FMD

I had all the boards cut, beveled, router cut for overlap, and fit. Then I hear a pop followed by a crack! Nooooooooooo....! Two of the boards split. I replaced the broken boards which you can see here, as they are the two darker pieces. Tomorrow morning I will sand them out to match, then it's off to install them.

All dressed up but nowhere to go. He's just waiting for his two brothers two join the party.

Do I have to buy all three to get the booze?

First fitting of the lumber into the pedestrian gate. It's going to be a great looking full driveway gate with dude entry, pulling style features from the 100 year old craftsman style house.

Got the doors hung over the lunch break. Forged out the tip on the stainless steel drive shaft for the internal mechanisms. Already dreaming about the first burn! Never stop crea..... Cooking!

I'm loving the new vertical welding table. Although I really need to finish fabricating the wheel brakes. I keep pushing the thing around the shop as I grind on the frames I'm building.

It's been amazing around FMD! Been working on a secret project, but I wasn't sharing until I had dialed in some settings. So I'm set up and running aluminium, enabling me to do some pretty cool frames. It's been on my list for a while, so I'm stoked to have it available for those who have been asking. #neverstopcreating

#Gooddemoday! Deconstructing is kind of like reading a story, a mystery really. Traffic was horrible, felt like I was driving defence all the way back to the shop.

Install Assistant shift available if interested. Wednesday, Aug 28th 7am-3pm - in San Jose. Please message on FB or email me at [email protected].

Step one is complete for a new vertical welding table. I've had enough hunching, reaching, stretching, and standing on my head. This will be used primarily for gates, fence panels, and occasionally railing. It will give me access to both sides when I'm speed welding pickets. I can control the heat better so less warping issues, and no more flipping 200 pound pancakes!!! So step one was getting everything squared out and standing on its own. The feet and caster setup is not f...inal. The configuration will change again soon because it's being merged with it's base soon. I will be creating two half round tracks welded to the table top which will be captured by a three wheel caster system. This will allow me to go from vertical to horizontal whenever I need. Still kicking around ideas for the lock out, but that will happen organically as things progress. When all the parts come together, the overall height will be 6 foot (5.5 table top) and 11 feet (10.5 table top). Never had the shop space to make one before, looking forward to the benefits it will allow. Never stop creating..!

Something comes over me when I find equipment like this. To me... They're beautiful, never needing a flashy paint job, or a number of endorsements to prove their worth. They're built to work the same every time without fail. Designed and engineered by people who welcome a return if anything doesn't work exactly as it should. Oh yeah, and safety switches? Those gear covers are to protect the gears not your fingers. This lathe was made to get $#!+ done... You may approach with respect and your own safety gear. I don't always get to bring home strays when I find them. Sometimes the universe says yes and they join the flock at FMD. It's a good feeling to buy equipment that's been in service the last 40 years and most likely another 40 with me. Never Stop Creating. !

Have a great weekend everyone. Cheers..!

Looking for an electrician recommendation for the San Jose area. Thx.

Restoration, and reinstallation complete..! I love the fact that even though I didn't build this gate, I got to be a part in making sure it will be enjoyed for another 35 years. I upgraded the hinges to a heavy duty adjustable version. Everything that was bent or rusted out, was set free and replaced with new material. Then it was off to the powder coat shop for a make over. It took a day longer than I had planned due to about 35 years of sidewalks being moved around by trees, and brick columns not exactly like they were before the car ran them over. But the finished look was exactly was the client was hoping for.

Finished up a really cool project today. Big learning curve on this one... Short circuited one perfectly good LED light kit then had to disassemble and reassembled it about six times in order to get it right. It's not easy to get a sense of scale here, it ended up just under 2x2 feet. The lights are solar so no need for electrical whenever they install it.

