Ornamental and Miscellaneous

Metal

The official publication of the National Ornamental & Miscellaneous Metals Association

Shop Talk Plasma cutting has several benefits, 14

Shop Talk Multi-axis routing is today's workhorse, 22

Member Talk Blankenship has winning touch, 12

September I October 20 IJ $6.00 us

Biz Talk 6 Steps for starting content marketing, 57

BRASS/BRONZE TUBING IN STOCK FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT

INTRODUCING

The llASS/ffi~l%~® Railing System* By Lewis Brass , ... nwTPEwo1wG

*Bronze also available

The brass/glass railing is a new system of brass railing components for use on handrails, sneeze guards, area dividers, mirrors, signs, etc. Our product is a drawn tubular shape suitable for either satin finishing or mirror polish-ing and stocked in 718, 2, 2 1 /2, 3, and 3 1 /2 inch outside d iameters to accommodate 1 /8, 1I4, or. 1 /2 inch tempered glass panels.

We pride ourselves on our high quality and our customized service. Our complete cutting and polishing facilities will meet your every need.

" Join NOMMA ~i3

Today! NOMMA ListServ:

Get Quick Answers To Your Questions

The NOMMA ListServ allows you to tap into the knowledge of your peers around the world. It's an incredible tool, and it's one of your most valuable benefits as a NOMMA Member. Use the ListServ to ask fabrication questions, seek advice, or find an obscure item.

The ListServ works by "bouncing"your email to our 250+ subscribers. No matter how tough your question, you'll likely get an answer in minutes.

Plus, you'll have access to the ListServ Archives, which contains 12 yea rs of our industry's col lec­tive knowledge. The powerful search features allow you to find topics ranging from brass finish­ing to stair codes.

Tap into the power of NOMMA by joining today! And take advantage of our $1 00 off introductory special.

• Join Online: www.nomma.org

a nommainfo@nomma.org

e 888-516-8585, ext. 101

Pt USTSERV

Members Receive Awesome Benefits Membership Benefits

Online Video Library

Member Resource Kit

Subscriptions (O&MM Fabricator & NOMMANewswire)

Webinars

Vendor Discounts

Awards Contest

Discounts on all Media & Events

ListServ (member-to-member list)

Insurance Program (free safety manual)

Mentor Program & Buddy System

Member Locator let new dients find yo) u

Technical Support (on codes & standards)

Chapters• (automatic membership in your local chapter)

Free Downloads (tech data & more)

Knowledgebase

Online Tutorials

Roundtable Conference Calls

Affiliations (NOMMA decal & certificate)

NAAMM-NOMMA Finishes Manual

NOMMA Buyer's Guide

Recognition in O&MM Fabricator & NOMMA Buyer's Guide t

Exhibitor Discount

Mail List Access

Fabricators Suppliers

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*In areas with a chapter. t Only Nationwide Suppliers are listed in Fabricator.

2013-09-fab

FAX TO: 888-279-7994 Join Online: www.nomma.org • By Phone: 888-516-8585, ext. 101

NOMMA Membership Application Membership Category - Check One:

0 Fabricator· $.42'5 $325 (to pay in four payments, you can enroll in the Quaterty Payment Plan - please see below)

Metal fabricating shops, blacksmiths, artists or other firms and individuals in the industry whose products or services are sold directly to the consumer or the consumer's immediate agent.

Suppliers Supplier members are those members that produce or distribute materials, machinery, and accessories for the industry or provide services that may be used by the industry.

0 Nationwide· $595 (operating on a nationwide or international basis) 0 Regional· $465 (operating within a 500-mile radius) 0 Local· $375 (operating within a 150-mile radius)

0 Affiliate - $310.00 OTeacher 0 School 0 Non-profit organization Individuals, firms, organizations and schools that do not engage in the fabrication of ornamental or miscellaneous metal products, do not provide products or services to the industry, but have a special interest in the industry.

Company: ___________________________________ _

Primary Contact: _________________________________ _

Address: ____________________________________ _

City: ____________________ State: ____ Zip:----------

Country:------------------------------------Phone: ____________ Fax: ___________ Toll Free: _________ _

E-mail: ____________________ Web: ______________ _

Company Description/ Specialty: ___________________________________ _

Payment method: 0 Check (Payable to NOMMA, in us dollars, drawn on us bank)

0 AMEX 0 Discover 0 MasterCard 0 VISA

Card# ______________________ Exp.: _______ CVV: ___ _

Print name on card:---------------------------------Signature ___________________________________ _

JOIN BY JUNE 30, 2013 AND RECEIVE A $100 DISCOUNT OFF YOUR FIRST YEAR OF DUES*

Return to: NOMMA, 805 South Glynn St., Ste. 127 # 311 , Fayetteville, GA 30214 •Ph: 888-516-8585 •Fax: 888-279-7994 • nommainfo@nomma.org • www.nomma.org

Quarterly Payment Plan (there is a $6.25 processing fee for each transaction)

D Please enroll me in the Quarterly Payment Plan.

As a member you agree to follow NOMMA's Code of Ethics (viewable in the Member's Only area of the NOMMAwebsite)

Payment method: 0 Please auto charge my credit card . 0 Please bill me each quarter.

Questions? Contact: Liz Johnson, Member Care & Operations Manager: (888) 516-8585, ext. 101 , liz@nomma.org

•This Introductory Rate is only available to f irst-time members. 2013-054

~de Website articles

NOMMA Network

Shop tours announced for METALfab2014, March 12-15 ...... JO

METALfab keynoter to talk about "relevance acceleration:' JO

Top Job submission deadline with no late fee is December 31. JO

Pacific NW Chapter enjoys social media class, pulsed MIG demo. 11

Shop Talk

The benefits of plasma cutting···············-··············· J4 The advantages of plasma cutting over mechanical equipment are numerous.

Shop Talk

Multi-axis routing is today's workhorse ........ -............... 22 While new 3D printing technologies are getting the notice now, multi-axis routing is still pervasive partly due to its versatility, material variety, precision, ease of use, and efficiency.

'By Jeff 'Fogel

Videos on YouTube

September I October 201J Vol. 54, No. 5

Email newsletter

Content marketing: How to put the puzzle together. Story, page 57.

Member Talk

Blankenship's touch wins .......... 32 The hard work, vision, perseverance of Sherman Blankenship, and an inspiring mentor, helped Louisville metal shop Iron Touch thrive.

'By 'Peter J{ildebrandt

Top Job Profile

Riveting know-how ........... -......... 40 Steel Weldings Top Job of a fire­place door is an example of under­standing history and bringing back old skills, incljuding riveting.

'By Chris J{olt

Linkedln, Facebook company pages

Biz Talk

Not all healthcare act provisions under way yet. ............. 53 Some provisions of the health care act have already kicked in. Others will in 2014 and 2015. Still more in 2018.

Here's what is means for you now. 'By :Mark E. 'Battersby

Biz Talk

6 Steps to content marketing .... 57 There's more to content marketing PR and advertising. This article shows you what it is, and 6 steps to get your message out effectively.

'By Chrfa'line "Dunn

What's Hot!

Industry News ................................... 66 Wagner takes numerous steps toward sustainability and saves money. Products ....................................... 68

Suppler Members ............................ 64 New Members ................................... 65 Ad lndex ............................................... 73

President's Letter .......... 7 Exec. Director's Letter ... 8 NEF .................................. J2 Metal Moment .............. 74 The ROI ofNOMMA The steps for a Help support your Ways to clean pickets and networking. successful strategy. foundation. posts before fabrication.

About the cover The fireplace door, fabricated by Steel Welding, Freedom, PA, was designed to resemble a Pittsburgh blast fur­nace. It won a 2013 Top Job Gold Award in the Furniture & Accessory Fabrication - Nonforged category. See story on page 40.

September I October 2013 • Fabricator 5

1 closer to fit all gates Industrial quality for gates up to 330 lbs. Simple installation with QUICK-FIX fasteners (0 5/8" holes) Hydraulic, temperature independent dosing performance Smooth opening operation (bearing based) Smooth dosing or "snap" shut for positive latching Vertically & Horizontally adjustable %" ADA Compliant

No need to drill large holes No need to paint or powdercoat brackets yourself No endless hinge & closer combinations No (separately sold) mounting brackets needed

~ President's Letter

The ROI of NOMMA networking 'By J. 'R. Jl{olina around people that are better at

it than you are: "Where did your company learn to produce such incredible stairs and rails?" is a question I am often asked by Big D customers. My response: "Our expertise was not acquired overnight It took many years and a lot of lost time and money to gain the experi­ence and reputation we have:'

J.R. Molina, Big D Metalworks, is president

"That's when we found NOMMA. Now ornamental iron is 60% of our business. We attribute this directly to our embracing the relationships that NOMMA offers. The willing­ness of the membership to share their knowledge has been vital and inspiring for our business:' of NOMMA.

About 20 years ago, Big D was a pool fence and gate company. We grew into the company we are today by building our knowledge base at NOMMA con­ventions and participating in various classes. The education and support we gain through our NOMMA member­ship helped Big D gain confidence to sell stair and rail projects.

We began fabricating high-end residential gates and interior stair rail­ings, and with the education and pro­fessional connections we acquired at METALfab, we aspired to greater levels.

Since we've been in NOMMA, Big D has built relationships with other great companies in the industry. We have partnered with Keeler Iron, Alamnance Iron, Boyler Iron, and others to learn and share knowledge. These relation­ships, and the access to professional education, are paramount to the value of Big D and drive our desire to con­tinue being involved with NOMMA.

Knowing that other NOMMA mem­bers have experienced similar gains on their membership investment, two Board members agreed to share some of their experiences:

Allyn Moseley Heirloom Stair & Iron

"Before 2003, Heirloom was a wood fabrication shop, with no metal capa­bilities. All of our metal balustrades were outsourced and profits were out­sourced with it. We then moved it all in-house with the motto: 'If you want to get really good at something, hang

September I Odober 2013 • Fabricator

Greg Bailey Bailey Metal Fabricators Inc.

"I have multiple cases where a NOMMA member has helped me or I have helped them. In November 2012, we had a request from a contractor out of Indianapolis working in Sioux Falls, SD. A NOMMA member I met in Orlando at METALfab recommended us.

"This project came when business was slow. It actually made our year­end very good. Had it not been for NOMMA, I would have never made contact with this contractor.

"In early 2012, we fabricated a small project for Keeler Ironworks that was delivered 30 miles from our location. Again, NOMMA made it possible.

''.A few years ago, we needed pickets where a Y:z -inch rod is tied in a knot. I posted on the NOMMA ListServ what I needed, and Carl Grainger responded. His work turned out exactly like we wanted and on time. I feel these proj­ects have more than paid my dues for many years to come:'

As shown in these testimonials, NOMMA is a valuable resource. I can say with confidence: "If you need something, just ask:'

NOMMA'.s Board and members are here to support, listen, and assist you in gaining knowledge and value so your business can thrive in your community.

q .

Dedicated to the success of our members and industry.

NOMMA OFFICERS President

J.R. Molina, Big D Metalworks, Dallas, TX President-Elect

Mark Koenke, Germantown Iron & Steel Corp. Jackson, WI Vice President/Treasurer

Allyn Moseley, Heirloom Stair & Iron, Campobello, SC

Immediate Past President Will Keeler, Keeler Iron Works, Memphis, TN

FABRICATOR DIRECTORS Greg Balley, Bailey Metal Fabricators, Mitchell, SD Keith Majka, Majka Railing Co. Inc., Paterson, NJ Tina Tennlkalt. Superior Fence & Orn. Iron,

Cottage Hills, IL Greg Terrill, Division 5 Metalworks, Kalamazoo, Ml Cathy Vequlst. Pinpoint Solutions, Jupiter, Fl Henry Wheeler, Wheeler Ornamental Metals,

Dothan, Al

SUPPLIER DIRECTORS Rick Ralston, Feeney Inc., Eugene, OR Mark Sisson, Mac Metals Inc., Kearny, NJ Dave White Jr •• locinox USA. Countryside, IL

NOMMA EDUCATION FOUNDATION OFFICERS Co-Chairs

Roger cartsen, Ephraim Forge Inc., Frankfort. IL Lynn Parquette, Mueller Ornamental Iron Works Inc.,

Elite Architectural Metal Supply LLC, Elk Grove Village, IL

Treasurer Mike Boyler, Boyler's Ornamental Iron Inc.,

Bettendorf, IA

NEF TRUSTEES Heidi Blschmann, Milwaukee, WI cart Grainger, Grainger Metal Works, Nichols, SC Mark Koenke .• Germantown Iron & Steel Corp.,

Jackson, WI Christopher Mahner, Christopher Metal Fabricating.

Grand Rapids, Ml Rob Rolves, Foreman Fabricators, St. Louis, MO

NOMMA CHAPTERS Chesapeake Boy

Patty Koppers, President. Koppers Fabricators Inc. Forestville, MD 813-248-3348

Florido Marco Vasquez. President. Vasquez Custom Metals

Inc., Tampa, Fl, 813-248-3348 Guff Coast

Charles Perez. President. B & 0 Machine Welding. Brookhaven, MS, 985-630-6943

Northeast Keith Majka, President, Majka Railing Co. Inc.,

Paterson, NJ, 973-247-7603

Pacific Northwest Gale Schmidt, President, A2 Fabrication Inc.

Milwaukie, OR, 503-nl-2000

Upper Midwest Mark O'Malley, President, O'Malley Welding &

Fabricating Inc., Yorkville, IL, 630-553-1604

NOMMA STAFF Executive Director, J. Todd Daniel, CAE Meetings & Exposition Manager;

NEF Executive Director, Martha Pennington Member Core & Operations Manager, Liz Johnson Editor, Robin Sherman Soles Director, Sherry lhelen

FABRICATOR EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Terry Barrett, Pinpoint Solutions, Jupiter, Fl Doug Bracken, Wiemann Metalcraft, Tulsa, OK Biii Coleman, Arc Angels, Dunedin, Fl Nancy Hayden, Tesko Enterprises, Norridge, IL Chris Holt. Steel Welding. Freedom, PA Rob Rolves, Foreman Fabricators, St. Louis, MO

7

How to reach us Ornamental & Miscellaneous Metal Fabricator (ISSN 0191 -5940), is the official publication of the National Ornamental & Miscellaneous Metals Association (NOMMA).

O&MM Fabricator I NOMMA 805 South Glynn St., Ste. 127, #311 Fayetteville, GA 30214

Editorial We love articles! Send story ideas, letters, press releases, and product news to: Fabricator at address above. Ph/Fax: 888-516-8585. E-mail: fabricator@nomma.org.

Advertise Reach 8,000 fabricators For information, call Sherry Theien, Ph: 815-282-6000. Email stheien@att. net. Ads are due on the first Friday of the month preceding the cover date. Send ads to: Fabricator at address above. Email ads to: fabricator@nomma.org (max. 5 megs by e-mail). Or upload ads to our website where a downloadable media kit is available: www.nomma.org.

Membership Join NOMMA! Beyond the magazine, enjoy more benefits as a NOMMA member. To join, call 888-516-8585, ext. 101. For a list of benefits, see membership ad in this issue.

Exhibit in METALfab Exhibit at METAL­fab, NOMMA's annual convention and trade show. For more information, con­tact Martha Pennington at 888-516-8585, ext. 104, or martha@nomma.org.

Subscriptions Subscription questions? Call 888-516-8585. Send subscription address changes to: Fabricator Sub­scriptions, 805 South Glynn St., Ste. 127, #311, Fayetteville, GA 30214. Fax: 888-516-8585, or fabricator@nomma.org.

1-year: U.S., Canada, Mexico - $30 2-year: U.S., Canada, Mexico - $50 1-year: all other countries - $44 2-year: all other countries - $78

Payment in U.S. dollars by check drawn on U.S. bank or money order. For NOMMA members, a year's subscription is a part of membership dues.

NOMMA Buyer's Guide Published each December as a separate issue. Deadline for all advertising materi­als is October 31. Contact Sherry Theien at 815-282-6000 or stheien@att.net.

Opinions expressed in Fabricator are not necessarily those of the editors or NOMMA. Articles appearing in Fabrica­tor may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of NOMMA.

© 2013 National Ornamental & Miscellaneous Metals Association

8

~ Executive Director's Letter

The steps for a successful strategy 'By Todd 'Daniel • Create an "operational

strategy" where you provide the money, staff, and volunteer resources to make it happen.

Recently, president-elect Mark Koenke and I attended a CEO strategic planning presentation that gives me more clarity on how a nimble and successful association should perform. Todd Daniel

• Always make adjustments. The process reminds me of

old war movies, where the sol­diers take one hill, regroup, and take the next one. We got a "big picture" view

on how NOMMA can better meet our industry's needs. The principles apply to any business,

is executive director of NOMMA. NOMMA's big goal

and I encourage every member to create a strategic plan, or at least, a basic busi­ness plan for your shop.

NOMMA has engaged in strate-gic planning since the 1980s, but, until recently, we didn't have continuity or follow-through. In 2010, we adopted the "Tecker Model" developed by a long­time association consultant and consid­ered a "best practice" by the American Society of Association Executives.

