Christmas gifts that I make for friends

FOMOGO

FOMOGO

#1
#1
We have several friends that are big Equestrian folks and I make all kinds of horse shoe art for them. This year was the Christmas tree year. I also made what I call a "fence sitter", which is just a simple Cat that sits on the fence. But boy is it a pain to reshape the shoe for the ears and to narrow it for the face. I had to make a jig fixture to bend the ears.

Fence Sitter.

Big Christmas Tree. I made 5 of these this year.

Small Christmas Tree. This one is the hardest to make as it is just time consuming but it is my favorite by far. I made 3 of these this year.

Side by side comparison.

Just little projects that I make for fun. I also make Pumpkins and Snow Men. I just don't have any pictures of them on the computer. I wish I had pics of the pumpkin as they turn out awesome!
 
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FOMOGO

FOMOGO

#7
#7
Brooklyn Bob said:
Very creative. Those are some heavy duty trees!
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Sadly I cant take Credit for the Creativity. I find these things on the internet and sometimes they find them on the internet and I just build them. A couple of years back my Niece asked for horse shoe coat hooks for her bedroom. So I looked on the internet and didn't like any that I saw so I made them my way and everybody loves them.

Now her little sister is getting old enough to want a set. Hers will be very different from her sisters. They will be a pain in the butt to make but hopefully I will have my forge finished by then.

Coat hooks.

 
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FOMOGO

FOMOGO

#10
#10
Tom S. said:
I like the small tree and the coat hook best. Are all of the horses in your neighborhood walking around barefoot now?
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LOL, Tom.... Thank you. No I looked at used shoes and everyone is different. They are usually shaped slightly when the are put on the horse so no 2 match. I go to Tractor Supply and buy Shoes by the box. I haven't even thought about starting on the coat hooks yet. I wont do them until I get my Forge built.

I use these. $8.00 for 4 and 10 4 packs to the box.

Diamond Classic Plain Horseshoe, Size 0, Pack of 4 - For Life Out Here

It takes 14 shoes and between 20 and 30 minutes to build and adjust the big tree to get it straight and flat. The little tree on the other hand... I have to love you a lot to start on one of those. It only takes 6 shoes plus a scrap for the stem but it takes 2 plus hours to make the pieces fit like I want them to. Lots of trips back and forth from the welding table to the belt sander. Then break out the rosebud and heat a shoe to spread it out for the bottom of the tree. And you have to heat and straighten a piece for the stem. Then you can weld them and straighten the tree.... So you get close to 3 hours of picking away at the silly thing. But I am OCD about the fit up.....

Doug
 
Tom S.

Tom S.

#13
#13
I go to motorcycle races that are held on tracks primarily used for horse races. Every now and again I'll find an aluminum horseshoe that's been thrown off. Lightweight racing shoes, I guess. I don't know much about horses.
 
FOMOGO

FOMOGO

#15
#15
Tom S. said:
I go to motorcycle races that are held on tracks primarily used for horse races. Every now and again I'll find an aluminum horseshoe that's been thrown off. Lightweight racing shoes, I guess. I don't know much about horses.
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When you hang around in the barn while the Ferrier is there you learn all kinds of things that you really didn't need to know....

Like they have rear shoes called "Flip Flops"....... for some type of hip joint problem if I recall....

And I have seen the Aluminum shoes but don't know why they are used.

And I know even less about Horses than you.....

Best part about hanging out at the barn when the Ferrier is there is that you can beg off for a couple of his Rasp. He goes through a couple a day he said. They are awesome to make Slapping Spoons for doing finesse body work. Something that you want to straighten to the point that you don't need filler or so close that a good high build primer will finish it.. Slow painstaking work but very rewarding. And that reminds me that I have a couple of those files in the shop that I need to make into slappers. I make smooth face slapping spoons out of old leaf springs too.
 
jdogg

jdogg

#16
#16
Very cool Doug!! I like the cat best.....sorry you tree huggers!! :laugh: I too have made a few things of horse shoes Doug and also buy new at Tractor Supply.....I just missed out on my friends grandpa giving away five buckets full of used shoes!! :doah: Iv'e used them for legs for tea light log holders and I'm in the process of making tea light cowboys around the campfire for the mother in law!!
 
FOMOGO

FOMOGO

#17
#17
jdogg said:
Very cool Doug!! I like the cat best.....sorry you tree huggers!! :laugh: I too have made a few things of horse shoes Doug and also buy new at Tractor Supply.....I just missed out on my friends grandpa giving away five buckets full of used shoes!! :doah: Iv'e used them for legs for tea light log holders and I'm in the process of making tea light cowboys around the campfire for the mother in law!!
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Thank you sir! It is fun most of the time...

I am scared to show them this one though.....


 
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