We use many, many thousands of lineal feet of steel to fabricate the armatures of our creations. We begin with heavy structural steel, then lighter tubing and for the final shape we go down to 1/4” pencil rod. We use hundreds or even thousands of feet on each piece, tens of thousands of feet on a typical large project. Each rod is hand formed and then welded into a grid that approximates the final shape of the final feature. The grid size varies but averages about 6” x 6” in area. Each intersection is fully welded, secure enough to support the weight of our crew and the cement that will be applied. This grid is also carefully welded back into the structural members regularly. The armature has to be strong for it will be moved in our shop, hoisted onto a truck, hauled across the country and then moved again to its final home. Then it has to stay strong for decades to come, without worry of failure - a tall order without a doubt. Those who see the frames often comment on how we overbuild our projects. Our answer is simple. ‘While we know what too weak looks like we’ve never seen something too strong!’