The NOMMA board is getting better at "visioneering" where it wants to go, fleshing out ideas, providing resources for implementation, and building a stronger organization to achieve our goal: solving problems for members and helping them to be more successful.

The strategic roadmap • Determine your purpose, values. • Decide where you would like to go

and set your "big goal:' • Look for challenges, opportunities. • Create a smaller set of goals, objec­

tives, and strategies. • Pick 1-3 objectives per year. The

Board and association should rally behind them.

• Review goals annually to ensure they are on track and fit with your pur­pose. Set new priorities as needed.

.. -Ill• "·•1n:r@i'"f '\...,...•••-in"!lli'l"'t'

While NOMMA has had a purpose and mission statement for years, only recently has the Board set a new "big goal": "To deliver outstanding programs and services to our members, resulting in competitive advantages and industry excellence within the orna­mental, architectural, and miscellaneous metalworking industry:'

Our goal will be reached by focusing on a few objectives each year, which will be backed up by strategies. From there, an action plan is formed and the needed funds and labor are appropriated.

Forward thinking One of the greatest transitions in

NOMMA'.s history was in 2010 when its Board switched from operational to strategic. The idea: The Board charts direction, set policies, and serves as overseer.It's the committees, task forces, and staff that do the "heavy lifting" and execute the strategic plan of the Board.

This is how a healthy association works, and I'm delighted to see NOM­MA'.s board getting better at this. With­out this process, we would be a ship without a rudder, and I'm thrilled that we are now sailing "full speed ahead:'

Are you a NOMMA Top Job winner? Do you have how-to, step-by-step tips to share? Have you solved an interesting fabrication problem?

Write for Fabricator. Contact Editor Robin Sherman at nomma.editor@att.net.

Fabricator • September I Odober 201 l

Established in 1987, Krando Metal Products, Inc. has effectively developed a reputation by continuously providing high quality components in a timely manner. This reputation has helped Krando Metal differentiate ourselves from other companies in the industry.

Krando Metal Products Inc. , is constantly updating its facility with state-of-the-art machinery, so that we may remain more diversified and versatile in the products we manufacture and the services we offer.

These modern technological capabilities provide Krando Metal with a competitive advantage.

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~ The NOMMA Network

Shop tours announced for METALfab2014, March 12-15 To help you plan for NOMMA'.s 56th annual convention and exhibition, March 12-15, in St Louis (St. Charles), MO, the METALfab2014 Convention Committee has named the shop tour stops for the convention:

• Missouri Ornamental Iron, St. Louis: Family-owned fabricator spe­cializing in railings, gates, and fencing.

• Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool, Foristell: A nationwide supplier offer­ing a line of metal fabrication tools, including notchers and benders.

• LE. Sauer Machine Company, St Louis: A nationwide supplier provid­ing laser cutting, machining, and heat treating.

• Classic Metal Craft, St. Louis: Family-owned fabricator focusing on fencing, handrails, and other custom­designed ironwork.

• AZZ Galvanizing, St Louis: Nationwide supplier member offering full galvanizing services for a variety of industries.

'This list is tentative and subject to change. ~ thanks to 'Rob 'Rolves oj'foreman 'Fabricators 1nc., who is serving as 2014 Shop 'Tour Coordinator.

METALfab2014 keynote speaker to talk about 1relevance acceleration' Sam Richter, our keynote speaker, will teach you how to "tell your company's story in a manner that your buyer cares about and wants to hear:'

His presentation will provide attendees with new and innovative ways to find new prospects, con­nect with people, and build powerful and meaningful business relationships.

An internationally recognized expert on sales, marketing, and leadership, Sam is a well-known speaker, author, and founder and CEO

10

of SBR Worldwide/Know More! He is considered one of the world's foremost sales intelligence thought leaders, and he will share a secret that most of us already know - knowledge is power!

While every sales program and book teaches the value of knowing what's important to the other person and connecting on a personal level, Sam will show you how to do it!

Sam was recently named one of the "Top 25 Most Influential People In Sales" by Inside View, a marketing intelligence company.

He has won numerous awards and has been featured in various maga­zines, including the 'Business Journal, which included him in their "Forty Under 40" list.

Top Job submission deadline December 31

Start thinking about the 2014 Ernest Wiemann Top Job Contest The deadline is December 31, with a late deadline ofJanuary 13 (late fee required).

The contest is open to all NOMMA members, including nationwide sup­pliers. Full information is available from the NOMMA website (www. nommaorg).

Judging will be done by mem-bers during METALfab2014, and the awards will be presented at the Awards Banquet Saturday, March 15, 2014, in St. Louis, MO.

For the 2014 contest the Top Job

An invitation from JR Molina, Big D Metal­works, NOMMA President & Convention Committee Chair, 2013-2014

I would like to extend an invitation to every NOMMA member and nonmembers alike to attend METALfab 2014 in St. Charles, MO, March 12-15.

Each year before the convention, attending members from my company meet to plan our METAL­fab strategy. In other words, we develop a list of goals we want to accomplish, what we want to obtain or learn from our attendance. This may include information on a particular tool the shop needs, on collaboration software, or how other companies do their drawings.

Whatever the needs are, we always have an agenda before we leave. We always see a return on our investment from attending METAL­fab in the form of gaining knowl­edge relevant to our current needs.

METALfab objedive My goal for METALfab 2014 is

to offer attendees the best educa­tion programs possible and to pro­vide new and exciting products for attendees to learn about

Attending METALfab every year is important for several reasons:

• For members to grow their business.

• For the industry to grow. • For NOMMA to stay relevant

in the metal community. Therefore, I challenge every­

one to attend METALfab and let's give back to an association that has given so much to so many.

I look forward to seeing every­one at METALfab2014 in St. Louis/ St Charles, MO.

-JR !Molina

Fabricator • September I Odober 2013

Pacific NW Chapter enjoys social media class, pulsed MIG demo The Pacific Northwest Chapter enjoyed a social media presentation at their June meeting in Portland, OR

The session showed members how to use various online tools and the pros and cons of each. Attendees also dis­cussed the time investment required for social media.

Attendees saw a pulsed MIG demonstration, and host Greg Madden, Madden Fabrication, led a shop tour.

Other highlights included a great lunch, raffle drawing, mini-vendor display, and business session, at which Greg discussed the benefits ofNOMMA membership and intro­duced the vendors, who then gave a short presentation.

A thanks goes to Madden Fabrication for hosting the meeting and to Colleen Wright, Response Interactive, for leading the social media presentation.

Fabrication team member, right. demonstrates

pulsed MIG welding technique

with chapter attendees

Committee is announcing a new addi­tion - award certificates! All win­ners can now purchase certificate plaques to present to other individuals involved in the project, including cli­ents, subcontractors, and employees.

Call for Speakers METALfab2014

A sample award certificate will appear at the Top Job Gallery voting booth during METALfab, and the esti­mated cost will be between $60-$70 per plaque.

There are no rule changes for the contest, but the committee has issued a couple of clarifications:

• Definition of a Door: "A door divides an exterior and interior space and/or is designed for temperature control:'

Commentary: This definition helps to clarify doors/gates that open into courtyards or wine cellar gate/doors.

• Anonymity Rule: Jobs previ­ously appearing in print or online in a NOMMA publication or website are ineligible for the competition.

Commentary: For the past decade there has been confusion about rule #13, which requires anonymity. The rule was originally intended to prevent entrants from discussing their work in the gallery area, but questions have repeatedly come up about the scope of this rule. The statement above pro­vides clarity.

Contact Top Job Chair Justin Pig­ott, Emerald Ironworks, 703-690-2477 ext 3, or send an email to: topjob@ nomma.org.

September I Odober 2013 • Fabricator

If you have a topic that you would like to share with METALfab2014 atte ndees at the convention, March 12-15, in St. Louis/

St. Charles, MO, please contact: Lynn Parquette NEF METALfab education chair lynn@ornamentallron.net

11

~ NOMMA Education Foundation 'In partnership with the 'National Ornamental & ::Miscellaneous ::Metals .Jlssociation

Help support your foundation The NOMMA Education Foundation (NEF) was established in 2001 to provide educa­tional opportunities to the ornamental & miscellaneous metals industry.

To this end, NEF has:

a memorial gift (passing of someone in the industry) or honorarium (letting an indus­try member know that you honor them and their contribution while they are still part of the industry, at retirement, or other special occasions in their business life). • provided education at the annual

conference (METALfab), • created video education, • supported new and existing chapters

with education programs, • hosted educational webinars,

Lynn Parquette, left, Mueller Ornamental Iron Works Inc. & Elite Architectural Metal Supply LLC and Roger Carlsen, owner, Ephraim Forge Inc., are NEF co-chairs.

When you make a memorial gift or hon­orarium a special letter is sent to the family or individual acknowledging the honor that has been bestowed on them or their loved one.

• provided continuing education classes, and • funded research projects beneficial to the industry. Each year we ask for your support through financial

donations, for example: • providing items for the NEF Auctions held during

METALfab, • bidding on items at the auctions, and • participating in other fund raising activities. Please also remember the foundation at special times with

Through these donations, the foundation can continue and expand its work to provide educational opportunities, plus you let someone special know that they are important to you and the industry.

NEF is your foundation. It depends on your support. Please consider a donation, honorarium, or memorial gift today. You can fill out the form below and send to NEF, 805 South Glynn St., Ste. 127, #311, Fayetteville, GA 30214 or fax to (888) 279-7994.

Yes! I want to help support NEF operation and programs with a donation.

City __________________________ State. __ ~Zip _____ _

Is the donation D Personal or D Company

x 1 Type of Donation D Cash donation D Honorarium D Memorial Gift

x I

Donation Amount D $20 D $50 D $100 D $500 D $1,000 D Other$ _________ _

Payment Method D Check Credit Card: D AMX D MC D Visa D Discover

Credit card number _________________ Expiration _____ CCV ____ _

Name on card _______________ Signature ________________ _

Your suppott of the foundation and its programs is greatly appreciated!

tMfr"1

For more information on donating to the NOMMA Education Foundation Contact NEF Executive Director Martha Pennington, 888-516-8585 x 104, martha@nomma.org.

12 Fabricator • September I Odober 201 l

2014 Contest

~··

A Member?

For details, visit: www.nomma.org Not 1 oo discount Ask about our $ mbershiP offer. introductory me

·All NOMMA members are eligible.

·Win a beautiful plaque for your winning Top Job entry.

• Press releases are sent out for winners.

·Voting is done by NOMMA members during the METALfab convention.

·Winners will be announced at the annual awards banquet, on March 15, 2014, in St. Louis, MO.

Earn the recognition you deserve!

September I Odober 2013 • Fabricator

Contest Information Deadline: December 31, 2013 Late Deadline: January 13, 2014*

Details: Categories, rules, and entry form are contained in the Contest Brochure, which can be downloaded from the NOMMA website. Or, call the NOMMA office and we can fax or mail you a copy (888-515-8585, ext. 101).

Rule Changes: Prints are now required for each entry, but we encourage you to include digital copies as well on a CD (or via email).

Questions: Visit the Top Job support area on the web (www.nomma.org) or send an emailto: topjob@ nomma.org.

Top Job Chair: Justin Pigott, Emerald Ironworks

*Additional fee required for late entries.

13

Take care to use proper protection when plasma cutting. including closed shoes, gloves, long-sleeved jacket and correctly shaded eye protection in the form of a welding he lmet, goggles, or safety glasses.

Editor's note: This article provided by Lincoln Electric Co., Cleveland, OH, is a primer about plasma cutting technolo­gies. The features and specifications, as well as the useful tips, discussed in the article are believed to apply to plasma cutters available across the indu~ry.

Do you need a cutting tool for occa­sional repair and maintenance work? Have you embarked on a project that requires higher cutting volumes? Or, are you looking for an alternative to your current mechanical saw?

Each of these scenarios are reasons to investigate plasma cutting or oxy­fuel, the two primary alternatives to mechanical cutting.

Plasma, however, might be the method to use now because the costs of the machines are declining; smaller­sized, portable machines are flooding the market; and the technology offers more benefits, including ease of use, higher quality cuts, and faster travel speeds.

14

What is plasma cutting technology?

In simplest terms, plasma cutting is a process that uses a high velocity jet of ionized gas that is delivered from a constricting orifice. The high velocity ionized gas, that is, the plasma, con­ducts electricity from the torch of the plasma cutter to the work piece. The plasma heats the work piece and melts the material. The high velocity stream of ionized gas mechanically blows the molten metal away, severing the material.

Plasma cutting can be performed on any type of conductive metal - mild steel, aluminum and stainless are some examples. With mild steel, operators will experience faster, thicker cuts than with alloys.

How does plasma cutting compare to oxyfuel cutting?

Oxyfuel cutting, however, using a flame containing oxygen and a fuel, cuts ferrous material by burning, or oxidizing the metal it is severing.

Where plasma cuts using heat, oxidiz­ing involves a chemical reaction that can only be obtained when the process is applied to ferrous materials, hence a limitation of oxyfuel cutting. Metals such as aluminum and stainless steel form an oxide that inhibits further oxi­dization, making conventional oxyfuel cutting impossible.

Plasma cutting does not rely on oxi­dation to work, and thus it can cut alu­minum, stainless, and any other con­ductive material. Plasma cutting only relies on compressed air and electricity. Essentially, electricity brings high heat to the compressed air to create plasma, which is concentrated through a nozzle. The plasma cuts while the force pro­vided by the compressed air blows away the slag to provide a clean cut

While different gasses can be used for plasma cutting, compressed air is typically used for the plasma gas because it is usually already in most shops for other applications.

Another reason other gases aren't used is due to their higher costs and the

Fabricator • September I Odober 2013

G ~ I~ ~ I\. AL t Al /~ L (] G

need for separate distribution systems. However, sometimes in the field, where compressed shop air is not available, a nitrogen gas cylinder will be used -air cylinders may be more expensive.

What can I use a plasma cutter for?

Plasma cutting is ideal for cutting steel, and non-ferrous material less than 1 inch thick.

Plasma cutting is typically easier for the novice to master, and on thin­ner materials, plasma cutting is much faster than oxyfuel cutting. How­ever, for heavy sections of steel (1 inch and greater), oxyfuel is still preferred because it is typically faster, and for heavier plate applications, very high capacity power supplies are required for plasma cutting applications.

Oxyfuel cutting requires that the operator carefully control the cutting speed to maintain the oxidizing pro­cess. Plasma is more forgiving in this regard.

Plasma cutting really shines in some niche applications, such as cut­ting expanded metal, something that is nearly impossible with oxyfuel. Com­pared to mechanical cutting, plasma

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cutting is typically much faster and can easily make non-linear cuts.

What are the limitations to plasma cutting? Where is oxyfuel preferred?

The plasma cutting machines are typically more expensive than oxyacety­lene, and oxyacetylene does not require access to electrical power or com­pressed air, which may make it a more convenient method for some. Oxyfuel can cut thicker sections (>1 inch) of steel more quickly than plasma.

What to look for when purchasing a plasma cutting machine

Once you have determined plasma cutting is the right process for you, look at the following factors when making a buying decision.

1 Determine the thickness of the metal that you will most frequently cut

One of the first factors to deter­mine is the thickness of metal most frequently cut. Most plasma cutting power sources are rated on their cut­ting ability and amperage. If you most often cut IA -inch-thick material, con­sider a lower amperage plasma cutter. If you most frequently cut metal that is 1h inch in thickness look for a higher amperage machine.

Even though a smaller machine may be able to cut through a given thick­ness of metal, it might not produce a quality cut Instead, you might get a sever cut that barely makes it through the plate and leaves behind dross. Dross is a byproduct of metal impuri­ties created as the base material melts during cutting. Dross must be removed to the greatest extent possible so it won't negatively impact weld quality.

Every unit has an optimal range of thickness. Make sure it matches what you need. Generally, a IA-inch machine has about 25 amps of output, a 1h-inch machine has a 50-60 amp output while a% inch-1 inch machine has 80 amps output

2 Select your optimal cutting speed

Do you perform most of your cut­ting in a production environment or in

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an atmosphere where cutting speed isn't as critical?

When buying a plasma cutter, the manufacturer should provide cutting speeds for all thickness of metal measured in IPM (inches per minute). If the metal you cut most frequently is >A-inch, a machine that offers higher amperages can cut through the metal much faster than one rated at a lower amperage, although both will do the job.

For production cutting, a good rule of thumb is to choose

pie, a less than 90°-angle cut on a part that requires a perpendicular cut (90°) would be out-of-spec.

Look for a plasma cutter that offers a tight, focused arc that con­centrates more cutting power on the work piece.

Another test is to lift up the plasma torch from the plate while cutting. See how far you can move the torch away from the work piece and still maintain an arc. A longer arc means more volts and the ability to cut through thicker plate.

6 Pilot-to-cut and cut-to-pilot trans fers

a machine that can handle about twice your normal cutting thick­ness. For example, to perform long, fast, quality production cuts on >A-inch steel, choose a Y:z -inch-class (60 amp) machine.

