- Make your own crafts from sheet metalmailbox image by palms from Fotolia.com
To make use of sheet metal for crafts you need to be able to properly shape the metal, cut it and finally smooth the edges of the metal for safety reasons. But with the right tools you can create functional and decorative products for inside and outside your home. - You can approach the task of making a sheet metal lampshade from several directions. The thinner your sheet metal, the easier your work will be. According to Readers Digest you should use special tin snips called compound snips to cut the sheet metal. Use a simple table vice and pair of pliers to shape the metal, and finally you can fold over the edges (called hemming) to remove any jagged surface area. You also can smooth the edges with a simple metal file or apply a rubber or plastic strip along the raw metal edge. For different looks, try cutting patterns (stars, circles) into the metal. At night the patterns will create glowing shapes in the darkness.
- Designing and crafting a picture frame from sheet metal can be very simple or time-consuming and labor intensive, but you can save a lot of money by purchasing the raw materials and doing your own work. Additionally you will be able to find exactly what you are looking for because you are the designer.
You first need to buy the sheet metal at your local hardware store. Measure your picture or photo and then outline the proper dimensions on the sheet. Use a hammer and punch to start the hole and then use snips to cut the frame, or, as Sheila Hrabal suggests in her frame-making article on factoidz.com, "thread a coping saw through the hole and reattach it to the saw handle" and then use the saw to cut the frame. Punch holes wherever you need to attach a hanger. Use a metal file and sandpaper to smooth any rough edges. - Many factory mailboxes are made from sheet metal, so your homemade design may be very similar in the end to the mailboxes you find in hardware and home supply stores. According to thisoldhouse.com, "there are standard sizes recommended for mailboxes on most delivery routes, ranging from 19 to 23.5 inches long, 6.5 to 11.5 inches wide and 8.5 to 13.5 inches high." But no matter the size you still must get the local postmaster's approval before your box becomes official. To build your metal box, purchase the necessary amount of sheet metal and then use a table vice, pliers and snips to cut and shape the metal. Fold where necessary and make sure to cut slots on the main body for the hinges that will connect the body to the door. Depending on the desired location of your box you may have to build a platform, which can be as simple as a wooden post.
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