welding + fabrication
Welding and fabrication is the process of cutting and then joining metal shapes together to create a finished piece. With any modern architectural ironwork piece, it’s likely that welding and fabrication techniques are used at least once in its construction. Electrical arc welding is used in a number of different processes to melt the base metal being joined together along with a “filler metal” which gives the weld “bead” much of its strength. At PIG, we employ stick, MIG, and TIG welding processes where applicable, and we can weld steel and aluminum as well as a range of more exotic metal types such as bronzes, cast iron, and more.
Additionally, as a fully functional blacksmith shop, we can also employ “forge welding” whereby two pieces of iron or steel are heated in a fire and stuck together by hammering them together at about 2000 degrees F (~1100 degrees C). This technique is most often used on smaller articles such as hardware like hinges or kitchen utensils, but it can be applied to larger pieces as well when it’s the only welding process available to solve a given problem.