If you are performing long, time­consuming cuts or are cutting in an automated set-up, check into the machine's duty cycle, the time you can continuously cut before

Lead instructor Neil Mansfield assists student Mikayla Bradford, showing her how to hold the correct torch­to-work distance with the oxyacetylene cutting process. Bot h are from Assabet Valley Regional Technica l High School, Marlborough, MA.

The transfer from pilot arc to cutting arc occurs when the pilot arc is brought close to the work piece. A voltage potential from nozzle to work piece is the means for this transfer. Traditionally, a large resistor in the pilot arc current path created this voltage potential.

the machine or torch will overheat and require cooling.

Duty cycle is rated as a percentage of a 10-minute period. For example, a 60% duty cycle at 50 amps means you can cut with 50 amps output power continuously for six minutes out of a 10-minute period. The higher the duty cycle, the longer you can cut without taking a break.

J Can the machine offer alternative to high frequency starting?

Most plasma cutters have a pilot arc that uses high frequency to conduct electricity through the air. However, high frequency can interfere with com­puters or office equipment that may be in use in the area. Thus, methods that eliminate the potential problems asso­ciated with high frequency starting cir­cuits may be advantageous.

The lift arc method features a DC+ nozzle with a DC-electrode inside. Initially, the nozzle and the electrode physically touch. When the trigger is pulled, current flows between the elec­trode and the nozzle.

Next, the electrode pulls away from the nozzle and a pilot arc is established. The transfer from pilot to cutting arc occurs when the pilot arc is brought close to the work piece. This transfer

18

is caused by the electric potential from nozzle to work.

4 Compare consumable cost versus consumable life

Plasma cutting torches have a vari­ety of wear items or consumables that require replacement Consumables for plasma cutting include compressed gas such as air or nitrogen, the cutting elec­trodes, and the welding tips.

Look for a manufacturer that offers a machine with the fewest number of consumables. Also, see how long a con­sumable will last. Be sure when com­paring one machine against another that you are comparing the same data. Some manufacturers will rate consum­ables by number of cuts while others will use the number of starts.

5 Test the machine and examine cut quality

Make test cuts on a number of machines, traveling at the same rate of speed on the same thickness of material to see which machine offers the best quality. As you compare cuts, examine the bottom of the plate for dross.

Also, see if the kerf (the gap left by cut) angle is 90° or less. The angle can affect assembly operations or may result in out-of-spec parts. For exam-

This voltage potential directly affects the height at which the arc can transfer. After the pilot arc transfers to the work piece, a switch (relay or transistor) is used to open the current path.

Look for a machine that provides a quick, positive transfer from pilot to cutting at a large transfer height. Your equipment manufacturer or distribu­tor should be able to provide informa­tion regarding transfer. These machines will be more forgiving to the operator and will better support gouging, the removal of imperfections in the mate­rial, or even old welds. In gouging, the cut does not pass all the way through -think of digging with a shovel.

A good way to test transfer charac­teristics is by cutting expanded metal or gratings. In these instances, the machine will be required to quickly transfer from pilot to cut and back to pilot very quickly.

To get around this, a manufacturer might recommend you cut expanded metal using only the pilot current.

Given the many openings in expanded metal or gratings, the absence of the metal switches the cur­rent to pilot mode. When the metal is encountered again, the current switches again for cuttings. This means that the plasma cutter must switch rapidly back

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11 Ways to make the most of a plasma cutting tool After you have selected the plasma

cutting machine that is right for you, here are some tricks-of-the-trade that will help beginners make the best pos­sible cut.

l Set-up procedures Before you start, check for the fol ­

lowing items: • A clean compressed air sup-

ply, without water or oil. Consum­ables that wear quickly, or black burn marks on the plate, may indicate that the air is contaminated.

• Correct air pressure that can be checked by looking at the gauges on the unit

• A nozzle and electrode that are correctly in place.

• A good connection of the work lead to a clean portion of the work.

2 Safety gear Some basic safety practices should

be observed. • Read your instruction man­

ual thoroughly to understand the machine.

• Wear long sleeves and gloves while cutting since molten metal is generated during the cutting process.

• Eye protection such as dark gog­gles or a welding shield is required to

and forth between pilot and cutting current. If that does not occur, it is best to keep the current set for pilot

7 Check the machine's working visibility

As you work on an application, you want to see what you are cutting, espe­cially when tracing a pattern. Visibil­ity is facilitated by the geometry of the torch - a smaller, less bulky torch will enable you to better see where you are cutting, as will an extended nozzle.

8 Look for the portability factor Many fabricators use their plasma

cutter for a variety of cutting applica­tions and need to move the machine around a plant, job site, or even from site to site. Having a lightweight,

20

protect your eyes from the cutting arc. Typically, a darkness shade of #7 to #9 is acceptable.

• Follow all safety tips and guide­lines that are detailed in your instruc­tion manual.

3 Piercing the work Many inexperienced users try to

pierce the metal by coming straight down, perpendicular (90°) to the work. This results in molten metal being blown back into the torch. A better method is to approach the metal at an angle (60° from horizon­tal, 30° from vertical) and then rotate the torch to the vertical position. This way, the molten metal is blown away from the torch.

4 Don't touch the nozzle to the work piece Do not touch the nozzle to the

work when using current levels of 45 amps or more. Doing so will drasti­cally reduce the nozzle life because the cutting will double arc through the nozzle. Double arcing can also occur if the torch is guided by drag­ging it against a metal template. The result is the same as dragging the nozzle on the work - prematurely worn nozzles.

portable unit and a means of transpor­tation for that unit - such as a valet­style undercarriage or shoulder strap - make all the difference. Addition­ally, if floor space in a work area is lim­ited, a machine with a small footprint is valuable.

Also, you may want a machine that offers storage for the work cable, torch, and consumables. Built-in storage improves portability since these items will not drag on the ground or get lost during machine transport.

9 Determine the ruggedness of the machine

For today's hard job site environ­ments, look for a machine that offers durability and has protected controls. For example, fittings and torch connec-

5 Beginners should use a drag cup to facilitate the cut Many systems offer an insulated

drag cup, which snaps over the nozzle. This allows the torch to rest on the work piece and be dragged along to facilitate a consistent cut

6 Travel at the right speed When moving at the right cutting

speed, the molten metal spray will blow out the bottom of the plate at a i5°-20° angle.

If you move too slowly, you will create slow speed dross, which is an accumulation of molten metal on the bottom edge of the cut When mov-ing too fast, high-speed dross on the top surface is created since you are not allowing time for the arc to completely go through the metal. Traveling too fast or too slow will create a low-quality cut

Typically, low speed dross can be distinguished from high-speed dross by ease of removal. For example, low speed dross can be removed by hand whereas high-speed dross typically requires grinding.

7 Set the current to maximum as you begin When setting the current, put it on

the maximum output of the machine,

tions that are protected will wear better than those that aren't.

Some machines offer a protective cage around the air filter and other integral parts of the machine. These filters are an important feature since they ensure oil is removed from the compressed air. Oil can cause arcing and reducing cutting performance. Protection of these filters is impor­tant because they ensure oil and water, which reduces cutting performance, is removed from the compressed air.

10 Is the machine easy to operate, is it comfortable?

Look for a plasma cutter that has a big, easy-to-read control panel that is user-friendly. Such a panel allows someone who does not normally use

Fabricator • September I October 2013

then turn it down as needed. More power is usually better, except when doing precision cutting or when you need to keep a small kerf.

8 Minimize pilot arc time Because of the wear it creates on the consumables,

minimize the time spent in pilot arc mode. To do this, position the plasma torch by the edge of the work before starting the arc so you can get right to cutting.

9 Maintain a constant work distance Optimally, you should maintain a Y.6-inch to \IS-inch dis­

tance from the nozzle to the work. Moving the torch in an up and down fashion will only hinder your efforts.

J 0 Travel in the diredion that will give you the best finished work

If you are making a circular cut and plan to keep the round piece as your finished work, move in a clockwise direction. If you plan to keep the piece from which the circle was cut, move in a counterclockwise direction.

As you push the torch away from you, the better cut will appear on the metal that is on the right-hand side, since it will tend to have a better, squarer edge.

J J End with a push angle on thick material One trick to use on thicker material is to rotate the

torch slightly, increasing the torch orientation to a push, rather than a drag angle as you cut through the last section of material. This increase in the push angle at the finish will cut through the bottom first and get rid of the bottom corner that is usually left at the end of thick plate.

Never finish a cut by using the torch to hammer away the last corner of the work.

a plasma cutter to use it more easily. A machine with pro­cedural information clearly printed on the unit helps with set-up and troubleshooting.

How does the torch feel in your hand? You want some­thing that has good ergonomics and feels comfortable.

11 Look for safety features Look for a machine that offers a true nozzle-in-place

safety sensor. With such a feature, the plasma cutter will not start an arc unless the nozzle is in place.

Some safety systems can be fooled into thinking the nozzle is in place even when it is not If the output is turned on without correct installation and placement of the nozzle, the operator will be exposed to 300 volts DC, a very unsafe condition.

Look for a machine that provides a pre-flow sequence. This feature provides a warning before the arc initiates. In addition, look for a machine that provides a three-second, pre-flow safety that gives users a warning to make sure all body parts are clear of the nozzle before the arc initiates. fl@

September I October 2013 • Fabricator 21

Shop Talk

tin 11

IS r

• While new 3D printing technologies are getting the notice now, multi-axis routing is Sl:ill pervasive partly due to its versatility, material variety, precision, ease of use, and efficiency.

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Multi-axis routing has been around for decades. Never ballyhooed six ways to Sunday like 3D printing, it has nonetheless been doing all the work while its flashy new cousin is out partying with the media.

Today, pattern makers, foundries, and even fabricators use multi-axis milling.

Dave Nugent, Nugent Patterns, Laconia, NH, has been using multi-axis routing since around 2003. Before that, he was shaping his patterns on a used Deckel milling machine.

"That's pretty much the way everyone was doing it before the computer:' says Dave, "the models were made by hand in clay, wood, or foam, and then you'd trace it (for a template) for the Deckel machine:'

Conceptually, multi-axis routing is the opposite of 3D printing. While 3D printing is referred to as "additive" technology, that is, material is built up to form a shape, multi-axis routing is "subtractive" technology; you begin with material stock, and carve away until you get a desired figure.

The two technologies are similar in their shared dependence on computers. Both are digital.

Robinson Iron's 3-axis HAAS router was used to mill the pattern in house.

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The router is guided by Mastercam code to caive the urn pattern based on the client's CAD file design. The multi­axis router saves weeks of work and is done right in house for better quality control.

But first. a definition of terms. A multi-axis router is simply a

machine for carving, cutting, or other­wise shaping material. The difference is that the tool paths are not manual; a computer using several types of soft­ware in tandem directs them.

Like virtually all fabrication proj­ects, multi-axis routing begins with a design; a three-dimensional design, manifested in a CAD program (Com­puter Assisted Design) and saved as a sendable file.

But the CAD program is incompre­hensible to the routing machine, how­ever, and requires a program that can translate the CAD into instructions written - or coded - in a language that the machine can understand. These instructions are called "g-codes" and are provided by the CAM (Com­puter Assisted Manufacture) software.

The happy result of these two soft­ware programs, harnessed in tandem, is the satisfying clicks and whirrs of the router's servos as it guides the tooling head along its merry way while you go have a cup of coffee. This may be one of the nicest things about the whole sys­tem; it doesn't require your presence.

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The staircase that graces the Anthropologie store in London, England is a good example of what multi-axis routing can yield. The patte rns for the cast iron staircase were designed using MasterCam, and tooled with a three-axis router.

Other tangible benefits. Versati lity. The advantages of multi­

axis routing are manifold. For pattern makers, like Allen Morris, Mesquite, TX, there's versatility.

"With my five-axis router:' says Morris, "undercuts are possible. You

don't need to have a two-piece pat­tern:' That translates into an advantage for the guy doing the pouring - it simplifies life for him.

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owner of West Patterns, Cranbury, NJ, uses his three-axis router for every­thing from metal patterns for high production, to urethane, and wood. Davis uses SolidWorks for design and SurfCam for the tooling language.

Effidency. Tom Zuzik, CEO of Artistic Railings, Garfield, NJ, explains anecdotally. 'Tm doing a 280-foot fence for a client; a solid % x i 1h inch flat (stock) but the pickets are square (stock). To punch and straighten (draw out) them by hand could take a week and a half. So I send it out to a shop with a multi-axis water jet machine:'

For Zuzik, the decision is not whether or not to use multi-axis rout­ing but rather whether or not to do it in-house or sub it out.

"It's a fine line:' explains Zuzik, "while it's often cheaper to farm it out, there's not as much control on how soon it can be done:'

On the other hand, using the in­house multi-axis machine ties up time and personnel when they might be working on getting other clients' proj­ects out the door.

For Zuzik, what it boils down to is time. When time is of the essence for a job, then in-house multi-axis machin­ing makes sense. Otherwise, farming it out is more cost efficient.

Even companies heavily invested in the more exotic 3D printing tech­nologies are still relying on multi-axis routing.

Additive Workshop, Wilsonville, OR, which appeared in an earlier article in this magazine (March-April 2013, page 20) on 3D printing, is one such company, although their multi­axis systems are strictly in the rarified air of the upper end of the technology spectrum.

Their set-up is a six-axis robotic arm that articulates a 20-hp tooling head. The system actually has a sev­enth axis in the form of a rotisserie work table. Made by Robotic Solu­tions, Milwaukee, WI, it comes with its own proprietary software called Code Breakers to drive the tooling.

Nugent's shop also has 3D print­ing capability, which he uses mainly for creating prototypes to show clients. But multi-axis routing is the mainstay of his shop.

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One of five sections (quadrants and base) of the pattern for an urn that will grace the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, DC. Note the pattern's detail, photo on page 2 9, for the inset that will house an LED strip on the finished urn.

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Drives most tooling types Multi-axis routing's pervasiveness

is most likely due to its protean ability to take so many forms. The basic soft­ware can drive most types of tooling from wood or urethane routers to steel and alloy milling machines.

An example of wood routing for patterns is Robinson Iron's latest proj­ect. The Alexander City, AL, shop is creating a 14-foot-diameter urn that will grace the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, DC.

The um, cast from aluminum, originated as a large pattern carved from laminated poplar. Robinson Iron received a CAD file from its client. They then used the Creaform program to make a few modifications in the design. MasterCam was then used to translate the CAD file and drive the tooling, a HAAS three-axis milling machine.

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paint to fill in any microscopic surface imperfections, and the pattern will yield a clean break from the sand.

Of course, not all patterns are sculpted from wood. As Bill Davis of West Patterns points out, wood has a life span and tends to "move" as it ages, making it less accurate. This requires that metal or urethane patterns be shaped for molds requiring more preci­sion and tighter tolerances. Multi-axis routing lends itself extremely well to this type of application.

The software for multi-axis routing has been around for decades. "I was in on it from the beginning:' says Dave Nugent, "I guess I evolved with it But for people starting to get into it now, it might be a little harder:'

The complexity of CAD/CAM also expands or contracts to meet the needs of the user. Let's say you're using it mainly for prototyping. "When you're just making one, you don't need all the fine tuning for the tool path:' explains Nugent, "so that keeps it simpler:'

But if you're doing a job that entails repetitive fabrication, such as a railing,

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September I Odober 2013 • Fabricator 29

too much for a lot of people. So you should do some research. Do you really need all the features? Pattern and mold making is much more complex than the needs of most machine shops or fabricators."

Nugent also suggests visiting Inter­net forums for new software users. Many software companies host these forums and offer a wealth of informa­tion for the neophyte.

5 ways to improvement

The cast aluminum urn, above, will be poured in quadrants, then MIG-welded toget her with the heavier seam on the inside to reduce finish work.

Be you foundry or fabricator, multi-axis routing is the quiet work­horse that can improve your bottom line, quality control, and customer relations, five ways.

well, CAD/CAM was born for this. A major advantage is its nearly limitless capacity for fine-tuning the tooling with little effort beyond a few key­strokes. A tweak here, a tweak there, and you can finesse a project to meet the standards of even the most com­pulsive fabricator or his customer.

Speaking of customers, multi-axis routing driven by good software can keep you from losing money - and your sanity - on a project that a cus­tomer would otherwise turn into a nightmare with incessant changes. Just let your fingers do the walking.

Jim Collins of Talladega Foundry, Talladega, AL, uses multi-axis routing for not only patterns but for fabrica­tion as well.

The staircase that graces the Anthropologie store in London (see photo, page 26), is a good example of what multi-axis routing can yield. The patterns for the cast iron staircase were designed using MasterCam, and tooled with a three-axis router. Collins notes that the three-axis router is quite handy when they need to fabricate parts for the shop that would other­wise be hard to find or expensive.

So what about the software? These days, the software for multi­

axis routing is varied enough to meet most needs but not so varied as to be confusing. The same names keep popping up.

For design, there is MasterCam or SurfCam. Tom Zuzik of Artistic Rail­ings has been using SolidWorks for his design. While Dave Nugent mainly relies on Rino 3D and Rinocam.

