Magma Metalworks, Inc.

Woodenboat School Workshop

2011-07-26T14:18:00.010-04:00

Erica taught a workshop up at the Woodenboat School in Maine this July. The workshop was 'Metalworking for woodworkers and boat builders'. The focus was on lo-fi techniques in non-ferrous metalworking. Students soldered, brazed, welded, and forged stainless and copper alloys into sculpture and marine hardware.

After the tip is curled a bit more, this will assist everyone with another reward for a fine job.

Townline sign

2011-05-26T12:21:00.001-04:00

The City of Boston needed their Newton/Boston townline sign revamped. We initially tried to reclaim some of the parts, but ended up making a whole new sign with hand painted letters. This sign can be seen on Commonwealth Avenue.

Chair Reconfigured, Cont.

2011-04-30T09:30:00.000-04:00

The chair has been reconfigured to have the seat cantilevered to the side of the base. A steel box is fabricated around the opposite leg and filled with lead shot to counterweight a sitter.

Chair Reconfigured

2011-04-29T09:42:00.001-04:00

An architectural student at Harvard Graduate School of Design approached us to assist with a project. He was given a Ludwig Mies van der Rohe - Cantilever Chair, and was challenged with modifying the piece. Here are some pics of the process of fabricating this student's ingenious idea.

The original chair:

Hereford Street Rail

2011-02-17T14:52:00.001-05:00

Using a pre-profiled steel cap rail, I tapered the end, and then heat and curled the ends for a hand rail to a town house in Boston.

Replica Motorcycle Parts

2011-01-27T16:23:00.001-05:00

I was asked to fabricate some replica lamps for a vintage motorcycle. The client had the spun parts done elsewhere, and I worked on custom springs, clips, soldering rings, and machining all slots/holes in various parts. Here are some of the parts in production along with their originals....

Harvard Graduate School of Design January Term

2011-01-24T16:02:00.001-05:00

We had a great group of students from the GSD for a class called Architectural Metalwork. We reviewed and practiced welding (mig, tig, and oxy/acetylene), soldering and brazing, cutting, drilling, bending, and design/engineering with various metals. Projects built by students included a slick modern coat rack, a torqued geometric shape chair frame, a few different dual purpose side tables, custom bike parts, a mod exo-frame pivoting lamp...

Display Stands

2011-01-24T14:46:00.001-05:00

These are a few of many display stands we made for an architect's models. They were eventually powdercoated with a gloss clear.

Announcing The Workbench Annex

2011-01-01T15:55:00.001-05:00

Our workshops have developed into an official side project called The Workbench Annex. We are offering more than metalwork instruction! We are also looking for folks interested in teaching in a nice large flexible 3000 space that is also a metal shop. See flyer below, or click on link for webpage: www.magma-metalworks.com/workshops.php

Metalcraft Workshops and Studio Rental

2010-10-06T11:30:00.002-04:00

Make sculpture, repairs, tables, carts, hardware, gates, or just for learning sake!

3 hour sessions covering a wide variety of metalcraft techniques, or rent a block of time to use the shop and equipment. Private and group rates. Taking time/schedule requests.
Students must be 16 or older.

1 block from Beverly Depot Commuter Rail
Off street Parking

Rate is 75/hr with a 3 hour block minimum, and 7 person max.
Contact for private or group shop use/open studio rates and schedule possibilities.

Email Erica with questions and to join email list at workshops@magma-metalworks.com

Techniques covered can include :
Tig Welding
Mig Welding
Oxy-Acetylene Welding
Soldering
Basic Machining
Cutting and Drilling
Hot Forming
Cold Forming
Patination
Project Planning
Types of Finishing
Hot and Cold Attachments

Shop is 3000 sf first floor professional metalcraft workshop,
and instruction/assistance is with Erica Moody, founder of Magma Metalworks,
bringing 16 years of professional metalcraft experience.
Other instructors and specific workshops are being planned to start in January 2011 .
Send your requests as well.

Loft Ladder

2010-09-01T16:32:00.000-04:00

This is an aluminum ladder that is welded and machined, and then anodized with a black dye. Client wanted a light weight ladder that was minimal to lay flat against the wall, and be moveable/unhooked to use in other parts of the living space. Here are some pics of production:

Ducks!

2010-08-24T14:39:00.001-04:00

We were asked to give these brass ducks a warm patina. We start with a thorough cleaning.

Ducks!

2010-08-24T14:30:00.000-04:00

And then finish with patina application and wax.

Rendezvous Sign

2010-08-12T14:00:00.001-04:00

We just completed the installation of the new sign at Rendezvous in Central Square, Cambridge, Ma. This is a fine, fine restaurant, and we are proud to be working with them on their revamped store front. Here are some picture of the fabrication of the name part of the sign. These are painted aluminum letters, brass and stainless, both with patina finish.

The letters are waterjet cut from aluminum, and then we blind welded studs to them for gluing into sign substrate. Then they were powdercoat painted.

