Whats happening at Torchcraft....

Previously I posted a pic of the Thompson Hunting Lodge sign that was freshly cut.  They sent me a pic of the installed sign and I'm thrilled about how nicely their entrance looks.

See the previous post here.

Jesusa Rose with a hungry humming bird.  Freshly cut from 3/16" inch plate steel, ready for finish work.

I think I made this sign over 20 years ago.  My customer brought it back to me recently and asked if I could clean it up with a fresh paint job.  What I like to call a "liquid overhaul". 

Nice classic design for the NC Ranch.  Cut from 3/16" plate steel. 

The Redneck Riviera (Cast and Stay) is a great place to stay when your looking to unwind along the Baffin Bay.  Great accomodations and access to a 300 foot lighted pier is just outside the back door.  Boat ramp is just around the corner.

Cast and Stay lodge in Riviera, TX 

This sign was cut from 3/16" plate and painted in a bold red to stand out against the weather wood overlooking the bay.

Hawk Creek Farm is located in the Houston Area.  The gate frame was constructed with 2 inch square tubing, backed with cattle panel and the metal art is cut from 3/16" plate steel.

Riverwood Entrance sign was cut from 3/16" and powder coated with a dark bronze. 

A gal called me and asked me to make a gift for her father who ownes the Giddings Tilapia Fish Farm. Together we came up with this design.  Cut from 3/16" plate, finished with an industrial black paint. 

Here is a nice Colorado mountain scene  address sign that I made for a customer in Colorado.  Each corner has a hole for easy mounting with a basic screw.  Cut from 3/16" plate.

This is one of my favorite roping scenes.  This one is cut from 3/16" plate. I cut the metal art scene and my customer welded it into the gate that he was building. 

Thompson Hunting Lodge sign, cut from 3/16 plate steel. Still hot from the torch. 

See the installed photo here.

I love the way this sign reflects the mountain range located on this ranch in California. It measures 8 foot wide and cut from a heavy duty 3/16" plate, it should last a lifetime and then some. 

Simple way to dress up your entrance gate.  Leaping Labrador sign mounted on a standard entry gate

Triple Ranch is this way!  Great way to show your guest how to get to your ranch along with the game that can be found there. 

Farm sign showing how long they have been established wih an Oak tree showcasing the sign. Cut from 3/16" plate steel that will last a lifetime. 

A simple cowboy roping a longhorn cut out of 3/16" plate and painted black.  

Freshly cut from 3/16" plate steel.  

This lettering is for a Catholic Church just a few miles away in Poteet, TX. I always love the black metal contrasting against the white limestone. 

A side note, when mounting letters like this you, need to be cautious of how the shadows between the metal letters and white rock might affect your ability to read the letters at a distance. The best way to fix this is mount the letters close to the rock or whatever your mounting them to so that a shadow can't get behind the letters very easily.  Looks like the installer did a good job on this install. 

I cut this sign back in July and have been waiting to post the pic since it was a wedding gift.  Can't risk ruining the surprise.  A customer contacted me about cutting out a silhouette of this couple forming a heart with their hands to be given as a wedding gift.  It came out great and I really enjoy doing these unique items for people.  This sign was shipped out to San Diego, CA.   Click the "Continue Reading" link to see the image the customer first sent me.

Seems like just a few days after shipping this overhead ranch sign off to Missouri, I recieved these pics of the install. They certainly wasted no time getting their ranch sign installed.  As usual, it is cut from 3/16" plate and braced on the back side for added strength.

Here is a simple wedding gift for a couple that was cut from 3/16" plate steel.  It should last them a lifetime. 

A friend who owns a gate and entrance business orderd some art to install on one of their custom gate builds.   I frequently get orders like this where someone would like to add some art or lettering to an existing gate or they are having a gate built but need some art or lettering to be added. This piece will be welded in place, then painted. 

Grace Bible Chapel needed some new lettering on their entrance sign. The letters were cut from 3/16" new plate steel and painted with an industral black paint. 

This piece was ordered to go above the family fireplace. It is a Family Crest for Gallbraith name and says "Stronger When Oppressed".
It was cut from 3/16" new plate steel and will be painted dark bronze.

Click "Continue Reading" link to see picture of this piece mounted above the fireplace.

This 20 foot Oak Tree spans across this ranch gate and stands 9 foot tall.  It is a fairly complex design with so much detail in the many branchs and leaves.  The tree is cut from 3/16" plate and welded to the gate which I also made.  The owner had a crew install the gate on location.