Like most software and computer peripherals, the cost for CAD/CAM programs has been steadily deflated, and most users feel it justifies the cost.

"It was kind of expensive back in 2003, recalls Nugent, "but it paid for itself pretty quickly, within a year or less."

SolidWorks, which is manufactured in Waltham, MA, will set you back around $5,000 for a basic CAD pack­age. It's compatible with BobCad, Mas­terCAM, and DelCam to translate the g-codes for the tooling.

But as Nugent points out, it pays to shop around.

"Some of the programs can go for around ten grand:' he says, "and that's

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Member Talk

I nkensh1 w1nn1ng to

• Hard work, vision, perseverance, and an inspiring mentor helped Louisville metal shop Iron Touch thrive.

32

'1Jy Peter 9-{ildebrandt

Sometimes a true mentor can make all the difference in the world.

George Bandarra's amazing work combines iron with exotic metals, such as stainless steel, copper, brass, bronze, and aluminum to create seemingly "hand­forged" metal art, merging both enduring traditions echoing his Portuguese roots as well the avant-garde.

Bandarra has also changed the life of Sherman Blan­kenship through his skilled mentoring and inspiration - as important in its own way as the many awards he's received and the three sculptures he has registered with the Smithsonian lnstitute's National Museum of Amer­ican Art and Cultural Property.

Bandarra was teaching at Murray State College

Iron Touch designed and fabricated this 4 1h -feet-tall fence railing. The design featured hand-forged, ¥s-inch textured scrollwork and :I/a-inch textured vine with veined leaves, hand woven throughout the length through the brick wall and up the side of the house. The materials used were 2-inch O.D. schedule 40 pipe for the framing. %-inch and ¥9-inch round bar, and I I-gauge sheet metal. Approx. labor time: 360 hours.

~or your information ~

What you'll learn • How to start up a metalwork­ing business and be successful in spite of the economy. • How one NOMMA member made his business in crafting with metal work, through an excellent mentor already in NOMMA. • How going with your own vision, talent, and gut instincts can help you survive in the end. • How to meet the exact needs and specifications of all your customers without a lot of high-tech equipment. • Demonstrate how your work is done by inviting clients to watch you work. • How to advance from "just paying the bills: to higher end work and more enjoyment in your work. • How a small metal workshop used simple - "not rocket sci­ence" - techniques to find work.

a.1m• Sherman Blankenship Iron Touch LLC 3934 Bardstown Road Building B Louisville, KY 40218 www.irontouch.com 502-491 -0084

About the author Peter Hilde­brandt is a long-time senior writer for Fabricator. He specializes in writing company profiles.

Fabricator • September I Odober 2013

when Sherman Blankenship attended to become an artistic photographer in the mould of Ansel Adams. But Blankenship became disenchanted with the program because he couldn't photograph nature as he'd hoped (though he now can add realistic natural touches to his metalwork). Blanken­ship met Bandarra at the col­lege after he realized Bandarra would happily help him.

ized that's what I wanted to be:' Blankenship says.

"George taught me every­thing I know aside from how to run a business:' explains Blankenship. "That's been

During a visit to Bandarra's shop, someone was unable to pour metal. Sherman was asked if he'd pour it instead. He did and was hooked. He wanted to be around hot metal the rest of

The beginning of the fence railing was the greatest challenge with complex roll forming and vine weaving. The ra iling was set in post holes with concrete and finished with a three-step primer base coat. black topcoat, and a green coating on the vine work.

a little bit of trial and error. Being a niche industry like this means there's not a whole lot of people who want to do this - and there is not a whole lot of people who want it or who have the budget for it; the final product is expensive, this is if you want fine, quality, hand­forged work:'

Bandarra's shop was virtu­ally identical to the Quon-

his life. Blankenship finished his degree

in metal sculpture and along with it a background in metallurgy that turned into doing ornamental iron. "I had an incredible time studying with George and learning over in Europe. He gave me the opportunity to work for him. When I came down to the shop, I real-

September I Odober 2013 • Fabricator

set hut shop that Blanken-ship now uses, minus the insulation. "When I saw this building I thought it was funny; I trained in one of these structures, and now I'm going to start leasing one:' says Blankenship. "I like it here, my neighbors are great"

Louisville's Iron Touch LLC, is in good company. Nestled among a num­ber of other construction-related busi-

33

nesses, the Quon­set-style building is not going anywhere anytime soon. Owner Blankenship has been in the structure from the start, finding the location through a friend of his father some 10 years ago. The structure makes an excellent shop with plenty of floor space and headroom.

Staying simple leads to distinctive work

Blankenship got

11 years. Four years into the business he received his first NOMMA award -2005 Ernest Wiemann Top Job Award Gold exterior forged rail­ings - for his botani­cally correct grape­vine fence. He also won a bronze Top Job award in 2007 for exterior railings and fences.

a huge, wheeled, A-frame lift from his uncle. The lift can be moved to the workta­ble, which it is able to straddle. If the object is too large for the worktable, sawhorses handle the rest of the work. Blankenship has been doing this work by himself for a long

This 5.5 x 6-foot forged gate with two doors opens to a newly renovated courtyard entrance. The two doors are flat, braided iron, textured scrolls, textured vines, and veined leaves. The lock box is forged and hammered compatible to the textured scrolling. The challenge was to blend function and design to suit the aesthetic taste of the owner, the given topogra phy, and landscaping plan.

''.Any acknowl­edgement through such awards makes me happy; when my colleagues say 'you're doing great work' that's enough for me. From what rm told, rm the youngest busi­ness owner affiliated with NOMMA to have received two awards.

"My business has reached the point where most of my jobs now are really inter­esting and a lot of fun.

time now. He recently completed a

gate for a local Catholic girls school's athletic field. "Here on my table it's gigantic:' explains Blankenship. "But when I got it into the setting it was designed for, this 1300-pound gate fits perfectly and wasn't large at all.

The gate was built in three pieces with an arch and two big gates on it. Each of the gates weighs about 400 pounds. With a little assistance from some people from Wayne's Lawn Service next door, Blan­kenship could flip the gate to work on the other side.

Blankenship is filming the fabrication process of his cur­rent project, the one on the

Materials consist of 1 x I/a-inch flat bar, ¥11 x 1 'h-inch flat bar, S/a and ¥&-inch round bar, 11-gauge sheet metal, and 3-inch-square tubing. Posts were set in concrete tubes to below the frost line. Custom techniques included bark-patterned dyes for vine and scroll texturing as a natural compliment to further planned structures. Finish consists of primer base coat, black topcoat, and green painting on vine work and leaves. Labor time: 200 hrs.

feet Since Blankenship's worktable

I'm not doing the simple stuff, such as straight rails any more, work to simply pay the bills. Now I have jobs where people are looking for something that's theirs exclusivelY:'

Blankenship's business now comes mostly from the Inter­net or from word of mouth. Internet users searching under "ironwork in Louisville, Ken­tucky" see Iron Touch on the first search page of Google.

A number of wealthy fami­lies in the city patronize local artisans and businesses, but they generally stay with the artisan they are familiar with.

"One of my colleagues here in town has been working with the same family for some 30 years. Their friends are patron­

table before us as he speaks, for a gate for Sacred Heart All Girls Catholic School. The gate is 11 feet tall and

is only 5 x 12 feet, sawhorses come in handy. It will be a challenge to get the piece out of his shop.

izing me, and rm getting some really cool work; the quality of the work is much more detailed now:'

16 feet wide at its widest point The individual sides of the gate are 5 x 7

34

He considers himself fortunate to have kept his company alive the past

On his huge worktable is a gate he's just set that will match a railing in

Fabricator • September I October 2013

Old Louisville that is already in place in Belgravia Court, one of the promi­nent residential areas in Louisville. "You have to jump through all sorts of hoops to get your work approved by the local associations and landmarks in the area:' says Blankenship.

He has no problem helping people out, doing what it takes to get him a job; he is patient about it. Most cus­tomers know what they want when they get designs from him, and he lis­tens to what they say.

"If they say go with it as is, that's great. If they need changes, I work with them to get those. The fact of the matter is, it's cool to have work in places like that, where your work looks like it should be there:'

For example, the original design of the work on the table before us is one-half of this design cut To match the first half of the design, Blanken­ship moved all the metalwork involved around and then straightened that out

The other rail simply went down beside some steps. He tweaked all the aspects of additional metalwork so that the same design would now fit perfectly in a rectangular area. By flip­ping the entire piece, Blankenship was able to make this design work, includ­ing the center part, which will contain a latticework pattern.

In the nearby St. James Court dis­trict, the art fair each year is one of the largest in the U.S. Some 750 booths from artists all around the country set up.

Blankenship's railing is right on the court He got it installed just before the art fair started. He takes on new work projects wherever they might arise, mostly in Louisville, but he does send work to other areas of the country.

One project he's been contracted to do will be shipped for the exte-rior work on a house in the Bahamas. However, most of his metal work does not end up gracing homes and busi­nesses in such distant locations.

"Designs don't get replicated out here in my shop:' explains Blanken­ship. "Even when people like a par­ticular design, they do whatever they can to tweak it some so they can make it theirs, their personal design."

September I October 2013 • Fabricator

The background of a mentor:

and unique fabrications.

George Bandarra He has thirty years of experience

in forging iron and has commis­sioned work at Murray State Uni­

Editor's note: The following is adapted from a statement on website of Mentor House Gallery: www. mentorhousegallery. com/pages/ pageo2bandarra. html

r--------..-.c versity, Kentucky State

The artwork of George Bandarra, Sherman Blan­kenship's mentor, com­bines iron with exotic metals such as stain-less steel, copper, brass, bronze, and aluminum to create "hand forged" sculptures and decorative ornamental metal works.

Bandarra, of Portu­guese descent, skillfully George Bandarra

forges enduring tradi­

Parks System, and the Cairo, Illinois Historic Library.

He also has three sculptures registered with the Smithson­ian Institute's National Museum of Ameri­can Art and Cultural Property.

He is a member of the National Ornamen­tal & Miscellaneous Metals Association. He has received four awards for his iron works and sculptures.

Bandarra currently resides in Murray, KY, where he operates his

business, The Iron Ham­tions of old with art to produce new mer (geoju@wk.net).

Being a one-man opera­tion lends itself to indi­vidual care and bringing the customer in so they can be part of the process and see how work is proceed­ing while in progress - and ultimately appreciate the skill, work, training, and vision involved with fin­ished metalwork project

Staying afloat despite economy

A small forge looks like a primitive microwave oven minus the door. Fueled by propane, this equipment has worked fine for Blankenship over the years.

"George Bandarra used propane when I trained with him. It fires hot and it's not hooked up to your local power company, so you

This iron sculpture was inspired by natural floral designs found in the Midwest. It is forged completely with a polished finish and clea r coating. It stands 5 feet, 2 inches tall and 2 feet wide at the widest girth.

money. I typically fill my propane tanks about every two weeks after days of daily use.

"It's actually fairly effi­cient for my small forge. I'm not exactly sure that will be the case when I get the big­ger forge I'm planning on setting up in my building. It will have a much bigger space to heat:'

Blankenship buys grind­ing disks as he needs them for his jobs. That also helps him control the cost of jobs. He can show what is needed for each job, which helps him know how to bid on a job.

No material inventory; buys for the job

"That whole process works out just fine for me.

don't have to pay exorbitant amounts for this source of energy. As a small business I do whatever I can to save

As far as starting a business it's always been that way; I never buy in bulk. I buy my metal for each job as the job

35

goes through without keeping a stock of metal. The stock I do have is mate­rial I didn't need from jobs I've done, and I don't have to track the prices of metal and materials either:'

Metal prices go up and down on a daily basis, Blankenship says. The metal store that he uses honors the price on his bids for a couple of months. If too much time passes, vendors often will re-run the price. If metal prices have dropped, he gets a better deal.

"I have rapport with them. I don't shop around for things as far as where I get my paints, where I go to get grinding, or where I go to get my metal. I stay with the same people, and that way when I need a deal, it's not a competition between everybody.

"Most places have a minimum order of $200, but I don't need $200 worth of metal; I may need $58 worth of metal. Most of my suppliers of materials are here locally in Louisville. When I first started in my business, I told them that I won't shop my prices:' he says.

He asked them to help him out with prices from time to time, know-

I guess I - like [George]

Bandarra - go more with my

gut instincts when it comes

to the materials needed for

a project.

Sherman Blankenship

ing it's not going to be something that happens every time and that he's not going to have to chase that money. This allows Blankenship more time to work. He knows that ifhe needs some­thing he can go get it and not have to worry so much. He also buys materi­als per job. He gets quotes for mate­rials emailed to him and then builds that right into the cost he charges for a project or bid.

"When I trained with George Ban­darra, with every job, we'd go down with the trailer and pick up all the metal that was necessary for the job. That's how I was trained; that's what I'm used to. Larger companies have someone tracking the price of metal

per pound, and they have a much more precise idea of what it's going to take to do a job. I guess I - like Ban­darra - go more with my gut instincts when it comes to the materials needed for a project:' Blankenship says.

The challenge now is managing the volume of work

"I've made it through some pretty hard times:' he continues. "I've been fortunate enough to do that. But things are turning around with the economy, cash is loosening up, and my jobs are getting bigger and more involved. My biggest challenge right now is the vol­ume of work I have. Staying booked is a challenge for a young business like mine. I'll be real busy for nine months, do just a few things for a month or so and then be busy again. It's up and down and all around:'

When he started, Blankenship would be busy for a month and then there would be nothing. He reached a point where he'd get two big proj­ects that would pay for his year. Now he's getting four to five big projects

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annually. "It's growing and it's getting better, and the more people that are satisfied with me the better off I am. I have an A-plus rating with the Better Business Bureau:'

Blankenship's customers don't com­plain because he is personable and he tells the truth.

"If I can't meet a deadline, I let them know immediately. You have to be honest in how you treat the cus­tomers, and I have excellent rapport with them. When other customers

ask for references, I say 'call any of my former customers'. You're not going to please everybody; but I've done real well at pleasing most everybody. They know they're going to be getting something that's going to be awe­some:' he says.

Blankenship gets customers involved in the process

"When I leave them, what I hear out of their mouth is 'it's perfect: 'I love it: I get that ego boost. That's why

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I stay in it:' he adds. "A lot of people can't see in their

minds what they want. I scale things out on quarter-inch graph paper so I can draw it out and transfer it right to my table. It works better in my head that way. I trace it onto white paper and that's how I do it No one else can replicate it My bark texturing is a secret No one has any idea how I do this:'

People have difficulty imagining how everything comes together; mea­suring is done with a tape measure directly on his drawings.

Getting a project to meet a cus­tomer's budget can be difficult Generally, Blankenship meets their demands to stay within budget He guides them on how much certain types of work costs per foot He leaves them with samples of the work, the metal, and when he shows up with the finished product they tend to be astounded.

"They feel like they are part of the design process:' he says. "They have something tangible while I'm working on the project, and they are welcome to watch me while I'm working.

"People need to see why things are costing as much as they are; this helps them to do that. When they see what goes into it, a light bulb goes off in their heads.

'Tve had some customers who had trouble visualizing at first - wonder­ing if I'd ever be able to pull it off -but then when they saw the finished product they were thrilled.

"I was trained the right way. George Bandarra did a phenomenal job. I thoroughly love doing this. I owe everything to him.

"He knows so much about this industry, knows metals inside and out, is a wealth of knowledge on those, and can tell you what metals do what and why.

"This made me come around to this way of thinking. It was like taking an extra course:' ~

Fabricator • September I October 2013

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201J Top Job Award: Furniture & Accessory Fabrication - Nonforged

• Steel Welding's Top Job of a fireplace door is an example of understanding history and bringing back old skills.

'By Chris :Holt

Pittsburgh has long been a hub of metal activity, thus it is no surprise that Steel Welding, Freedom, PA, located north of Pittsburgh and primarily a company that does residential work, explored the chance to fabricate a distinctive outdoor fireplace door that would depict styles used by old steel mills and reflect the city's past

Pittsburgh, with its close location to railroads and river transportation and the local availability of coal for making coke, limestone, and iron ore, made this city perfect for manufacturing steel - a smoky city whose banks of the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio rivers were lined with mills and factories.

%r your information ~

What you'll learn • Study a job's associated history to inform your work. Fully

understand the job's background. An example was the research Steel Welding did for the skip hoist on a blast furnace that included "authentic looking" details.

• Take a risk. learn a new technique or revisit a skill to use in a new way, such as the way riveting was in this job. This step develops a broader base of fabricating experience and abilities for future work.

• Give client reasons to like you by instilling confidence in their decision. Keep in touch with your client, send photos via email of progress, provide samples for approval.

• Stay on schedule and work with other contractors without a fuss. Be the easiest contractor to work with on the job.

• Offer new clients a special gift. Steel Welding made steel cookies based on one of its client's products.

