Making a Burning Man Branding Iron
by TSSJ-ryan in Workshop > Metalworking
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Making a Burning Man Branding Iron
I was recently asked to make a Burning Man branding iron approximately 1" in height. I had not made a branding
iron before, but it seemed simple enough. The trickiest part was the small scale, but I love welding so I jumped
right into this project.
Step 1: I collected all the necessary tools and materials.
*this project was made at TechShop San Jose
-"what will you make?"
iron before, but it seemed simple enough. The trickiest part was the small scale, but I love welding so I jumped
right into this project.
Step 1: I collected all the necessary tools and materials.
*this project was made at TechShop San Jose
-"what will you make?"
Materials and Tools
Acquire all the necessary tools and materials:
1" print out of the Burning Man logo for reference
1/8" weldable steel square rod
angle grinder w/ cut off wheel
hammer
vice
helping hand
grinding wheel
TIG welder
1" print out of the Burning Man logo for reference
1/8" weldable steel square rod
angle grinder w/ cut off wheel
hammer
vice
helping hand
grinding wheel
TIG welder
Prepping the Material
Cut stock metal to size. I clamped my rod into the vice and using the angle grinder and a cut-off wheel started cutting. Cut 2 sections for the legs (slightly larger than 1"), a couple of 1/4" pieces (to become the head), and several larger sections
at arbitrary lengths for connecting all the pieces together and forming a handle.
Bend leg sections to match the design of the Burning Man logo. Again, I clamped my rod into a vice, this time
striking the open end with a hammer until bent into position.
I also bent a few of the connecting rods in the same fashion.
at arbitrary lengths for connecting all the pieces together and forming a handle.
Bend leg sections to match the design of the Burning Man logo. Again, I clamped my rod into a vice, this time
striking the open end with a hammer until bent into position.
I also bent a few of the connecting rods in the same fashion.
Welding!
Start welding! (My favorite part of the process)
Once I had all the metal cut, bent, and fully prepped it was time to start putting it all together.
I used a helping hand to hold all of my small pieces in place as I welded.
First I welded the small 1/4" pieces to a larger piece (that would become the handle) to make the head. (I briefly
skipped to the next step and grinded the head before I continued welding.) Then I connected the legs to their supporting
rods. And lastly, I added some bracing to attach the whole thing together.
Once I had all the metal cut, bent, and fully prepped it was time to start putting it all together.
I used a helping hand to hold all of my small pieces in place as I welded.
First I welded the small 1/4" pieces to a larger piece (that would become the handle) to make the head. (I briefly
skipped to the next step and grinded the head before I continued welding.) Then I connected the legs to their supporting
rods. And lastly, I added some bracing to attach the whole thing together.
Grinding and Finishing
As I mentioned in the previous step, after I welded the head to the handle I used a grinding wheel to
quickly shape the head to its proper dimensions. Once the whole thing was assembled, I took it to the grinding wheel to
grind the branding surface to level.
quickly shape the head to its proper dimensions. Once the whole thing was assembled, I took it to the grinding wheel to
grind the branding surface to level.
Branding Time!
That's it! Now it is ready to use.
It's crude and dirty, but hey it does the job.
Just heat it up and starting branding!
It's crude and dirty, but hey it does the job.
Just heat it up and starting branding!