This unique overhead ranch sign belongs to the new ower of a ranch near George West, TX. The customer furnised his logo of a rocking armadillo which was cut from 3/16" plate steel.  Braces on the back side with strap steel for added strength.   

Stoddard Construction of San Antonio has been rebuilding some of the Freer ISD buildings.  They wanted to give the school district this logo as a token of their appreciation for the contract.  The circle is 10 gauge steel and 60" in diameter.  The Buckaroo is cut from 3/16 plate.  Colors are school colors.

A close friend wanted to give her husband a gift for their 50th wedding annivesary. This plaque hangs above their fireplace mantle and displays the four family brands that they have used in the past and present.  The plaque is cut from 10 guage (1/8") to keep weight down and painted with a Rustoleum "Hammered" finish.

Vet. clinic in Jacksonville, Florida originally had me make his logo for the outside of the clinic building but recently requested a similar piece be made for the inside.  Each piece is welded to the round circle and ground to a shinny finish.  Clear coated for protection. 

The art that is shown has been sand blasted and painted with a two part paint.  The pieces have 3/8" threaded bolts welded to the back side and anchored into the masonry wall.  The Texas painted in Texas flag colors is 36" wide.  Cut out of 3/16" plate steel.  Beautiful South Texas entrance and I am proud to be part of it. 

I had an order from Florida for a marlin to be placed above the outdoor grill.  Upon receiving the unpainted fish, the customer found a local artist who ground the metal down to a shinny finish and then airbrushed the detail of the fish. Once the colors were added, several coats of clear coat where applied.  The finished product is amazing.

Customer ordered a two door fireplace screen to mount in the opening he has for his fireplace.  Doors are made from 1' square tubing with 1"x3/16" flat bar rolled in scrolls.  A heavy screen wire is welded on the back side of the doors.  The frame was made first and the customer tried the frame in the opening to mark the holes for mounting and verify the size was correct.  The top picture is unpainted in my shop and the second is furnished by the customer after he installed it.

Little girl loves wolves and this wall rack with hooks was ordered for her.  The piece is unpainted.  Has chrome hooks for hanging whatever.  Cut from 3/16" plate.

Gift for young boy who is playing baseball.  This will give him a place to hang his baseball items. Cut from 3/16" and hooks are made from chrome plated steel.  This item has not been painted. 

Had a request for a saquaro cactus from a new Texan from California.  This cactus requires very little water and had a Texas roadrunner enjoying the small shade.  Welcome to Texas!

Windy Hill Ranch is owned by some very nice Lousana people who own and operate a shimping business.  They bought this East Texas ranch and did a great job of building a nice entrance with the help of Torchcraft.  Who says Cajuns don't have good taste?

There is a new barn in the brush country with some art on the side that really looks good.  The customer asked for part of the pieces to be tempered and then they were painted and clear coated with a powder coating finish.  Very nice effect.  Very nice customer to work with. 

This recent sign was sent to Colorado and is hanging on some really nice large wooden poles.  Cut from 3/16" plate and is about 10 feet wide. 

This is not a recent creation.  I made this cross quite some time ago and noticed the picture the other day so I decided to publish it again.  This cross was copied from a photograph of a cross that the Oblates had erected in France in the 1800's.  It now overlooks the lake at a new Catholic church in Ausin, Texas.

Sign made for church yard. 

This is just something that I made recenty and I am not finished with it.  I plan on placing some glass lamp lens along the front to hold candles.  For now, I am publishing the coyote  The arch is .75" square tubing that has been rolled in an arch.  Bottom is same tubing.

This is a new twist.  Customer built a 5 foot box out of 3/16" plate steel.  I cut the name in the face of the box and he has installed lights inside the box so the name is visible at night.  Very nice approach to a ranch entrance. 

New gate needs a new sign.  Pin Oak tree is the silhouette for the Oak Crest sign,  Cut from 1/8" plate and painted brown.

There is a new ranch owner in Los Angeles, Texas who is having a nice time with her new property.  The barn will have the ranch name and other art displayed on the wall.  All cut from 1/8" plate and heat tempered.  The customer is taking the pieces to have them powder coated with a clear coat.  The name and location will be powder coated in black.

Customer is having a gate made and ordered a Kokopelli to be placed in the middle of the gate.  Piece is cut from 1/8" plate and oval is made from 1/8" x 1" flate bar. 

Customer designed a trailer sign  cut from 1/8" plate.  Circle is a 36" diameter.  Left unpained for a rust finish. 

