2025 Project Competition Runner-Up: Hammer Metal Roses

Congratulations to Alison Huntington, our 2024 Project Competition runner-up, for her beautiful hammer metal roses.

Using galvanised sheet metal and steel rod, as well as time and patience, Alison creates beautiful bouquets of steel roses.

The inspiration

“My husband is an electrician by trade and is skilled at welding, woodwork, everything. I’ve learned a lot from watching him work over the years.

“I bought him a CNC plasma cutter for his birthday one year, but it ended up becoming my job to cut on the machine.

A CNC (computer numerical control) plasma cutter is a metal fabrication tool that uses automated software to control the fabrication process. The machine uses a super-heated substance that is ejected from the cutting torch to slice through the metal.

As Alison became more comfortable using the plasma cutter, she decided to start experimenting with different projects.

“I love making things, and I started by making a full-size butcher-block style kitchen island out of old timber trimmed with hand-forged steel handles and steel pipe for an old-fashioned tea towel rack.

I continued making steel boot racks and timber table platters, and then, with the aid of the CNC machine, I started making key holders of various designs, steel phone and tablet stands, and steel garden stakes in various animal shapes that I’ve sold at markets and given to friends.”

“I love making things and have made island benches, boot racks, and timber platters that I’ve sold at the markets and given to friends.

“I remember seeing different shapes of flowers and wondering if I could create roses by layering metal for the petals.”

The process

“I drew the petals to begin with and entered them into the computer. Then, it was a matter of grading them up into different sizes, so each rose had at least three or four different sets of sizes.

Once the individual petals were cut, I found a lump of timber with a curved profile perfect for creating the petal shape. I would sit at my table and hammer each petal into shape, then curve a slight lip into the edges with some pliers.

Once they were all shaped and curved, Alison’s husband welded each of the petals together to form the rose. For the rose stems, Alison heated metal rods in a forge before hammering them on an anvil to give them some texture and shape.

“Once we had finished the bouquets of roses, we needed a pot to hold them. To stop them from falling to each side of the pot, I cut a steel plate to size with holes using the CNC machine, which was then welded inside a piece of heavy pipe so they stood straight and didn’t fall into each other.”

To see more of Alison’s work go to https://axeandabbeyartisans.com.au

Long-time customer

Alison and her husband have been customers of Edcon Steel for many years.

“I’m at Edcon every second week,” Alison laughs.

“My husband has been using Edcon Steel for his business for many years, so I’m often picking up things for him. We usually visit the Blacktown store, but sometimes go to the Brookvale store for certain stock.

Edcon has been great. If there’s anything I can’t find, they will get it in for me. They really look after you.”

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