anvil:

Wooden stake anvil using teardrop mallet

Using the wooden stake and mallet, a 'dent' was able to be imprinted into the metal sheet and pushed using the curvature of the stake. Additionally, the point of the stake was a useful tool to create sharp bends and dips in the sheet metal, a process I would undoubtedly depend highly on due to my chosen objects multitude of dips and contouring.

The wooden stake allowed for a significant 'dip' in the metal

Steep creases were able to be created

By messing around and testing different tools, anvils and types of equipment, the metal sheet became quite unusable and convoluted. In using such a multitude of tools, ridges, dents and cracks began to form on the sheet. It was explained to me that, aside from using different tools as a test run, a reason for the formation of bumps and uneven surfaces was actually due to the thickness and make of the aluminium. The incredibly thin 1mm sheet was very easily malleable and able to be moulded even by hand.

Even though the final object was nothing more than a scrap piece of dented metal, the effort and techniques to shape metal were learnt during this experimental workshop. By just merely trying different tools, I gained an understanding into the malleability and workability of the sheet metal, whereby usually any 'mistake' can be reversed and due to the material's 'short memory'. These lessons learnt during the workshop provided a briefing into the processes and tasks that would be to come next week.

Final piece of scrap metal

Significant curvature was embedded into the sheet

However, the inside was quite heavily damaged, ridged and creased