This is a very special sign for a a very special lady in Hondo, Texas. The sign was originally designed by her late husband.  The sign is really unique and painted in the cream color makes it stand out very well. 

This is number three for a customer who loves to fish.  First was a 4 foot tall sail fish, then a blue marlin and now the white marlin.  All are the same size and finised in the heat tempered finish with automotive clear coat. 

I needed an birthday gift for my one year old newest grand daughter.  Since her name is Faith, I thought the letter font was appropriate. 

Nice design by customer that ordered and designed the sign for her husband's birthday gift.

Ranch sign with family brands, established date and other favorites, such as bluebonnet flowers that "Mom" loved.

Colorado sign for Whispering Pines Ranch.  10 feet wide, cut from 3/16" plate steel.

Customer has two large rocks at his entrance and wanted to put these signs on the rocks with lights behind to be seen at night. 

Addrress is 109 Elk street so the customer chose an elk to be displayed with the numbers.

Hanging ranch sign depicting two black bucks fighting and below the three ranch brands used.

Cut from 1/8' plate for mounting on the new metal building.  Customer has these brands sand blasted and powder coated before mounting.

Preiously this customer ordered a gate for his new home in South Texas. That gate is posted on this blog.  Now a fireplace screen was ordered to show the same buck used on the gate.  Hopefully, he will send a picture of the screen with a nice warm fire blazing in the background. 

Customer designed a 20 foot gate with two oak trees hanging over the ranch brand.  The frame is made of 3" square tubing with 3/4" square tubing pickets.  Oak trees are made from 1/8" plate steel.  Gate weight is approximately 575 pounds.

New home needs a new gate.  Gate depicts the things that are important to the owners.  Square tube gate frame with cattle panel covering the face of the gate.  Gate was powder coated.

King Tails Animal Hospital in Jackson Florida.  Customer sent his custom logo to be mounted on the front of the clinic.  Each piece was cut and a stainless bolt welded to the back side.  Each piece was taken to a powder coating place where they were sand blasted and coated with the proper colors.  A template was made for the customer to drill the holes in the wall for proper placement of the pieces.  Very nice customer to work with.

Had a repeat customer from Louisana order a gate for his dad.  Gate was a gift to his dad.   You can guess that the gate is located in the Eastern area where dogs are used to hunt deer. 

Recently while visiting the Uvalde area we were driving around nearby towns and I recognized a sign that I did quite some time ago.  I like the buck as he seems to be rubbing the velvet off of his antlers on the small brush. 

This order was for Father's Day.  Super Cub with tundra tires is the joy of a dad in Alaska.  Cut from 1/8" plate and approximately 24" long.  The N numbers are vinyl and applied onto the side of the white pained bird.  Great customer to work with. 

This address sign is made by rolling a 3/4" square tubing into a 42" circle.  The address sign is cut from 3/16" plate and hung with chains.  The lettering is cut in reverse.  Left unpainted for a rusty presentation.  Legs will be set in the ground for mounting. 

This gate was ordered with the ranch brand and address numbers included.  The numbers are cut from 3/16" plate and reflective silver vinyl is applied to the top of the numbers for easy identification at night.  Gate is located in South Texas near San Diego. 

Sign depicts the farm operation of cattle and farming.  Vintage tractor with maize growing in the field.  Bob White quail border the name of the farm. 

Customer asked for a wind blown tree for the very high winds that they experience in Wyoming.  Name of ranch with address.  The sign is cut from 3/16" and painted black.  Chain links welded for hanging.  

A repeat customer.  First order was a Blue Marlin for coastal home.  This order is a Sail Fish to balance out the wall display.  The fish is cut from 1/8" plate and heat tempered.  Finished with automotive clear coat. 

Here is a clear message that this property is private and entering it without permission is not a good idea. Cut from 3/16" and left unpainted for a rusty sign to develope over time. 

Couple have a new house with wooden poles arching over the drive way.  They wanted their house number displayed along with their last name and motorcycle silhouettes. 

Super nice customer in Missouri ordered a farm sign and was very easy to work with.  I like the way they display it by their entrance.  I also included a pic of it just after painting. 

Had a very nice customer wanting to create a sign for his grandfather's ranch near Mountain Home.  Very rocky country as it is near Rocks Springs.  The sign is one of my favorite as it has a goat in it.  "Old Chivto" might be his name as he is standing on the rock and watching over things.  The customer did his own installation with a family member and it appears to be a very nice job.

