Ledge Rock Welding and Fabrication of Concord, Mass Joins Forces with Martel's Metal Works of Seekonk, Mass.

By Neil Mansfield
 

This past summer at Ledge Rock Welding and Fabrication, Bob Caras, and George Martell of Martell’s Metal Works, partnered to create a unique forged bronze spiral hand railing to be installed into a penthouse at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, in Boston, Massachusetts.

Michael Ulman [http://www.michaelulman.com] metal artist, craftsmen, fabricator, and lead welder at Ledge Rock Welding Shop, fabricated several complicated jigs to fit the tight radius of the spiral hand railings. Once the fixturing and spiral layout was complete, the architectural top hand rails and sub rails arrived at Ledge Rock's shop.

George Martell, owner of Martell's Metal Works, master blacksmith and metal craftsman with experience in spiral hand railings shared his knowledge of forging and heating of bronze hand rail techniques with a systematic approach in how to roll to a large radius first, then hand-bend a helix in a bench vice, and then finishing forming it to the jig's radius with a large rose bud heating torch, wood blocks, hand clamps and plenty of hand-forming of the rail to fit. These hand railings were then forged, formed, gas tungsten arc (TIG) welded together and finished, as well as mechanically fastened together upon installation.

As a vocational metal fabrication and welding teacher, I was thrilled to have an opportunity to help out and learn how to layout, bend, and form a helix hand railing.  The true spirit of blacksmiths, metal workers, and welders coming together to learn from each other is a common thread that is shared to help each other succeed in their small metalworking businesses.

You can see more of George  Martell’s http://www.martellmetal.com and Bob Caras' railings at their  web sites http://www.ledgerockfab.com 

Neil Mansfield is Assabet Valley Vocational High School metal fabrication teacher and a blacksmith/ artist.