40

Steel Welding John Steel, owner 2063 Lovi Rd., Freedom, PA 15042

The fireplace door (closed above; open at left) was designed to resemble a Pittsburgh blast furnace. Eatn' Park Hospitality Group's new restaurant, "The Porch" recognized the city's past with a unique design.

www.steelwelding.net; steeljw@comcast.net; 724-774-6757

About the author Chris Hoh won the 2012 ABANA Joe Humble Award for the Pittsburgh Area Artist Blacksmiths Association newsletter and has written articles for Anvil's Ring, Hammer's Blow. The Ironworker, Schoo/Arts Magazine, and O&MM Fabricator. She is also designer and blacksmith for Steel Welding. Holt is a Master Gardener with Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and has a Florist Arranging certificate, which is beneficial in her company's ironwork designs.

Fabricator • September I Odober 2013

The decorative food service door for walk up customers that carried through with the design of the furnace door. The location of the restaurant is near the hub of the University of Pittsburgh.

September I Odober 2013 • Fabricator

"Miss Sunbeam," the wood furnace probably built in the 1930s inspired the riveting design. The client was attracted also to the burnt patina and functional look.

41

The architect wanted the fireplace to imitate the look of a skip hoist on a

blast furnace. They wanted it to look

like it was actually removed from a

steel mill and "up cycled" - made

from recycled materials but with a

much higher quality than the original

product or material - into the use

of a fireplace door.

By i911, half of the nation's steel was produced here. The making of steel was the making of the city. Thus, Steel Welding was excited when a new restaurant that reflected the city's history of steel making was set to open in the winter of 2011.

The client, Eat'n Park Hospitality Group, Homestead, PA, was opening an upscale bistro near the University of Pittsburgh. This premier location would be visited by a diverse population.

In business for 60 years, Eat'n Park Restaurants are located in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. It has more than 75 restaurants and 8,ooo employees. The name is familiar to all residents in the area and its

Steel Welding's John Steel and Chris Holt working on detail element in shop.

When working at the forge, John Steel and Chris Holt rotate jobs. When one is using the hammer, the other is tending the coal fire. One of Steel Welding's power hammers is a Kreiger Berger self-contained, 88kg air hammer. It has a quick stroke and is very controllable, Holt says.

42 Fabricator • September I October 2013

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A rivet gun, top, is estimated to be from the 1940s. The snap, wired on for safety, is the recessed end that forms the head of the rivet.

A close up view of the rivets on the furnace, left, was the inspiration for the fireplace design.

Fabricator • September I October 2013

Right, is a close-up view of the jaws

on throwing tongs, and close-up of

pick-up tongs. These were used when rivets were

the means of connecting

structural steel.

Below, the reins of throwing tongs

were much longer than pick-up tongs, which were used in

the catch can and for inserting

into the hole to be riveted.

. :

service to the community helping children, serving food grown by local farms, and being environmentally conscience before it was fashionable.

The opening dance At our fabrication shop, Eat'n

Park's in-house architect Andy Dun­mire, as well as one of the company's owners, Mark Broadhurst, explained their concept to us: an outdoor fire­place with a guillotine-style door, and its requirements.

The architect wanted the fireplace to imitate the look of a skip hoist on a blast furnace.

They also wanted it to look like it was actually removed from a steel mill and "upcycled" - made from recy­cled materials but with a much higher quality than the original product or material - into the use of a fireplace door. We were familiar with blast furnaces .

We examined the design of a guil­lotine and a sluice gate used for irriga­tion, although neither was dependent on counterweights.

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September I October 2013 • Fabricator 45

Above, this fireplace door

photo was emailed to the client for

review. Steel Welding finds

it helpful to keep clients informed of

progress and prefer them to visit the

shop, even though scheduling is not

always rea listic.

At right, the door is tested to ensure it works properly.

They toured our office and shop and pointed out the "look" they wanted was similar to the coal/wood furnace we have in our shop, a Sunbeam coal furnace probably built in the 1930s. What attracted the client were the riv­ets, burnt patina, and functional look.

We found it interesting that an everyday, uncelebrated item like this old coal furnace was now a "celebrity example" in the shop. Who would think that "Miss Sunbeam" would soon be the center of attention and guide us toward winning NOMMA'.s Top Job Gold award in our division? We were given complete artistic license to design the

46

project with these parameters. Their vision and our background

made this project a good match. The industrial look was a perfect connec­tion for John Steel, Steel Welding's owner. His background as an iron­worker, Local #3, and my experience watching my dad work at Ameri-can Bridge Company as a machinist, allowed us to perfectly identify with the history of hard working steel work­ers and fabricate this project accord­ingly with the traits or characteristics representative of a time long ago.

We studied the photo of the guil­lotine. John related a design of a sluice

gate used in irrigation and with these two concepts the design of the fireplace door came together.

In this case, "form really did follow function:' The door needed to open easily for the restaurant staff and to have safety elements around the moving parts. We needed rivets to satisfy the "look" the clients wanted.

During our planning meetings, we brought samples of rivets, patinas, and material. This was helpful for us as well as the client so that we could gauge the direction the client wanted us to follow.

During fabrication, we also emailed photos to show our prog­ress and design.

other parts of job were riveting

The fireplace door was just one of the projects we made for the bistro. We also made a service door for walk-up customers simi­lar to the fireplace door (see photo on left, page 41), bike racks with a rivet design (see photo at top, page 50), a small stairway railing that also included a rivet feature (see photo, page 51), and a downspout with a custom finish.

One of the rivet guns we have in the shop was from American Bridge Co. John estimates its age around 70 years old (see top photo, page 44). He had purchased it from American Bridge Co. when the company's fabricating plant was closing and

had a plant auction. In days when riveting was the con­

nection of choice, five iron work-ers in a riveting gang on structural steel work were required, plus a punk (apprentice).

The gang consisted of the pusher (foreman) who directed the crew and a heater who made sure that a rivet of proper length was heated to the proper temperature.

The heater also threw the heated rivet to a catcher who would insert the rivet in the proper hole. The heater needed to be very accurate in his throw. His throwing tongs had

Fabricator • September I Odober 201 l

Top, counterweight with wheels. Well wheels are used on a construction site for hoisting material by hand with a rope.

Above, close-up of wheel with safety guards.

September I Odober 2013 • Fabricator 47

The distinctive outdoor fireplace door, located in the outdoor seating area seen from walkway, that depicts styles used by old steel mills and reflect the city of Pittsburgh's past.

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Fabricator • September I October 2013

one straight jaw on the bottom and a hooked jaw on the top with long reins. The catcher would use short pick-up tongs to retrieve the rivet from the funnel shaped catch can and put in place (see photos, page 45).

Before each rivet was installed, every hole had to have a barrel pin driven through the hole to make it dear for the rivet so it would not hang up in the opening.

The bucker-up would buck up (back up) on the rivet head so it would not back out of the hole when it was riv­eted by the riveter (also known as a driver). Historically, the heater heated rivets throughout the job while the other members of the gang rotated throughout the day performing as a bucker-up, catcher, and driver.

The strength of a rivet is dependent upon completely upsetting - com­pressing the metal to be larger than its original size - inside the hole to make it solid iron. There could be no play or space between the structural steel. The shrinking of the length of the rivet would compress the iron.

A good riveting crew working on a large connection could complete an area from start to finish installing about 50 rivets in one hour.

But our staff was not standing deli­cately on a float on a river building a bridge; we hand-carried the rivet to the project Steel Welding took all the safety precautions, staying out of the weather on our shop floor with no fear of falling from extended heights, unlike workers on more demanding high-rise structural jobs.

This being an "open shop" contrac­tor job, we were hired directly by the owner for the custom artwork. We worked with the general contractor in an amiable manner. The site-specific items - fireplace screen, walk-up service door, bike racks, small rail­ing, and downspout - that we created could not be easily fabricated without an artistic handle on the concept the architect envisioned.

2-Step installation The door was made of ~-inch

repurposed plate with Ys x iYs-inch buggy (as in horse and buggy) tire steel straps. These straps are rounded on

September I October 2013 • Fabricator

both sides and have no sharp edges. They are still made today for making buggy wheels used by the Amish, for example.

The frame gave the door the impres­sion of being a boiler plate. This proj­ect had to be designed with a two-step installation because the concealed anchoring system had to be installed on the block chimney before the deco­rative stone fascia could be completed.

First, we had to create a back-up plate anchored into the cement block chimney. This plate also had axles

attached to receive the pulley wheels for the counter weight chains.

The door weighed 80 pounds and measured 4-feet, i-inch x 34-inches. It was lifted by two, 40-pound skip hoist rail counter weights. Steel Welding actually had on hand authentic skip hoist rail in its inventory.

The second step was installing the door after the masonry was complete. It included safety guards to prevent hand entrapment when raising and closing the door, to keep hands a safe distance from the pulleys.

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50

The bike racks at the restaurant. above, are a simple design with rivet accents as all the projects of this job had. Below, is a close-up view of rivet on handrail.

Fabricator • September I October 2013

A safety lock and pin was also installed to keep the door in an upright or down position. The door can be easily opened and shut with one hand.

Finishing up The requested finish, applied before

installation, was to resemble a blast fur­nace with a burnt appearance. We used high-temperature paint for the interior of the door.

The outside of the door had a variety of oil-based paint colors. John left the shop when I started spraying loud fluo­rescent orange, red, and yellow on the beautifully fabricated door.

The technique I used was to layer the colors to create the patina. My first attempt was visually disturbing, but as the colors built, the burnt furnace "look" appeared as planned.

We first applied Sumter Coatings oil-based primer, then started with the loudest, most riotous, fluorescent colors I could get my hands on. All colors were considered. Then a toning-down layer­ing process ensued to develop a burnt, aged patina.

Blacksmith Chris Winterstein once said at a conference we attended, "You gotta work through the ugly parts!" This door is located on an outside fire­place in an elevated eating area with a sidewalk nearby. We stayed on schedule, in fact we were commended for our reli­ability and clairvoyance of our installa­tion times!

We were very pleased to be a part of this new bistro type restaurant. The owner and management were clear in their vision and direction they wished this 86-hour project to reflect

By the way, to show our interest in fireplace project at our first meet­ing, we made the restaurant's signature cookie, called the "Smiley Cookie:' out of steel circle punchouts with weld icing. We presented them on a tray.

Needless to say, we did get the job, and I must say between "Miss Sun­beam:' the old coal furnace, and our baking skills in the welding shop, it was a recipe for a golden success story. fl@

September I October 2013 • Fabricator

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WHAT'S HAPPENING IN VEGAS! Fence Industry Week: March 4 - 8, 2014 FENCETECH: March 6 - 8, 2014

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Health care ad prescription not all under way yet • Some provisions of the health care

ad have already kicked in. Others will in 2014 and 2015. Still more in 2018.

Here's what is means for you now.

Editor~ note: The Affordable Care Aa is more than 2,000 pages long. Subsequently, this law generated 46,000 pages of regulations by exec­utive branch agencies. 111e purpose of this article is to alert readers to some of the complexities related to the aa and to offer a few sugges­tions. The reader should consult with their legal, tax, and financial advisors about tlreir specific situation.

'By !Mark E. 'Battersby

Lawmakers are attempting to repeal it businesses are suing to prevent its implementation, and local governments and unions continue their efforts to be exempted from the massive, and controversial, "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" (ACA), the health care "reforms" enacted in 2010.

Only now, as those new "reform" laws begin to fully come into play, are many owners and managers in the metalworking indus­try learning about its potentially expensive complexities even in light of the recently postponed penalties for employers that don't provide insurance (or provide insurance deemed inadequate or unaffordable).

Some employers may see their pocketbooks lightened as the law's provisions kick-in, but few appear to be taking advantage of tax credits and other sweeteners for employers created as part of the ACA and already in effect.

The small business health tax credit The Internal Revenue Service is encouraging small businesses to

explore and, if qualified, claim a unique health insurance coverage tax credit. The credit was created for eligible small businesses* that

*The definiti on of a small business under the Affordable Care Act is complex because it is defin ed not only by number of employees, but also by dollar volume and other factors, all of which varies among different agencies and among provisions of this law. Best to see your financial advisor to examine your specific situation.

September/ Odober 201 l • Fabricator 53

either maintain their current health insurance coverage or begin offer-ing health insurance coverage to their employees.

Small employers (no more than 25 employees and average wages below $50,ooo annually) are eligible for this federal tax credit, a direct reduction of the your operation's tax bill, for up to 35 percent of the amount spent on health insurance for their employees.

However, the full amount of the credit is available only to an employer with 10 or fewer full -time equivalent employees (FTEs) and whose employ­ees have average annual full-time equivalent wages from the employer ofless than $25,000. These wage limits will be indexed to the Consumer Price Index for years beginning in 2014.

Self-employed fabricators, includ­ing partners and sole proprietors, 2% shareholders in S corporations, and 5% owners are not treated as employ­ees for purposes of the Small Employer Health Insurance Credit In fact, a special rule prevents sole proprietors - and their family members - from receiving the credit

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Initially, states were required to create "exchanges" where state citi­zens could shop and purchase health insurance. When many states failed to set them up, the federal government

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created "marketplaces" that would be only for those states that turned down having a state-run exchange.

The Marketplace will offer "one­stop shopping" to find and compare private health insurance options. Open enrollment for health insurance cover­age through the Marketplace begins on October 1 as does enrollment for state exchanges.

Certain employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) must provide a written notice to employees beginning in October on health insur­ance coverage options. That means employers with one or more employees who are engaged in, or produce goods for, interstate commerce. For many, a test of not less than $500,ooo in annual dollar volume of business will also apply.

The notice must be provided to each employee, regardless of plan enroll­ment status, or of part-time or full ­time status. What's more, the notice must be provided in writing in a man­ner calculated to be understood by the average employee.

Employer responsibilities Before the passage of the ACA,

no federal rule or law required that employers offer health insurance cov­erage to employees or to their families. Today, new "Pay or Play" provisions in the ACA require employers with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees to offer qualified medical benefit plans to employees who work an average of 30 hours per week. But those rules will not be enforced until 2015.

The Federal government esti-mates that it will pick up $130 billion in Obamacare penalties over the next decade from businesses that either don't provide employees health insur­ance or what the government considers to be "inadequate" health insurance.

Fortunately, with the postponed "Employer Mandate:' you will have more time to plan. That planning should consider these four strategies to reduce this upcoming burden:

1 the mandate does not apply to operations with fewer than 50 workers,

2 the mandate doesn't apply to

Fabricator • September I Odober 201 l

employees who work fewer than 30 hours,

l the employer doesn't have to offer or subsidize family coverage; and

4 rather than provide health insur­ance, an employer can pay a $2,ooo per (full-time) worker fine.

However, be cautious when decid­ing whether a worker is full-time or part-time on January 1, 2015 when the provision kicks in; the government will look at the average weekly hours worked in the previous year.

Plus, the IRS has already signaled that, in addition to full-time employ­ees, it will count "full-time equiva­lents:' when calculating the number of workers. This is determined by divid­ing the total number of hours worked by employees who are not full-time for the month used for the computation by uo (30-hour-minimum work week times four weeks in each month, on average).

Skinny insurance coverage A number of employers are avoid­

ing the ACA by offering so-called "skinny" insurance plans that provide employees with minimum coverage. Minimum coverage, such as preventive care but little else, qualifies as accept­able under the new law thus making an easy sell for insurance brokers.

Employers can avoid a $2,ooo-per­worker penalty by providing such poli­cies, even though the plans often don't cover basics, such as surgery, x-rays, or prenatal care, let along hospitalization.

For some businesses, low-benefit plans (e.g. "mini-meds:' among a lot of other plans.) costing as little as $40 to $100 per employee per month are an attractive alternative even though they could still face penalties, albeit less than the $2,ooo per worker for opting out of Obamacare.

Health insurance exchanges Starting on January 1, 2014, ACA

requires nearly all Americans to have health insurance through an employer, a government program, or by buying it directly. Thus, one option, state-based Health Insurance Exchanges designed to make health insurance affordable

September I Odober 2013 • Fabricator

J_y!J..r /~ j ~ ~ .,J:f.J / When access to the marketplaces begins January 1, 2014, tax

credits will start flowing

to millions of people,

helping them pay the

premiums.

and accessible for small businesses and the self-employed, is supposed to be operative by then.

While 33 states have opted out of cre­ating "Health Insurance Marketplaces:' open enrollment for health insurance coverage through existing exchanges begins October 1, 2013 for individuals and employees of small businesses.

When access to the marketplaces begins January 1, 2014, tax credits will

start flowing to millions of people, helping them pay the premiums.

Under the original ACA, busi­nesses in those non-participating states should have been free of the employer mandate. However, last spring, with­out authorization from Congress, the IRS expanded those subsidies to cover states that refused to set up exchanges. Not too surprisingly, lawsuits are pending that argue that the IRS has no legal authority to rewrite an "essential part of the law:'

'Free choice' vouchers After 2013, employers offering

minimum essential coverage through an eligible employer-sponsored plan and paying a portion of that coverage will have to provide qualified employ­ees that choose not to participate with a voucher that can be applied to the purchase of a health plan through an Insurance Exchange.

The value of the voucher would be equal to the dollar value of the employer contribution to the employer

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offered health plan. Those who continue to go without

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Additional tax on high-wage earners

To help pay for making health insur­ance affordable for small businesses and the middle class, the law included an increase in taxes for high earners.

