METALS RESEARCH

Metals in General and Steel Specifically:

I am now decided on steel as the non-ferrous metal I will explore—rather than metallic metals of cobalt or nickel.

All metal production, from their mining to their typically high metling points, are I assume fascinating processes to Nancy Rubins in the regard that the material and furnaces are hard to acquire and the processes not usually available to most individuals. Recalling how Nancy Rubins is fascinated by things she doesn’t understand, I am certain that the science of producing quality metals with correct amounts of alloys would enter into this category similar to how she also is awstruck in the methods and thinking involved in assembling airplanes as well as the sheer scale.

All metal production requires in essence some kind of ore and very extreme heat to reach the materials high melting points. Furthermore, whether it is pressed, rolled, poured into a mould or stretched, the tools with which one makes metal usually are now often of metals themselves (though presumably once carved stone or sand moulds)- furnaces, pots, stirring instruments, moulds, etc. As such the melting points of instruments used in the metal making process need be considered in metal production.

The Metal used for construction is pre-fabricated into standardized pieces for us to or assemble or weld.

I will choose to examine steel primarily since it is the most structural of all the metals. Its strength seems to allign itself with the element of railing whose primary role is to support the body. The balancing act of volumes far greater than the support is emanent in Nancy Rubins work. She enjoys the sense of contradiction in her sculptures—where they look like they almost shouldn’t be able to stand up (and in her earlier works, two didn’t)—whether she sneakily supports her « Worlds Apart » with a concealed structural footing—or creates a new property for paper by building it up with pencil lead until it becomes more rigid and sculptural.

Another central theme to Rubins work is her desire to make energies of inanimate materials visible and steel is by nature has strong in tensile strength as compared to other materials. The manners in which the railing can be detailed—by suspension or by standing upright—by transfering loads to its various components or by being a continous object that distributes loads evenly. The railing might contradict what one expects and be laterally strong without an evident lateral support.

METAL EXPLORATIONS THUS FAR or OPTIONS FOR RAILING ASSEMBLY:

1. Metal Cutting and WELDING:
Welding being the process of essentially binding a steel with another steel with a similar steel wire that is helted into a steel adhesive. Steel must not have been painted, etc for a weld to work.

BASIC PROCESS:
-Acquire standard sized pieces of metal (listed in a metals catalogue)
-Cut all the pieces to correct dimensions and sizes before begining to weld.
-Assemble the entire object of construction (in my case, it will be a railing) while factoriing at least 1mm in extra width for every joint before beginning to weld.
-Set the ground cable and the ventilater. Also set the voltage and wire speed.
- "tack weld" all the joints of the structure or component
(otherwise joints have a tendency to lose accuracy as metals melt and distort)
-assure structure/component is square and level
-"bead weld" all joints between tack joints

2. FASTENING JOINTS:
This process has the advantage of being able to use more material components and a variety of metals together simply by drilling holes in proper places are acquiring hard ware-- Bolts, Plates, Washers, Rubber Gaskets, Wooden Blocking. This process is able to integrate a plurality of objects and materials which is another prevailing theme in Rubin' works.

3. POURING/CASTING:
Jerry and I (the metals crew) will be going with Sheryl and her materials lab to the Merrickville foundry to see this process in action and find out whether it will be possible to build our own moulds should we like to pour something.