Branch Railing

This is a custom 14’ railing designed after a wood railing the customer had seen.

Started by texturing up over 400 feet of round rod 1 1/4” down to 3/8.” Because the 

railing is going into an existing house it had to be split into 3 pieces so it could be 

carried upstairs and placed in position. I have started to forge, and fabricate the 1 1/4” branches and after they are fitted and welded with in the frame, I will continue 

adding the different size branches working my way down to the smallest size being 

used.

 

This shows several steps of the process 1) to scale drawing of the project on the shop floor(i dont have a large enough table to draw this project on. 2) I then use rope to measure the lengths I need to cut the material to(the rope allows me to "trace" the curves marking the rope then measuring the rope on a strait measure to find the lenght needed. 3) Each length of material is cut and laid on the drawing in its approximate located.

4) I tecture every piece of iron to give it the look and visual feel of a tree branch. 5) using the forge to heat the steel each length is manipulated to match the drawing on the floor. 

6) "Nublets" (official blacksmith term. What? look it up!)........(Really you actually looked it up?) using the next smaller bar stock small lengths of steel are cut, welded, and ground to look like cut off branches.

 

7) the "branches are fitted and welded in the frame work. this process is repeated with 1 1/4", 3/4", 1/2" and 3/8" round bar. There is several hours spent cleaning up after the welding process and preping the iron to be powder coated.

Here are the 3 sections of railing completed and ready for installation

 

 

To finish the railing, all the branches were hit with emery cloth, and then 

waxed and buffed.