Specifically, the hospital insurance or "HI" tax rate has been increased by 0.9% on individuals earning more than $200,000 ($250,000 for married cou­ples filing jointly).

The unearned income surtax Beginning in 2013, a 3.8% surtax

called an "Unearned Income Medicare Contribution" was placed on the net investment income of anyone earning more than $200,000 ($250,000 for a joint return). Net investment income

includes interest, dividends, royal-ties, rents, gross income from a trade or business involving passive activi­ties, and net gain from disposition of property (other than property held in a trade or business).

Income "actively" earned by anyone running a small, closely-held business is exempt from the unearned income surtax. Be aware that income from the reserve accounts of pass-through busi­ness entities, such as S corporations, is considered "investment" income.

Summary Whether because of politics or eco­

nomic realities, the Obama Adminis­tration has postponed the date it will begin enforcing the requirement that employers of more than 50 workers provide health insurance from 2014

until 2015. An earlier announcement revealed that small businesses will not be able to access the health insurance "Marketplaces" until 2015, thus limiting the affordable options available.

The so-called "Individual Mandate:' requiring all individuals to have health insurance remains.

The implementation of many of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act -the requirement for employee notices be sent in October 2013, the tax credits available to small employers for health­care related expenses that started in 2010, along with the increase in Medi­care payroll taxes that began in 2013 -

are already a reality. The tax on high-cost "Cadillac"

policies favored by the unions and many corporate executives will not, however, go into effect until 2018. Are you ready? •

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<For your information ~

About the Author For more than 25 years, Mark E. Battersby has written editorial features, columns, white papers, and reports for maga­zines, journals, newslet­ters, and websites about news and developments in the tax and financial arenas that impact small busi­nesses. He can be reached at MEBatt12@ Earth link.net.

Fabricator • September I October 2013

Videos on YouTube

Blog

Photos on Pinterest

Website articles

Biz Talk

Linkedln, Facebook company pages

© broc - Fotolia.com

Content marketing abuzz • You've heard it mentioned a lot, right? Well, it's more than PR and

advertising. This article shows you what it is, and 6 steps to get your message to your consumer and business clients eff edively.

Editor~ note: This is the ftr3'l in a series of articles about content marketing 3'frategies, e.)]Jecially on digital platforms.

"By Christine 1>unn

Content marketing. Social media. Digital media Inbound vs. outbound. Message vs. story. Push vs. pull.

What does it all mean? Marketing used to feel relatively straightforward when

it was print and broadcast only. In the toolbox were a few options: Ads in a newspaper, or if you felt like splurging, maybe on the radio or TV. Public relations might have been a possibility, if you felt a local newspaper or a national business-to-business (B2B) trade magazine could reach a key audience. And perhaps you sent a postcard in the mail

September I October 2013 • Fabricator

if you obtained a good list of potential customers. These days the buzz words, and techniques, are changing

at a pace that is trying to keep up with the rapid advance­ments in technology. Moreover, the advent of mobile -from smartphones to tablets - makes demand for the latest types of marketing grow stronger.

It's easy to feel overwhelmed, and might seem hard to set priorities. So let's break this down into bite-size chunks (a good way to present your information to your customers, by the way) to make structuring an online strategic marketing program for your business a little bit easier.

Content marketing is today's online toolbox In the same way that newspaper ads, press releases, and

direct mail are tools of a traditional print marketing plan,

57

social media, blogs, e-newsletters, vid­eos, and podcasts are tools for your dig­ital content marketing strategy online.

1 Find out oil about your clients Begin by asking yourself questions: • Who are you trying to reach?

Like any project in your own metal shop, you need to choose the tools that best fit your needs.

(Who are your business clients and who are your consumer customers?)

• What do you want each of them to know about you? (What's your story? How can you be useful to your clients?)

The following step-by-step process will help you organize the informa­tion you have available now (and what you might want to develop) to cre-

• Where do they reside online? (What are their favorite online applica­tions? What blogs do they read? What Linkedin discussion groups do they participate in?)

ate a cohesive strategy that integrates your different types of content with the numerous digital platforms.

58

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• What do they read/watch? (What websites, blogs, group discussions do contractors, architects, homeowners read? Where are they on Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest?)

• What triggers a response? (Do they like pictures? Do they comment on print, digital magazine, or newspa­per stories?)

• What useful information do they both need to know and want to know?

• Can you show your clients a return on their investment? How?

• How can you provide your own return on investment?

These questions will help you iden­tify the variety of applications at your disposal, many without cost to you, and the types of content you'll need.

Caution: Don't try all of the tools at once. A mistake by new content mar­keters is using many programs at once. Choose one or two to start, test them, and master them. If you're spread too thin, it's hard to sustain a program, especially while you are still learning.

The first attribute in a successful content marketing program, then, is learning the art of patience.

The second is remembering that it's not about creating a lot of volume. It's about being consistent, credible, and open, transparent, and honest

2 Build o relationship When people talk about content

marketing, much discussion centers on the term, "consumer engagement:' whether in business-to-business or business-to-consumer markets.

In successful content marketing, the current wisdom says, companies or "brands" are pulling clients in with the information they provide and commu­nicating with them about it in real-time (or close to it) instead of pushing out a series of"messages:' like an ad tagline or pure promotional offer. This is the difference between so-called inbound marketing and outbound marketing, and what makes online interactions unique in today's mobile world.

Inbound marketing is advertising a company through marketing tools such as blogs, podcasts, video, eBooks, e-newsletters, whitepapers and social media. It is marketing that aims to earn the attention of customers, make the

Fabricator • September I October 2013

company easy to be found on the Web, and draws customers to your website by producing useful, actionable content

Outbound marketing pushes out a message to consumers through such programs as sales flyers, direct mail, radio/print/TV advertisements, and other traditional advertising programs.

It's easy to get hung up on the tech­nical terms, so let's put aside the jargon and instead start with one simple goal: Focus on building relationships.

Businesses are built on relationships. If you're kicking off a traditional one with a prospect or new customer, most likely you have a series of steps that you take to get to know them, understand them a little deeper, share information about yourself, and earn their trust

Tip: Think about what you ask your customer

For example, when a new customer comes through your doors, what's the first thing you do? Probably ask them some questions about:

• How they heard about you. • What they're interested in. • Do they have a specific project

in mind? • What their tastes are. • Do they have a budget?

Tip: Consider what customers ask you. Consider the following:

• Information about the variety of products and styles you offer?

• What types of materials are used? • What process is used to create

your products? • How do you differentiate offerings

from the competition? • Where do you make your

products? • How much of your products are

hand-made? • What is the process for identifying

a concept or design? • How long will it take to complete? • What will it cost? Now think about how you share

your answers: A portfolio of photo­graphs might help illustrate your work, or perhaps you have samples that allow you to point out different characteris­tics of your craftsmanship.

Similarly, your content marketing strategy should work toward the same

September I October 2013 • Fabricator

steps. The questions, and the way in which you answer them, provide build­ing blocks to start building relation­ships with your customers online.

J What types of information do you already hove ovoiloble and what do you need to create?

• Company mission. • Way your company likes to work. • Company ethics. • Company history. • Product and service list and expla­

nations divided up into logical cat­egories for easy, quick searches.

• Frequently asked questions.

• Short updates and announcements. • White papers. • Problem-solution case studies. • Instructional, how-to, step-by-step

articles showing your expertise. • Client list and testimonials. • Photo gallery of finished work. • Photos of work in process. • Bios of major staffers. • Awards. • News published about you. • What certifications you have. • What conferences you have

spoken at, exhibited at. • Links to useful articles. • Link to NOMMA.

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. 457 518' 1 318' • 160 • 250 . 455 314' 2 112' • 119 • 249 . 449 . 349 1' 2 112'

• 251 11/4' 2112" 1 518'

'Malleable ltoo

ANGLED ROUND HOLE BASE I Satin Finish Hole a b Width

. 461 Nickle-Silver 518' 23/16' 1 118' 1 3/8'

. 359 Mal. Iron 318' 1 7/8' 1' 11/4'

. 360 Mal. Iron 112· 1 7/8' 1' 11/4'

. 361 Mal. Iron 518' 2 3/16' 1 118' 13/8' • 260 Bronze 112· 17/8' 1' 11/4' • 261 Bronze 518' 2 3/16' 1 1/8' 13/8'

Julius Blum&Co.lnc. Stock Components For Architectural Metal Work

For a complete product listing and tedmical specifications, request a FREE catalog. Simply call of visit our website:

juliusblum.com

bluminfo@juliusblum.com • Carlstadt, NJ

800.526.6293

828 content marketing usage by tactic

Licensed/Syndicated Content

••. 1,,

0

; 0/o )

4 Create on editorial calendar Now you can start developing a content marketing plan.

On a sheet of paper, create three columns. In the first col­umn, outline the frequently asked questions that you pose to your clients, and that they pose to you .

In the second, write possible answers to these questions . In the last column, show the supporting information you'll use to illustrate responses: photos, sample products, or useful reference materials from publications such as 'Fabricator.

The information in these columns are the basis for an edi­torial calendar, a scheduling tool. The beauty of this exercise is that you are starting with information that you know, and know well, and with evidence and materials to support it

Remember, one of the founding principles of a good con­tent marketing program is to be credible. This means offering useful information that your client values. Always answer the question: What's in it for your client? Supporting your content with facts and examples helps you earn your client's trust.

When you're starting out, keep it simple: Use a calendar or a spreadsheet to block out the topic, supporting material, and date on which you plan to publish (see sidebar, page 62).

Create a schedule that you can sustain. Starting slow with a once-a-week commitment with quality content is better than trying to be too ambitious, too quickly. This will help you accomplish one of the other founding principles of good content marketing: consistency.

5 Examine the different digital marketing channels: • Website. • Social media.

• 'Facebook: Fan pages allow companies to showcase

Fabricator • September I October 2013

Organizational goals for 828 content marketing Percentage of B2B marketers who use

... s_ra_n_d_A_w_a_r_en_e_ss _____ 1~ ro Customer A~uisition

Lead Generation

% lo

Lead Mana~ment/Nurturing % Sales

Total marketing budget spent on 828 content marketing

Micro (Fewer Than 10 Employees) 42% , _________ 34%

Small (10-99 Employees)

Midsize (100-999 Emp oyees) 22% 23% ·--------

Overall

various social media sites to distribute content

• 2012 • 2011 • 2012 • 2011

The data above and on page 60 are from "B2B Content Marketing: 2013 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends-North America" produced by the Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs and sponsored by Brightcove. The survey was mailed electronically to a sample of business-to-business marketers from among members and subscribers of MarketingProfs and Content Marketing Institute. 1,416 responded from companies in August 2012, representing a full range of industries, functional areas, and company sizes. For more information: http:/ /www.marketingprofs.com/ charts/2012/9184/2013-b2b-content-marketing-benchmarks-budgets-and-trends

their products and services through photo albums and status updates, and connect with people on their personal pages. This is good for the general con­sumer, a homeowner, for example.

• 'Linked'ln: Designed mainly for professional networking, companies can create a page that offers a descrip­tion and a few visuals of their business. Fabricators can also join numerous discussion groups that directly relate to your clients, e.g. contractor and archi­tect groups.

• 'lnstagram: A program that allows you to take a picture and share it easily through different social media applications

• Pinterest: A scrapbook/pin­board online that can build up your brand, especially with photos/portfo­lios. Becoming more business oriented.

• '){ouzz: A website and online community about architecture, interior

September I October 2013 • Fabricator

design, landscaping, and decorating • e-Newsletters. Usually sent to an

email list, can be created via a ser­vice, such as Constant Contact or Mail Chimp for a small fee.

• Podcasts. Audio recordings that can be posted online.

• Biogs. Short articles or posts that demonstrate thought leadership.

• Webinars. Online seminars. • Problem-solution case studies.

These can be stand-alone or integrated in a blog.

• How-to, step-by-step articles. These can be stand-alone, or integrated in a blog.

• Videos. You Tube, for example. Build your own channel.)

6 Start with o tool you know Now that you have the editorial cal­

endar in place, it's time to determine which tool in the toolbox to employ.

Whatever tool you choose, the goal is to play to your strengths.

To decide, look again at your edito­rial calendar and examine the types of content you have available:

• Is it mainly visual or written? • Do you enjoy snapping pictures

with your camera? • Do you spend more of your time

pulling out articles you've written in magazines?

• Do you comment on the biogs or discussions of architects or contractors?

Add a column to your editorial calendar and assign a digital outlet to each type of content Which channel comes up the most often? Facebook? The website?

Focus on the one that comes up most. Begin by creating a schedule for your regular updates of new informa­tion on that channel.

61

Month Title/Description Status Date Date Content Designer Editor

How to pick a In Wed, Wed, Blog Post Bob S. Jenny L.

fence Dec 19 Jan 2 anuary Progress

62

How to pick a Assigned

Wed, Wed, Blog Post Stephen P. Jenny L.

fabricator Dec 26 Jan 9

Swimming pool On Hold

Mon, Mon, Video Mike D.

Watson access Dec3 Jan 14 T.

Staircase types Pending Wed, Wed,

Blog Post TBD Jenny L. Jan 2 Jan 16

Editorial calendar template With your goals and timely considerations laid out in a

spreadsheet, you can plan the production of content. By identifying all the moving parts in production, pub­

lication, and measurement, your content marketing will be easier.

Here are the terms used in the template and their meaning:

• Title/Description. The handle for the content piece, like a blog post title or video concept description.

• Status. Where the content project stands - e.g. in production, on hold, published.

• Due Date. When the project is due from the producer/ designer.

• Publish Date. When the content piece goes live. • Type of Content. The format for the content - e.g.

In today's competitive world, Hougen gives you an edge with holemaking tools that will be ready when you are. From mag drills & annular cutters to outstanding service and support, you can trust Haugen's over years experience to get you the products & solutions you need. Hougen has the power, performance and reliability that you demand from your tools backed by the company that built them.

Audience Channels

Considering Bio customers g

Contractors Website

Customers You Tube with kids channel

Promotion Tags

Social TBD

media

Keywords: architect contractor

Social homeowner

media Description: How to pick

a fabricator

Paid ad TBD

promotion

Metrics

links; Social Sharing

links; Social Sharing

Channel

Notes

Video production

on hold Subscriptions until revised

graphics are

approved

Architects E V b . Social ma1 we site media TBD

links; Social Sharing

onsite article, blog post, infographic, whitepaper. • Producer/Designer. Who will be producing/design­

ing this piece of content. • Editor. Who will be editing/formatting this content. • Target Audience. The audience, industry or other

segment you are looking to reach. • Distribution Channels. Where this content will be

published - e.g. blog, resource articles, otfsite. • Promotion. The promotion and/or social media

channels that will be leveraged for this specific content. • Metadata Tags. The meta title, description, and/or

keywords for this piece of content. • Metrics. The specific metrics - e.g. links, traffic,

conversions - the client will try to target and track with the content piece.

- 'Vertical !il{easures, LLC. :JI.II 'Rights 'Reserved. © 2013

Choose a timeline that is manageable within your schedule. While frequency helps, consistency matters more. It's better to update twice a month, and provide solid content, than to try to update every week and have quality suffer. ~

<For your information ~

About the Author Christine Dunn is president of Savoir Media, an award­winning communications firm in Boston. Previously, she served as Boston Bureau Chief for Bloom­berg Nevvs. She has written for Compliance Week, ComputerWorld, and Chief Content Officer magazine. Compliance Week, Com­puterWorld, and Chief Content Officer.

Fabricator • September I October 2013

A 360° VIEW OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY AND PROCESSES. FABTECH 2013.

METAL FORMING I FABRICATING I WELDING I FINISHING

FABTECH represents every step of the metal manufacturing process from start to finish. It's where new ideas, products and technology are highlighted through interactive exhibits, education and networking. Compare solutions from 1,500+ exhibitors, find machine tools to improve quality and productivity, and learn ways to increase profit. REGISTER NOW for the show with a degree of difference.

November 18-21, 2013 I Chicago, IL I fabtechexpo.com

FAB--ECH ,,,. •..... " ....... [ , ,, •. ··"·'·'"J North America's Largest Metal Forming, Fabricating, Welding and Finishing Event

Cosponsors: • - Sme~ PMA •

Scan code to watch video. • "'"'"'' [!) · . rum t:

~ Nationwide Supplier members

Albina Pipe Carell Corp. Elem plate Industrial Multi Sales Inc. Sharpe Products Bending Co. Inc. (251) 937-0948 Systems Coverage Corp. (800) 421-3575 (800) 879-4418

(503) 692-6010 Carl Stahl (919) 676-2244 (631) 736-7500 Nationwide South Camden Alku Group of DecorCable FabCAD Inc. Interstate Mfg. Industries Iron Works Inc.

Companies Innovations (800) 255-9032 Associates Inc. (813) 988-2628 (856) 423-1107 (905) 265-1093 (800) 444-6271 Feeney Inc. (800) 667-9101 NC Tool Co. Stairways Inc.

