1. Must-knows about metalwork

Metalwork is part of mechanical metallurgy, which studies behaviour and processing of metallic elements, starting from the smallest individual components and different assemblies to large structures, blow by blow—literally. This is a very broad field, so the experts, like metalsmiths, toolmakers, machinists, etc. need to have a wide range of knowledge and skill.

2. Choosing the right professional

If you ever need this kind of service, make sure you find an experienced individual or company. Note that most companies carry out an inspection and consultations before the actual work, and maintenance and repairs afterwards. Lets not forget about the importance of a warranty either, as this will protect you in case of any damage due to the quality of materials or workmanship. If you manage to find a flexible and efficient company ready to meet you half way, rest assured youve made the right choice.

3. The most popular metalwork services and products

3.1. Gates

Domestic gates and wicket doors are usually made of stainless steel, aluminium, or (wrought) iron. The shape and colour choice are up to you.

These are different types of domestic gates:

- Free-standing gates—these are trackless gates supported by concrete and metal posts. They usually open manually, but you can also set automatic opening, which makes their use simpler and easier.

- Slide gates—these gates glide along an inground track. They can open and close either manually or electronically.

- Swinging gates—these gates are attached to one (single) or two posts (double). They too can open manually or automatically.

- Wicket door

3.2. Fences

The purpose of fences is to protect lots, gardens, terraces, swimming pools, balconies, staircases, etc. They should aesthetically match their surroundings. Theyre mostly made of stainless steel, aluminium, and wrought iron, but they can also include a combination of different materials, e.g. wood and glass. Outdoor fences must be protected against corrosion.

Stainless steel fences

look good both inside and outside. They can be sandblasted, ground, or polished. Stainless steel is often used in combination with other materials, such as wood and glass. These fences are sleek, simple, and durable.

Wrought fences

are extremely elegant, appealing, and classy. Choose the shape of individual elements and their layout according to your preferences. This type of fences is usually screwed to concrete and metal posts. To increase their service life as much as possible, you must protect them from corrosion. Protection against corrosion can be provided through hot-dip galvanizing and application of anti-corrosion paints and powders.

Aluminium fences

are an excellent choice for balconies, terraces, staircases, swimming pools, and land. Theyre lighter than stainless steel ones, and theyre assembled by means of screws, rather than welding, but still look solid and durable.

3.3. Staircase

Staircases range in type and purpose, so they can be installed indoors, outdoors, in an industrial environment, etc. Theyre usually made of hot-dip galvanized (stainless) steel.

3.4. Shelters

Shelters are designed to protect your car, balcony, terrace, and similar places from outdoor elements, i.e. the sun, rain, snow, hail. These are steel or aluminium structures. Whether stainless or regular, steel is protected against corrosion through hot-dip galvanization, or paint or powder coatings. Either way, youre the one wholl get to choose the colour. Shelters can be free-standing, cantilever, or supported by posts.

3.5. Custom-made solutions

There are structures and elements that a metalsmith can make according to your preferences, e.g. some load-bearing structures, landings, supports, frames, furniture, household items, etc., including solutions intended for warehouses, industrial, sport and other facilities.

4. Processing, joints, and protection

4.1. Metalwork processes

4.1.1. Bending

During the bending process, outer fibres stretch, while the inner ones shrink. The central fibres remain intact, i.e. they experience no strain. Bending is one of the most common shaping processes applied to semi-finished metal products, like sheets, profiles, and pipes. Individual and small-batch elements are bent using universal machines and tools. In batch production, special tools called dies are used for cutting, bending, and deep drawing.

4.1.2. Drawing (pressing)

Nowadays, traditional drawing can only be seen in artisan workshops, since its been replaced by deep drawing and pressing in factories. Drawing out a workpiece means shaping it with a hammer, starting from the centre outwards, on the base called anvil. With every blow, the material gets thinner and smaller. This technique is mostly used for copper, brass, aluminium, tin, and zinc.

4.1.3. Grinding

Grinding can be manual, external, internal, surface, thread, cylindrical, centreless, etc. Theres also angle grinding and threading. Various tools are used for this type of work, including bench grinders and power grinders, which include angle, die, vibrating, and straight grinders.

4.1.4. Punching

Punching is the creation of holes in a piece of metal. A drill bit goes through the workpiece, thus making a hole of a certain diameter, with or without cuts. The hole can be expanded through milling, while the edges can be finely polished.

Punching can be performed on steel, hardox, stainless steel, stainless steel pipes, aluminium, copper, brass, and other metals.

4.1.5. Cutting

Laser cutting

This is the most advanced and precise cutting method. This process has numerous advantages over others. Its quite affordable, yet quicker and more sophisticated than other techniques. It’s usually aluminium and stainless steel workpieces up to 2 cm in thickness that are cut in this way, provided the overall dimensions dont exceed 2x4 m. Note that the size of the workpiece depends on the size of the machine in the workshop.

Plasma cutting

This is the most expensive cutting technique. Its usually used on metal structures that arent thicker than 8 cm, while thickness of stainless steel and aluminium workpieces can be up to 4 cm. Workpieces exceeding 2x6 m cant be processed this way. Again, the size of the workpiece depends on the size of the machine available in the workshop.

Endless/band saw

This type of saw is used for cutting metal profiles and pipes. It can cut at a right or an acute angle. This tool cant make cuts whose diameter exceeds 60 cm.

4.2. Joining processes

4.2.1. Riveting

Using rivets to fasten two materials creates a permanent joint. Theres hot and cold riveting. Once joined this way, two materials can only be separated if cut. This joining method is used for construction of bridges, fences and similar structures exposed to a great load.

4.2.2. Welding

Welding is a method of fusing two or more elements into a permanent joint using heat, pressure, or both. Welding can be performed using a filler metal or without it, using additional pressure or not. In short, fusion welding, pressure welding, and laser welding are different types of this process.

4.2.3. Soldering

Two metal parts of the same or different kind are joined by a melted solder. The solder is melted, while the adjoining metal part is heated up to its melting point, after which theyre joined into a permanent joint. Solders can be either hard or soft. Soft solders have a lower melting point, while hard ones have a higher melting point. Soldered steel can be fused with non-ferrous metals.

4.2.4. Screwing

Unlike the above-mentioned methods, this one makes a temporary joint, because the metal parts can be separated once the screws are removed.

4.3. Oxidation protection

Some types of metal are more prone to oxidation than others, so they form an oxide layer on their surface. Some metals, such as aluminium, are protected by this oxide layer from further oxidation, whereas others, like iron, arent protected this way, but rather the oxide layer catalyses this process in contact with water and air. If such metals arent properly protected in the final processing stage, theyll start corroding after a while, and end up being completely covered in rust. Proper protection of metals surface is essential in final processing. Metals are protected by metallic and non-metallic layers.