Cool restoration project coming down the pipe. I love these type of projects because it so perfectly demonstrates what has the ability to last the test of time. It also gives me fuel for my cause, my why... Shaping, forming, cutting, stamping, bending, grinding, turning, etching, fusing, joining.............. And you will never see anyone who has the exactly same thing. Everything on this gate that was made custom, by hand, from solid steel, hasn't changed in twenty years. E...very robot made tube steel "decorative" scroll and circle was a thin exo-skeleton of paint supported by three or four atoms of iron oxide. More info when the facelift is complete. Never stop re-creating..!

Update on a custom wrought iron gate project in progress FMD is installing in San Jose, CA. Only a few more decorative features being added Monday before the final on Tuesday. Book your project soon, our calendar is filling up fast. Never Stop Creating..!

Finish work is awesome..! I've since learned that there are several different techniques to achieve a similar look. Which I'm already hunting for the time and materials to create variations like the one seen here. This finish was achieved with a 2 inch fabric abrasive disc and cutting wax on 6061 plate aluminium set up on the drill press. It's messy but affective and you can give the appearance of depth or elevation based on your starting point with the pattern. Anyway. Hope ...everyone is killing it today! Never Stop Creating..! Brian (Owner - Operator - Dreamer) FMD - Fusion Metal Designs

It's out...! I guess there's no hiding anymore. Thank you PG&E for selecting FMD as a featured small business in your news letter. Never Stop Creating...!... https://youtu.be/TO3tbLpFKCg

Good morning fine people of San Jose! As things remain busy around here at FMD!! I wanted to let you know that I maintain a list of hard working people who enjoy temp work or side work. I often need people for batch cutting, installing, and general labor when I'm at my busiest. I would like keep that list growing, so if you enjoy working with your hands and have day, evening, or weekend time available. I would be thrilled to add you to the list. As contracts are signed, I bla...st out requests to my list and if the dates and time work for you, I'll confirm and send you details. Please respond at to [email protected] and let me know if you're interested. Also, if you know of anyone who might be interested, feel free to share this. Thanks all, Never Stop Creating...! Brian - Owner

Had a good time fab'ing and fitting some rock sliders on an OG 4 Runner. I'm not sure if the client found this little jewel hidden away and it was well preserved? But it's the nicest version I've ever seen with every "modern", fully functional option Toyota could offer in the 90's. Sliders were directly attached to the frame using some plates at the connection points to spread the load force and keep from overheating the frame. Client loved the new look and everything is soli...d as a rock. It would be fun to do more of these on the side from time to time. But I'm not sure I would like it to be my full time gig unless I had the tooling. Rock on world. Keep coming by, like, follow, share, etc... Brian

Thank you old friend... It's been a pleasure to serve with you. I will be forever grateful for all the small adjustments you've made in my life. You weren't the sharpest tool in the shed, but you but never stopped driving the point home, that simplicity is beautiful. You never complained when you were asked to deal with something that might be considered a little dull. And you were always ready to face the impossible in a crooked world. In time, you will be able to clear your head and return to a life that is aligned with something true. That is if you think you can handle it.

When I tell people I own and operate a business. I'm occasionally asked if I have more than one location. It's fun to see their reactions when I tell that I have hundreds around the greater Bay Area. It's always followed up with a few pictures similar to this one. "See, here's one of my locations right here." Happy Friday everybody...!

One of two privacy gates going at a beautiful home in San Jose. Absolutely custom on all sides. Inner frame that holds the redwood boards is completely free of hardware and you can still remove the lumber anytime you need give it a facelift. Very sneaky stuff The concrete slopes away from the house, the wall is out of level and we were still able to achieve less than a quarter inch gap ground clearance, hinge post, and latch post. The gate featured here was fortunately in...stalled before our current "melt your face off" weather pattern. At least the gate on the other side of the house is in the shade. I'm 3 gallons of water into the day, and now it's back to the shop/incinerator to finish up some fabrication. I tried to ease the pain and put some watermelon on ice for the guys at the shop and the neighbors shop too. We Bay Area folks don't know how to deal with this heat.