Allen Century (Feeney The Iron Shop (336) 674-5654 (713) 680-3110 Architectural Group Inc. Architectural (800) 523-7427 O.K. Suhner Industrial Metals Inc. (337) 527-5266 Products) King Architectural Foundry Co. Inc. Products Inc.

(800) 204-3858 CM (800) 888-2418 Metals (888) 592-2240 (800) 323-6886 Alloy Iron Supply LLC The G-S Co. (800) 542-2379 Ohio Gratings Inc. Sumter

Casting Co. Inc. ( 480) 968-5121 ( 410) 284-9549 King Architectural (330) 477-6707 Coatings Inc. (972) 286-2368 CML USA Inc. Gates That Open Metals - CA Pacific Stair Corp. (888) 471-3400

American Ercolina LLC (GTO) (714) 670-8980 (503) 390-8305 TACO Metals Punch Co. (563) 391-7700 (800) 543-4283 King Architectural Precision Glass (305) 770-2373

(216) 731-4501 Colorado Geo.Bezdan Metals -MD Bending Corp. Transpacific Ameristar Fence Waterjet Co. Sales Ltd. (410) 644-5932 (800) 543-8796 Industrial

Products (866) 532-5404 (604) 299-5264 Krando Metal ProCounsel Supply Inc. (918) 835-0898 Custom Orn. Iron Guardian Gate Products (214) 741-3014 (909) 581-3058

Architectural Iron Works Ltd. Hardware (610) 543-4311 Q-Railing USA Co. Tri-State Shearing

Designs Inc. (866) 464-4766 (800) 213-9525 L.E. Sauer (714) 259-1372 & Bending (908) 757-2323 D&D Hartford Machine Co. RAMS ET

(718) 485-2200 Atlas Metal Sales Technologies Standard (636) 225-5358 Automatic Gate TS

(800) 662-0143 (USA) Inc. Co. Inc. Lavi Industries Systems Inc. Distributors Inc. All Galvanizing (714) 677-1300 (270) 298-3227 (800) 624-6225 (800) 771-7055 (832) 467-5400

(815) 618-8440 D.JA. Imports Hayn Lawler Ransburg Vogel Tool & Banker Wire Ltd. Enterprises LLC Foundry Corp. (419) 470-2000 Die LLC

(800) 523-6772 (718) 324-6871 (860) 257-0680 (800) 624-9512 Regency (630) 562-1400

Big Blu DAC Hebo/ Lewis Brass & Railings Inc. The Wagner Hammer Mfg. Industries Inc. Stratford Gate Copper Co. Inc. (214) 742-9408 Companies

(828) 437-5348 (800) 888-9768 Systems Inc. (718) 894-1442 Robinson

(888) 243-6914

Julius Blum DKS, DoorKing (503) 722-7700 Lift Master Iron Corp. West Tennessee & Co. Inc. Systems Heritage (630) 279-3600 (800) 824-2157 Ornamental

(800) 526-6293 (800) 826-7493 cast Iron USA Locinox USA Robinson Door Bridgeton Eagle Bending (918) 592-1700 (708) 579-0286 Laser LLC (901) 346-0662

Drafting Co. LLC Machines Inc. House of Mac Metals Inc. (219) 398-4600 (856) 205-1279 (251) 937-0947 Forgings LLC (800) 631-9510 Rockite,

C.R. Eastern (866) 443-4848 Marks LI.SA. Div. of Hartline

Laurence Metal Supply Illinois (631) 225-5400 Products Co. Inc. (800) 343-8154 Engineered

McKey Co. Inc. (800) 421-6144 Elite Architectural Products Inc.

Perforating (216) 291-2303 Cable Art Inc. Metal Supply (312) 850-3710

(262) 786-2700 Rogers Mfg. Inc. (877) 664-4224 LLC Indiana

Mittler Bros. (940) 325-7806 The cable (84 7) 636-1233 Gratings Inc.

Machine & Tool SECO South Connection EPi (800) 634-1988

(800) 467-2464 (888) 535-SECO (800) 851-2961 (262) 786-9330

NOMMA Gold Members NOMMA is pleased to welcome our newest Cold Members - companies who have been a member for 20 years or more. These companies show a strong loyalty to both their industry and trade association. We thank them for their support.

• Bracci Iron Works ..................................... Brooklyn, NY

• Armin Iron Works Inc ............................... Pittsburgh, PA

• Boes Iron Works Inc ................................. New Orleans, LA

• Broome Welding & Machine Co. Inc. ... Galveston, TX

• DoorKing of Texas Ltd ............................. Dallas, TX

• Hebo/Stratford Gate Systems Inc. ........ Clackamas, OR

• Johnston Products of Dallas Inc ........... Cedar Hill, TX

• King Architectural Metals ....................... Dallas, TX

64

• Mainer Iron Works Inc ............................. Fort Smith, AR

• Picasso Gate Inc ........................................ Cheyenne, WY

• Republic Fence Co. Inc ............................ Granada Hills, CA

• Superior Fence & Orn. Iron ..................... Cottage Hills, IL

• Western Architectural Iron Co ............... Chicago, IL

We greatly thank these companies for their two decades of loyalty and support.

Fabricator • September I Odober 201 l

~ New Members Meet Our Members NOMMA is proud of its 500+

members. As members, fabricators and suppliers show support for both the association and entire industry. To get contact information on a member, see our Member Locator at www.nomma.org.

New/ returning members as of August ll, lOll:

*Asterisk denotes returning members.

Fox Valley Sandblasting & Powder Coating Mr. Jim Schwebke Yorkville, IL

local Supplier

Iron Touch LLC* Mr. Sherman Blankenship Louisville, KY

Fabricator

Piedmont Metalworks Mr. Ron Hamilton Durham, NC

Fabricator

Iron Club Thank you to the following indi­

viduals who have sponsored members for the new membership year. They are now an official member of the NOMMA Iron Club.

• Amos Glick, Compass Ironworks, Gap, PA

• Tony Martinez, Big D Metalworks, Dallas, TX

• JR Molina, Big D Metalworks, Dallas, TX

• Mark O'Malley, O'Malley Welding & Fabricating Inc., Yorkville, IL

NOMMA Membership Campaign We have kicked off the 201l-14

membership campaign. And yes, there are prizes!

• Sponsor a member for a $75 dis­count off METALfab 2014 registration.

• Sponsor 4 members and your registration is free!

To sponsor a member, simply encourage your suppliers, partners, contractors, and nearby fabricators to join.

If inviting them by email, you can send them this link: http://tinyurl. com/ ca769do

Call far Speakers METALfabl014 If you'd like to speak at METALfab 2014, March 12-15, in St. Louis/St. Charles, MO, please contad Lynn Parquette, NEF METALfab education chair: lynn@ornamentaliron.net.

September I Odober 2013 • Fabricator

Come join us for NOMMA's annual convention & expo St. Louis, MO• Mar. 12-15, 2014 Opening New Gateways Learn, Grow, Excel

Packed with education & fun: ./ Education Sessions will cover both shop and business issues.

./ Vendor Exhibits are free and will be open Thursday and Friday.

./ Spouse Program - Bring your spouse ... bring the whole family!

./ Shop Tours - Five shops scheduled. It will be a ft.*1 Saturday!

./ MORE - Top Job awards contest, Thursday the auctions, Saturday banquet, first-time attendee

But wait, there's more: St. Louis is an incredible venue that offers TONY of

./ Cruises ./ Tours ./ Winerie\ l

./ Museums ./ Galleries ./ Outdoor hKf'88

./ Sports events ./ Golf ./ CasiPos

s todo:

./ Music ./ Nightlife ./ Dh•lng V S opping

A thanks to our SP,

PLATINUM - Ind

Keynote Speaker: Sam Richter, best selling author and expert on "sales ln~ligence."

65

AJ!hafs Jl{)t? ~

News Brief

Victor contest for users of oxyfuel and plasma cutters

Victor Technologies, St Louis, has launched two contests as part of its 10oth anniversary celebration of its Victor brand of cutting and gas control equipment.

The ''.A Cut Above" contest is open to students in cutting, weld­ing, and related programs at sec­ondary and post-secondary schools and will award more than $30,ooo in equipment and cash prizes. Beginner students will write a 500-word essay supporting the contest theme, while advanced students will submit a team metal fabrication project that incorporates an oxyfuel, air-fuel, or plasma cutting process.

The "Show Us Your Innovations" 2014 contest will award 12 Vic-tor Medalist 250 Cutting Outfits, and a Victor Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 42 plasma cutter as the Grand Prize for the best photos and associated captions of the entrant using any Victor or Victor Thermal Dynamics cutting equipment.

"Winners will demonstrate innovation, craftsmanship and an appreciation for quality tools that enable them to shape their world;' says Martin Quinn, CEO, Victor Technologies.

Both contests run through Sep­tember. Winners will be named at the Victor Technologies booth at FABTECH 2013 Expo in Chicago.

Contact 636-728-3000 www.victortechnologies.com

SEND US YOUR NEWS

1ndustry 'News

Wagner takes several steps to improve efficiency with sustainability program

The sustainability buzzword is heard everywhere, but what does being a sustainable company actually entail?

For The Wagner Companies, Mil­waukee, a manufacturer and supplier of railing systems and components, sustainability has meant more profit

Wagner initiated sustainability in 2004 through energy reduc­tion. The company contacted Focus on Energy, a Wisconsin energy efficiency and renewable resource program, to determine potential projects, incentives, and cost reductions. As a result, three projects were developed:

1 Ughting upgrade. The first project was changing from metal halide lamps to TS fluo ­rescents, which resulted in an

the Wisconsin Economic Develop­ment Corporation and funded through a federal grant to the State Energy Office from the Department of Energy through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

This program also uses a three-step approach to help small and midsize

energy reduction of 15 to 20%. Jeff Wissbroecker with Wagner's new fiber optic 2 Variable speed drive air laser system.

compressor installation. The second project was moving to a vari­able speed drive air compressor, which led to a 30% energy savings.

J New boiler installation. The boiler now compiles data on various tem­perature levels that is used to adjust the firing rate - achieving a high effi­ciency of 92%.

All three projects were simple and were completed in 2006. Wagner recovered its costs in two years.

The next sustainability step was in 2010 when Wagner applied to partici­pate in the Profitable Sustainability Initiative (PSI) program, a Wiscon­sin state initiative begun in 2009 by

manufacturers bring the greatest ROI and a positive environmental impact.

1 An audit. A consulting firm com­pleted a sustainability audit.

2 Logistics partner. Wagner part­nered with a third party logistics firm for outbound less-than-truck-load (LTL) shipments, which resulted in an immediate cost savings of 30% on all outbound LTL freight.

Wagner also reduced paperwork, and staff used LTL loads more effi-ciently because they could quote vari­ous carriers and bundle shipments.

J Energy dashboard. The consulting firm also created an "energy dashboard"

Let us publish your news. Company news. new prooducts, new literature, events: face-to-face/virtual. people hires. promotions. Please send your press releases to editor@nomma.org.

66 Fabricator • September I October 2013

'Industry 'News

The sustainable lighting installation in the Wagner plant, below. Above, before installation.

for Wagner that served as a springboard for all of their future energy reduction projects. The dashboard gives access to the data that helps Wagner justify new projects and tracks results of imple­mented projects.

Wagner's initiatives continued in 2012 with the introduction of the Me2 and Me3 programs, which also help manufacturers cut costs and help to minimize negative environmental impacts.

1 The installation of a building automation system, which brought about a 6% reduction in overall utility costs. Additional savings came from streamlining maintenance activities, such as monitoring for proper function and extending the life cycle ofHVAC equipment

September I October 2013 • Fabricator

2 Searching for an alternative to the water jet cutting system - a large con­sumer of electricity and water.

Wagner replaced the water jet with a fiber optic, flat laser.

Benefits included: • 15% improvement in material use, • productivity increase of 400%, • elimination of 66 tons/ year of

garnet waste disposed at the landfill, • energy savings of 114,000 kilowatt

hours a year, and • the elimination of the second

shift, which resulted in an additional energy savings of 156,000 kilowatt hours a year.

Contact 414-214-8395 www.wagnercompanies.com

- '13en Perreault, Sustainability 'Intern University of 'Wisconsin, Oshkosh

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News Brief

Bendinelli wins tuition for Goldman Sachs program

Bill Bendinelli, owner/president ofBenFab Architectural Metalwork, Lansdowne, PA, is a student in Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Busi­nesses Initiative. He was one of 25 business owners selected last May.

"I knew that my business had significant growth potential but I was aware that I was lacking the necessary business skills to bring it to the next level:' Bendinelli says.

Goldman Sachs partnered with Community College of Philadel­phia and Babson Col­lege to develop the business curriculum.

The curriculum includes accounting, negotiations, sales and marketing, and HR management

Entrepreneurs participate in work­

/

Bill Bendinelli

shops led by industry leaders, in­classroom discussions, one-on-one counseling, and networking oppor­tunities. They also will have access to business support services and learn how to position their business to access financing and capital.

Upon completion of the 11-ses­sion program, entrepreneurs will have developed an integrated, cus­tomized business growth plan.

Selectees get a scholarship for all tuition and program materials.

Applicants must meet the fol ­lowing criteria:

• Be a business owner/co-owner. • Have a business in operation

for at least two years. • Business must have revenues

between $150,000 and $4 million in the most recent fiscal year.

• Business must have a mini­mum of four employees.

Contact 610-626-9100 www.benfabrailings.com

67

JYlzats JLOf?

''t#

Cotton fiber quick-change discs Rex-Cut Abrasives

Rex-Cut Abrasives is offering a full line of cotton fiber quick-change discs designed for removing small welds and machine tool marks, as well as edge breaking and related finishing tasks. The discs are rigid enough to reach into small corners, yet flexible enough

• Sta ndard Welding Cable exceeds NEMA Class K rating.

• Made of stranded, annealed copper wires.

• Long life, cross-linked rubber insulating jacket.

• Direct-to-You Pricing, No Minimum.

for use on flat and contoured surfaces to remove small welds and break edges, according to the company.

Revealing fresh abrasives as they work, the discs are made from multiple layers of reinforced non-woven cot­ton that are impregnated with abra­sive grains, then pressed and bonded together, and fitted with Type-R and Type-S style fasteners.

Capable of grinding and finishing in one step, the discs are designed to pro­vide smooth, controlled grinding action with no smearing on titanium and stain­less steel, and are non-loading on alumi­num, Kevlar, and other composites, says the company. They are for right-angle grinders in 2-inch and 3-inch sizes with aluminum oxide and silicon carbide abrasives, in seven different grain sizes and three different bonds.

Contact 800-638-8501 www.rexcut.com

Products

Angle and shape bending rolls Cole-Tuve Inc.

New 4-roll angle and shape bending rolls with capacities up to and includ­ing 4 x 4 x Yi inches have been added to the lines of angle rolls, plate rolls, and other metal fabricating machines supplied by Sahinler Metal Makina.

These new rolls address fabricators' needs for more controlled and accu­rate bending capabilities. Because of the geometry of the rolls' positions and according to the work at hand, each

Why limit yourself? ALLOY CASTING offers new, decorative castings in a variety of metals and finishes to help you achieve dramatic and creative results on your next project. Custom or catalog designs in:

Bronze Brass

Stainless Steel Cast Iron

.. . plus a full range of castings in Marine Grade and Bendable Aluminum

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1-800-527-1318 A l. U M I NUM C::ASTI NGS

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68

American Made - American Quality • American Deliveries

Bronze and Stainless Steel samples available in #8102 shown above

3900 Peachtree Rd Mesquite, TX 75180

www.alloynet.com

Fabricator • September I October 2013

Pro duds

machine can be used as a pyramid roll, 3-roll initial-pinch or double-pinch roll, or 4-roll double-pinch roll, and even as a press, the company says.

The mountable outboard supports for the shafts keep deflection to a mini­mum when under heavy load or when extreme accuracy of bend is required. Using the lower roll as a support roll allows light and thinner shapes to be bent without distortion or being crushed. Substituting special rolls for the lower rolls, for example for bend­ing structurals the hard way, adds to the advantages of this type of machine. The machines are especially suited for the addition of NC or CNC.

Contact 877-989-0700 www.coletuve.com

Fully automatic handsaw Kalamazoo Machine Tool

The Kalamazoo Machine Tool Model H360A fully automatic bandsaw

<

is designed for demanding production sawing applications. The saw is engi­neered as a one-piece unified construc­tion so that the machine maintains alignment and accuracies throughout its life, ensuring a+/- 0.008-inch feed accuracy, says the company.

The saw is fully hydraulic, with shuttle barfeed and heavy-duty carbide guides. It features mitering capabil-ity up to 60 degrees right in automatic and up to 45 degrees left in semi-auto­matic, and variable blade speeds from 55-330 fpm.

The operator's control system allows access to important sawing data and is designed to make setup quick and easy.

> > > > > >

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Optimum cutting rates are attain­able with controls over the saw pres­sure and sawing speed. Infinitely variable vise-clamping pressure is stan­dard equipment, as is a top clamp to facilitate holding and cutting multiple pieces. A CNC controlled version -the H 360A NC - is also available.