The frame is of stainless flat bar that is heat bent for the radiused corners, and then welded into a frame. The brass is given a warm honey brown patina and sealed.

Rendezvous Sign - New Canopy Fabrication

2010-08-12T13:40:00.002-04:00

Here is fabrication of the new stainless frame canopy, with brass sides and roof. It will be lit within so that the stars glimmer.

Rendezvous Sign - Old Canopy

2010-08-12T13:30:00.001-04:00

This is the existing canopy that we are replacing, as well as adding sconces and planters.

Forged Stainless Pendant

2010-06-25T12:19:00.002-04:00

Fenway Sign Panels

2010-03-25T15:33:00.000-04:00

The score and name panels start off as a clean sheet of metal. For them to become the panels you see on the Green Monster, custom holes need to be drilled along with rounding off the corners of the sheet.

Kevin begins to drill out the holes. After the holes are drilled the panels will be orbital sanded, cleaned, and then primed.

The Fenway Panels are primed and ready to go off to the painters.

stainless railing for South End residence

2010-03-05T16:42:00.000-05:00

This part of the railing will be placed on the landing. The 3/8 and 3/4 round bars have been bent for the curved detail near the top rail where the hand rail will be. Below are photos of curving the the bars - the metal was heated and then bent using a fixture. The last photo shows Kevin machining the 3/4 bar for a plug to attach to the flats (top and bottom rail pieces).

fabrication of railing - part three

2009-12-16T12:31:00.001-05:00

fabrication of railing (continued from earlier post)

The scrolls are then welded to the railing. Once the welding is complete, it's off to the painters.

fabrication of railing - part two

2009-12-16T12:26:00.000-05:00

fabrication of railing (continued from earlier post)

The design included scrolls placed under the handrail. Here, in a two step process the straight flat bar is heated and formed to make multiple scrolls.

fabrication of railing - part one

2009-12-16T12:21:00.001-05:00

After the drawings are complete we use the layout table to begin fabricating the railing. This exterior railing is made of mild steel and will be powder-coated with black paint.

hammered copper table top - part two

2009-12-11T13:08:00.001-05:00

copper table (continued from last post)-

After forming the copper sheet, we attach the sheet to the wood substrate for the table.

hammered copper table top - part one

2009-12-07T12:48:00.001-05:00

For this hammered copper table top we begin with a flat piece of annealed copper and begin to hammer marks on it.... until we reach the desired look. Then we apply patina to bring out the dimension and match the sample selected.

Scups Sign Installation

2009-11-07T15:15:00.000-05:00

Scups restaurant exterior sign fabrication

2009-11-06T11:10:00.003-05:00

Scups in the Harbor exterior sign. This sign an original design created by Erica Moody. Scups in the Harbor is located in East Boston. Highly recommended amazing food.

2009-10-23T10:37:00.002-04:00

Below are pictures showing the fabrication of the letters using copper sheet. The copper is soldered to give dimension to letters.

2009-10-02T10:10:00.000-04:00

Erica is welding the framework of the exterior sign for the restaurant Scups in the Harbor located in East Boston.

Fireplace Facades - Steel Patina

2009-04-08T18:32:00.000-04:00

Here are a couple of steel plate fireplace facades we are fabricating and giving a brownish/black patina finish.

Custom forged clips

2009-03-27T10:03:00.000-04:00

Heat bending to make clips for french cleat - designed to hang fireplace facade

Stella, Shop Dog

2009-03-10T18:34:00.000-04:00

This is Stella. She usually is napping in the office or doing quality control, but here she is checking out a friend's fine care in front of the studio, and out for a walk.

Curving Plates

2009-03-10T18:24:00.000-04:00

Curving a piece of flat steel without access to a heavy duty power roller can be challenging. Here we made many cuts on the back side (unseen) to facilitate rolling the radius. These cuts will also keep the piece flexible which will make it conform easier to the wood door that it will be attached to. Laurie is welding close the cuts on the edges which are visible. It then gets sanded and finished with a dark patina and wax. Pictures of the finished project to come....

Polishing Stainless

2009-03-10T18:16:00.001-04:00

Here are stainless elliptical tubing fabrications that are to be arms on custom designed gallery chairs. After the stainless tubing is welded, we go through many finishing steps to get the joints back to a mirror polish like the rest of the tube. Here is the final sanding step before buffing to a polish.

Our Shop

2009-03-10T17:42:00.000-04:00

Here is the office and lounge with the fabrication area beyond through our custom sliding glass and steel door. Our space has about 25 windows, half of which are south facing, which gives us plenty of nice light to see the fine details in finish work.

This other shot is of the fabrication area as seen from the office. We'll get more shots of the space, machines, and folks who work here as we go along.

Welcome

2009-02-15T22:03:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Magma Metalworks' new blog space.....please check out our website while we work on our first real blog post....