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Continue ShoppingIn the Workshop: The Making of Black Fox Metalcraft Hanging Sign
The story of a Custom Metal Sign
Our customer contacted us initially with an AI generated image showing roughly what he wanted the farm sign to look like. This blog describes how we took this image and turned it into the finished sign pictured at the bottom of this page.
My initial thoughts were of course that I don’t like the idea of AI being able to do my job! However I think sometimes doing it this way can help the customer to play about with ideas, especially if they’re not very creative themselves. It enabled our customer to work out exactly what he did want, and gave him the confidence to come to us with his ideas in picture form rather than trying to describe it. It gave me a really good idea of the image in the customer's head, so I found it useful from that point of view as it possibly saved me time in the long run. We do not charge extra for design work, so time is pretty important!
I think the AI design looks ok on screen, however there were aspects that were completely impractical like for example he said he couldn’t get the app to put the dog within the frame of the sign. I wasn't a fan of the very cartoony style, however I did like the idea of having the dog in the foreground, which is something we don’t normally do with our farm signs.
Making the design our own
I took the ideas from the AI image, and re drew them in Black Fox Metalcraft’s own distinctive style that we’ve developed over the past 13 years. I felt the cartoony feel did not work at all for the dog, but thought it really made the dry stone wall stand out. When I transferred this simplistic style into our design however, it just didn’t fit, so I ended up re drawing from scratch.
Once I’d sent the design to the customer, he just asked for a couple of minor alterations included closing the dogs mouth – I totally agreed with this as I think it gave him more of a dignified look. We also changed the generic bird shapes to being obviously swifts.. again this idea fits in with the usual realism of our style.
Black Fox Metalcraft’s hanging signs are cut from 3mm steel, meaning you can feel the quality in the weight of it. We’ve been working with the same company for over 10 years; they’re a UK based family business like us, who value quality and attention to detail as much as we do. Nitrogen shrouded lasers are used, meaning the metal is kept cool, and does not warp during the cutting process – this allows for very precise and intricate design work.
A look inside the Black Fox Workshop
The photos below explain how the hanging farm sign is put together:
The bracket’s scroll is heated in our coal forge, then hammered and bent over the anvil.
The steel is cut using a chop saw.
The size and shape of our hanging signs varies, so brackets are individually made to suit each sign. All the components are laid out on the workshop floor.
The steel frame for the sign is cleaned using an angle grinder. This removes any mildscale, grease or dirt that could contaminate and therefore weaken a weld.
The sign and it’s frame are securely clamped to our workbench to prevent the steel from warping with the heat from welding.
The frame is TIG welded to the laser cut sign. This is a highly skilled method of welding that produces incredibly precise, subtle little welds. It avoids the big blobby welds and splatter you get with MIG welding.
Painting and Protecting
All of Black Fox Metalcraft’s signs are protected from the elements with a layer of zinc electroplate.
What is electroplating?
Electroplating is an industrial process where an electric current is used to deposit a thin layer of negatively charged zinc onto a positively charged hanging sign and bracket. The advantage of this is that zinc does not rust, so is a great way to protect steel from corrosion – it really does extend the lifespan of your hanging sign significantly, even if it is sited in a coastal area.
Why are Black Fox Hanging Signs powder coated?
Like with electroplating, powder coating uses electricity. Negatively charged dry powder is sprayed onto the positively charged hanging sign, and it’s then baked in an oven to create a solid, hard wearing finish. There are many advantages to using powder coat over wet paint, but for us the main one is the longevity of it.
Sign-written by hand
Black Fox Metalcraft’s hanging signs are professionally painted by hand. This is another great way to personalise your metal sign, as we can paint in any style of writing. Any colour can also be used, though usually white/cream/silver/gold work best as these stand out beautifully against the traditional black metalwork. It’s a bit of a time consuming process:
The text is drawn on and then lightly etched. The powder coat finish on the sign is non – porous so this etching gives the primer paint something to adhere to
Once the primer is dry, the text then needs two coats of ivory cream painted on both sides of the sign. We leave the sign for a couple of days so the paint has time to dry and cure before we package it.
The finished hanging sign
If you would like to speak to Black Fox Metalcraft about a custom hanging sign for yourself or a loved one, call us on 01450 880380, or email jenny@blackfoxmetalcraft.co.uk – we’re always happy to discuss ideas and answer any questions. There is no additional charge for creating bespoke designs, and we love bringing your ideas to life!
Why personal craftsmanship matters
These days, an off the shelf sign can be bought for your home at a relatively low price. They are mass produced abroad, hundreds at a time in order to keep the price low. With the cost of living crisis I can see that large scale production does have it’s place, however it's a bit of a false economy. If your budget allows, the quality of a bespoke sign designed and made in Britian is well worth it as your sign will look great for SO much longer. If you choose a company like Black Fox Metalcraft with the artistic skills to create unique, one off designs, you’ll end up with a hanging sign that is not just a means of marking your address, but a stunning piece of art that tells a story, reflecting your personality and interests and commanding attention wherever you site it.
For me, as an artist and blacksmith as well as business owner, there is nothing quite like the satisfaction of seeing the finished sign hanging proudly outside someone’s home or business.