Contact 269-321-8860 www.kmtsaw.com

Double-fluted step drills Hougen Manufacturing Inc.

Hougen Manufacturing has new step drills made from premium cobalt M42 high-speed steel with a TiN coat­ing to improve tool life.

The drills also feature an angled double flute which increases penetra­tion rates and reduces the force needed when drilling.

Starting the hole is made easy with the Hougen split point, says the company.

C.D.A. Alloy 655 • SHEET & PLATE • ROUND ROD < THE FOLK SCHOOL >

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September I October 2013 • Fabricator

•WELDING ROD •FLAT BAR • CASTING ALLOYS: • SQUARE TUBING

95-4-1 & 92-4-4, 1/2" cubes to 20 lb. ingots Fabrication Properties Rating Corrosion Resistance Excellent Capacity for being cold worked Excellent Capacity for being hot formed Excellent Suitabil ity for being joined by:

Brazing Oxyacetylene welding Gas shielded arc welding Resistance welding

Hot forgeability rating

Excellent Good Excellent Excellent 40

ATLAS METAL SALES 1900 W. 12th Ave. • Denver, CO 80204

-

800-662-0143 • 303-623-0143 liiifiiiiiil Fax: 1-303-623-3034 lllliiiillm

E-Mail: jsimms@atlasmetal.com

69

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''t#

The new step drills are available in three sizes: Part No. 35200 for sizes Ys inch to Yi inch for Ys-inch materials; Part No. 35201 for sizes 3/ 16 inch to Yi inch for %-inch materials; and Part No. 35202 for sizes 3/ 16 inch to % inch for Ys-inch materials.

Hougen Manufacturing also pro­vides machine shops, fabricators, erec­tion and installation crews, and mainte­nance personnel with a wide range of hole making equipment, from lightweight ultra-low profile drills to

large heavy-duty, production-style magnetic drills.

Contact 810-635-7m www.hougen.com

Hand-operated weld shaver Heck Industries

Heck Industries has a new hand-oper­ated fillet weld shaver that uses index­able carbide inserts in a milling cutter to remove weld beads from both flat "butt" welds and inside 90-degree "fillet" welds.

The new Model WS90 features both adjustable depth of cut and an adjustable fence, making it easy to remove only a weld bead and not the surrounding pri-

Products

mary materials, says the company. The new tool features 2.3 horse­

power, and weighs 12 pounds. Contact 810-632-5400 www.heckind.net

Magnetic latching system D&D Technologies

D&D Technologies' LokkLatch Mag­netic is a magnetic latching system that fits any metal, wood, and vinyl square post It offers coordinating trim covers, that match gate hinges, lighting and yard accessories.

The product is engineered with durable materials and finishes to with­stand the harsh effects of time and weather, says the company.

Features include D&D patented magnetic latching, intuitive push/ pull action, and dual 6-pin, re-keyable locks, as well as vertical and horizontal adjustment and no visible fasteners.

FIRE YOUR FORGE TODAY!

BUil T FOR A LIFETIME OF COLD SAWING

2 Heavy Duty Cold Saws from opposite sides of the world

See Us At FAB Boothss2233 & TECH

70

Proven design Efficient-Reaches 2350 Degrees Versatile Portable Many Models Available

Haberle H90 52234 MADE JN GERMANY

Includes Double Grip Vice 8t Trigger Switch

II MADE JN AUSTRAUA

WWW .HaberleUSA.com WWW .BroboUSA.com

• Burr Free 8t Milled Finish • Cuts Steel, Stainless, Aluminum 8t

Other Non-Ferrou s Metal s • Miters 45°-0°-45° • Built For Full-Time Use • Machine Models from 9" - 18" SawBlade: max

Haberle HR302 Tube Deburring Machine

• Sawblades in Stock (6.3 .. Tube) • Sharpening Service

Exclusive Representative & Service In the US: BROBO and HABERLE

Ken Bergman & Associates LLC s ince 1976

CALL 1-800-956-1313

Located just outside Chicago, Illinois USA

Fabricator • September I October 2013

Pro duds

~~ There are optional

decorative trim covers and strong engineering poly­mers and stainless steel components. The product fits any square post gate of 11h inches to 6 inches.

Contact 800-716-0888 www.ddtechglobal.com

Abrasive saw Kalamazoo Industries Inc.

Kalamazoo Industries has introduced the model K3oPH 30-inch abrasive saw that features air/oil

power down feed, a mas­sive 25 horsepower, three­phase 220/ 440 V motor with magnetic starter, and a 1 '!4-inch arbor with sealed ball bearings.

The saw measures 36 inches long x 24 inches wide x 84 inches high and has a capacity of up to 5-inch sol­ids and 8-inch shapes.

C360SA Semi­

Automatic Cold Saw

Vertical column construction for vibration-free sawing Simple controls for high volume production work Two-speed spindle (18 & 36 rpm) Heavy-duty precision-ground saw bed Heavy-duty drive ~ 4 hp TEFC motor Totally enclosed transmission

KALAMAZOO

September I October 2013 • Fabricator

6700 Qualitv wav Portage, Ml 49002

269-321-8860 Fax: 269-321-8890 www.kmtsaw.com

Options include a totally enclosed hydraulic down feed, stock conveyor, air vise and oscillation: gear/motor or hydraulic, coolant, 30, 40, 50 horsepower.

Contact269-382-2050 WWW.

kalamazooindustries.com

Press brake Cincinnati Inc.

The company's new Base­form press brake is a bend­ing and forming solution for shops looking to quickly expand metal fabrication services or bring outsourced metal forming operations in house at an affordable price.

The Baseform includes a PC-based control and is available in 90- and 175-ton capacity models. It includes a micro-crowned bed and

±0.0004-inch (±0.01 mm) repeatability. Optional offline programming increases throughput and decreases scrap, says the company.

The Baseform comes standard with a backgage designed to reduce setup and handling time. Opera­tors can program backgage positions necessary to form multiple flanges in one han­dling. Gage allowance, clamp position, retract distance, and gage pause are also pro­grammable, and a closed­loop servo drive provides fast, precise gage positions. A full-length bar, two adjust-

<Wbqt's Jtot?

'"

able gage holders with two sets of fingers and a position­ing tool are standard.

Baseform's PC-based control combines 3D graph­ics interface with touch­screen operation. New part programs can be generated through manual data entry or by drawing the part in cross-section or flat pattern, and then selecting tooling and bend sequence.

Contact 513-367-7100 www.e-ci.com

Portable floor scale Alliance Scale Inc.

The company has a new portable floor scale with a folding ramp and battery­operated weight indicator that is available with stain­less steel construction to resist chemical attack.

The DeckHand Porta­ble Floor Scale is suited for drum weighing applications where the risk of chemical spills is present or frequent wash-downs are required.

The digital weight indica­tor is a 5-digit, 1-inch LCD display with a RS-232 com­munications port It is pow­ered by six "C" cell alkaline batteries and includes a no VAC adapter.

The scale has a column

71

JYhats JLOf?

c i#

with two hand grips and a 31x41x4.5-inch non-skid platform and ramp. It is available in 500-, 1,000-, and 2,000-pound capacity models.

Contact 800-343-6802 www.alliancescale.com

Flush-head studs PennEngineering

PEM type FHP self-clinching flush­head studs are designed to install permanently into thin stainless steel sheets, providing solutions for attach­ment applications that require superior corrosion resistance. They install more

72

easily at lower cost than weld studs, says the company, and can contribute to thinner and lighter designs for com­ponent assemblies.

These studs mount flush and per­manently in stainless steel sheets as thin as .040 inch (and greater) and become integral to an assembly with only a mating nut required for final attachment The A186 stainless steel is designed to impart high hardness and the studs can be specified reliably for use in stainless sheets with hardness of 92 or less on the Rockwell "B" scale.

PEM type FHP flush-head clinch studs are supplied in thread sizes #4-40 through #10-32 and M3 through Ms, and in a range of 10 standard lengths.

Contact 800-237-4736 www. pemnetcom

Protective barrier hand lotion CAIG Laboratories Inc.

Hand-E-Glove protective bar-

Produets

rier hand lotion, originally developed for use in the electronics industry, is now available for consumers and those working in various industries. It is applied like ordinary hand lotion, before starting cleaning tasks, and allows the user to easily wash away glue, ink, plumber's putty, and other products using plain soap and water.

Hand-E-Glove can also be used under winter gloves to prevent skin from drying and cracking, and has a skin-softening and anti-static formulation.

Contact 858-486-8388 www.caig.com

Fabricator • September I Odober 201 l

~ Advertiser's Index

A thanks to the following advertisers for their support of O&MM Fabricator magazine.

Pg Company Website Pg Company Website 21 Albina Pipe Bending Co ............... www.albinapipebending.com 51 International Gate Devices ................................ www.intlgate.com

11 Allen Architectural Metals lnc ................... www.allenmetals.com 76 The Iron Shop ............................................... www.theironshop.com

68 Alloy Casting Co. Inc .......................................... www.alloynet.com 48 Jesco Industries Inc. WIPCO div ............... www.jescoonline.com

52 American Fence 71 Kalamazoo Machine Tool ................................. www.kmtsaw.com Association Inc. ................. www.americanfenceassociation.com

75 King Architectural Metal... ........................... www.kingmetals.com 72 Artist-Blacksmith's Assoc.

of North America lnc ................................................ www.abana.org 9 Krando Metal Products Inc. ............................... www.Krando.com

69 Atlas Metal Sales ............................................ www.atlasmetal.com 16 Lapeyre Stair .................................................. www.lapeyrestair.com

70 Ken Bergman & Assoc., LLC ....................... www.haberleusa.com

44 Big Blu Hammer Mfg. Co. /

24 Larsen Innovations LLC ............................. larseninnovations.com

28 Laser Precision Cutting .................................... www.lpcutting.com

Oak Hill Iron Works ............................... www.bigbluhammer.com 15 Lawler Foundry Corp ............................... www.lawlerfoundry.com

51 Blacksmiths Depot/ Kayne & Son 2 Lewis Brass & Copper Co. Inc .................... www.lewisbrass.com Custom Hardware Inc ..................... www.blacksmithsdepot.com 6 Locinox USA ........................................................... www.locinox.com

60 Julius Blum & Co. lnc .................................... www.juliusblum.com 23 Mac Metals Inc ............................................... www.macmetals.com 38 The Cable Connection ................ www.thecableconnection.com 36 Marks U.SA ........................................................ www.marksusa.com 69 John C. Campbell Folk School ...................... www.folkschool.org 26 Mittler Bros. Machine & Tool ..................... www.mittlerbros.com 37 Carell Corporation .......................................... www.carellcorp.com

43 Chicago Metal Rolled Products Co ..................... www.cmrp.com

56 Colorado Waterjet Co ....................... www.coloradowaterjet.com

33 Custom Ornamental Iron Works Ltd .................................... www.customironworks.com

19 D & D Technologies (USA) Inc .............. www.ddtechglobal.com

30 Doringer Cold Saw ............................................ www.doringer.com

37 Eagle Bending Machines Inc. ......................... www.eaglebendingmachines.com

55 Eberl Iron Works lnc ......................................... www.eberliron.com

68 Electron Beam Technologies Inc. ....... www.electronbeam.com

25 FabCad Inc .............................................................. www.fabcad.com

17 Feeney Inc .......................................................... www.feeneyinc.com

27 Hebo - Stratford Gate Systems Inc .... www.drivewaygates.com

62 Hougen Mfg. Inc. ................................................. www.hougen.com

Your advertising contact for O&MM Fabricator NOMMA Buyer's Guide NOMMA website

a.mun Sherry Theien Advertising Director 8392 Leesburg Ct. Rockford, IL 61114 815-282-6000 815-282-8002 fax stheien@att.net

September I Odober 2013 • Fabricator

54 Pat Mooney lnc. ................................... www.patmooneysaws.com

28 National Bronze & Metal... ......................... www.nbmmetals.com

70 NC Tool Company lnc. ...................................... www.nctoolco.com

50 Regency Railings .................................... www.regencyrailings.com

41 Scotchman Industries .................................. www.scotchman.com

47 Sharpe Products ................................... www.sharpeproducts.com

63 Society of Manufacturing Engineers ....................... www.sme.org

39 Stairways lnc. ................................................................ 800-231-0793

49 Suhner Industrial Products Corp ............... www.suhnerusa.com

58 Sumter Coatings lnc ............................. www.sumtercoatings.com

29 TACO Metals Inc .............................................. www.tacorailing.com

72 Traditional Building ....................... www.traditional-building.com

45 Tri-State Shearing & Bending ................................... 718-485-2200

59 Vogel Tool & Die LLC ....................................... www.vogeltool.com

31 The Wagner Companies ................ www.wagnercompanies.com

Advertise in the 2014 NOMMA Buyer's Guide Your one-stop resource for shop and office personnel

The Buyer's Guide is available in 3 versions:

1) print,

2) online, and 3) database.

Closing date November 30, 2013 Contact Sherry Theien, 8 15-282-6000; 815-282-8002 fax; stheien@att.net

73

~ Metal Moment ~rom the NOMMA 2iftServ

How to clean pickets, posts before fabrication Greg Bailey, Bailey Metal Fabricators Inc., Mitchell, SD, www.baileymetalfab.com, posted a question on the NOMMA ListServ.

I want to clean pickets and posts before fabrication. What do you use to clean and degrease your railings? I planned to use a dip tank. Some say that the mineral spirits dries their hands out.

Several NOMMA members respond It's sometimes possible to open a bundle, spread them out a bit, and pressure wash with a biodegradable solution.

'Doug Cernonok :Myers & Co . .Jlrchitetlural :Metals

Look into using a barrier cream. Any heavy degreasers are going to dry out hands.

'Robert Sarpy 'Rusty 'Ripple 'Ironworks

We use mineral sprits, and we provide large heavy duty rubber gloves. We have done this for years.

'Tony :Martinez 'Big 'D :Metalwork's

We like Simple Green. Spread out materials on stands. Soak with a pump up sprayer, then follow with a rag and 5-gal. bucket of diluted solution.

Jeffery Presbaugh .Jlberdeen Custom <jate & 'Iron

We use Formula 51 by Zep. We wear rubber gloves when cleaning metal so our hands don't dry out

'Downtown Ornamental 'Iron 'Inc.

We have been using an ind ustrial degreaser/parts cleaner made by TSP. Heavily concentrated, so you dilute as needed.

Disposable nitrile gloves (industrial grade) work well. We get the gloves through Amazon (very inexpensive, and they also hold up to all of our solvents in the paint department.

As others have mentioned - layout on "saw horses" -wash with degreaser (plastic bristle brush), rinse with water, and set in sun to dry or towel down depending on weather. Gets to be a bit more tricky in the winter.

Works well. We have not had issues with hands and

i'''"·'IEI

the gloves, which stand up to Xylene and MEK - solvents we use in painting. So having one product works well.

:Maciej Jankowski .Jlrtiftic 'Iron rworks LLC

A chemist friend told me that anything that removes grease or oil will necessarily remove body oils from unprotected skin, which is why one gets chapped hands, and which is why protection is required no matter how earth-friendly the cleaner is.

We use a locally produced product simi­lar to Simple Green using waterproof gloves and eye protection.

'Bruce 'Berg Outland Steel

Go to Smart & Final and get their "Cleaner-Degreaser" that is for cleaning commercial kitchens. Works great It's only $25 for a 5-gal. bucket. With a discount if you get two or more.

We use a long-handled scrub brush, and rinse it off with a hose. No protection needed. If it's a stubborn grease, we'll use a Scotch-Brite pad and the cleaner. Then it's good to use gloves.

John :Mc'Lellan :Mc'Lellan 'Blacksmithing

Response from Bailey Metal Fabricators Our ListServe post provided several ideas. We fabricated a

dip tank with an expanded tray to hold the parts off the bot­tom and in a clean solution. We require using rubber gloves and a face shield. We use mineral spirits for our cleaner. On bigger parts, we use a steam pressure washer with a degreaser.

Just one more example of how supportive NOMMA mem­bers are and how vital the ListServe is to our success!

Join HOMMA ... to get your questions answered on the Listserv

The NOMMA Listserv is an ongoing email discussion list where NOMMA members get quick, free answers to their important questions. A valuable benefit for members.

If you are a NOMMA member and not subscribed, contact support@nomma.org.

If you are not a NOMMA member, we encourage you to join your industry's trade association.

Something on your mind? Got something to say? Got an idea? Got a tip? Got a gripe? Do you have a story to tell? Fabricator magazine would like your story for a Metal Moment. Please contact Editor Robin Sherman at nomma.editor@att.net.

74 Fabricator • September I Odober 201 l

~~

~~~~~

Put a spin on your space. Elegant. Efficient. Affordable.

METAL

from $605 from $3000 from $4750

Easy to assemble. 5-year warranty.

I• if i I lf I jt•l ~ li i (·)~I The Leading Manufacturer of Spiral Stair Kits~

For FREE catalog, call 1-800-523-7427 ext. FAB Or visit www.The/ronShop.com/FAB

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