Initials cut for farm entrance to celebrate the newly married couple who will live there.  Cut from 3/16" plate and painted. 

Carrizo Springs, Texas is the county seat of Dimmitt County.  Recently they have constructed a new complex that included a 5 foot diameter metal seal cut from 1/2" plate steel.  Torchcraft was awarded the project.  This is hand cut  from the 1/2" plate steel and sent to a sand blaster / powder coating company for finish. 

I recently had a job that required using 1/2" plate steel.  I have been playing with the scraps of that 1/2" plate.  A good friend of mine who lives on the Kenedy ranch ask me about making  the famous La Parra brand.  I made him a regular cattle/horse brand but also cut the lettering out of the 1/2" plate steel along with the brand itself.    La parra means grape vine in Spanish.  Here the lettering is sitting on a block of oak, which make a good background. 

Customer bought an LED shop light to be suspended over a large ranch house dining table.  He wanted art work to hang over and around the light fixture.  This piece is what was created for that.  

Here is a unique sign for a customer that might like bikes.  He was kind enough to remember to send a picture after he hung it in front of his entrance. 

Ice house between San Antonio and Floresville recently opened up and wanted some western art on their new building. This art spans about 24 feet in width. Cut from 3/16" plate and painted with a brown enamel. 

This sign represents a lot of about the owners.  The ranch, located in Texas,  has had the same brand in their family for three generatioins.  Cattle are raised on the ranch and aviation has been a part of the the family history for a long time.

Customer furnished the idea of having five birds sitting on a limb with numbers on each bird.  This piece is fresh cut without paint and width is 40" wide.  Thickness of metal is 3/16". 

Oil field service company in Dilley ask me to create a drilling rig scene for a wall in their office.  The rig is 10 feet tall with a substructure of 15 feet wide.  Complete with Christmas tree, flow line and tank battery. Everything is cut from 1/8" plate steel and painted black. 

If you drift down to San Diego Texas, where the Big Bucks roam, look for the Mew Ranch. I have made a new friend and customer who has a nice ranch and offers hunting of all kinds.  You can visit the Mew Ranch website at www.southtexashuntingservice.com

A fun couple dropped in the store the other day while out riding their bikes on the labor day weekend.  Turned out they bought a couple of pieces and the question came up as to how they would manage to get it home since they were on their bikes.  They managed to get one item in a saddle bag  and the larger item was attached to the back of the seat rack with shrink wrap and packing tape.  I enjoyed these two and hope they come back someday.  

Eight foot overhead sign to hand at entrance.  Cut from 3/16" plate steel.  Primed and painted. 

A super nice couple from Oregon came into the store recently and ordered a dreamcatcher to be made with the silhouetts of a lab and sheppard who had gone on.  This was to be a gift for their son who lives in South Texas.  We ended up adding a third dog that is still with their son.  The dog silhouettes were copied from photos that they had.  It took some tweaking to get the heads right but we finally managed to get the right look and stance.  I very much enjoyed meeting and working with the folks.  Hope they will return someday.  

Customer in Big Springs Texas, who has ordered several times before, needed signage on a rock wall at his home. 

Customer's design (his wife's ) but it sure looks good.  You can see the great city of Big Springs in the background. 

Always good to hear from Big Springs. 

Over the years I have accumulated several good friends that started out as customers.  This is an end table that a good friend/customer from Rock Port put together with mesquite wood for the top.  Beautiful work.  Whitetail deer and quail are featured on this one. 

Previously posted is the insert to the other half of the gate being built for the hunting ranch.  This is the same size of just under 8 feet wide and cut from 1/8" plate steel.  The entire piece is cut from one sheet of steel.  It will be taken to Chama, welded into the gate and painted. 

A large gate is being built for the hunting ranch in Chama New Mexico.  This scene will be an insert on half of the gate.  Across the top of the gate will be an eagle, trout, mountain lion and turkeys.  The bottom of the gate has two large windows.  The sign shown here is a little less than 8 feet wide and cut out of 1/8" plate steel.  The trees and mountain scene is a general copy of art that the ranch owner already owns and is hanging in the lodge.  The other side of the gate is the same scene reversed and has an elk bull with two cows. 

New Wine Church near Poteet, Texas.  Beautiful new building with a nice cross on the front and an arched entrance with their name across the top. 

Ranch is located in Clayton, New Mexico.   All of the critters included in this sign are native to that country.  The only animals that are not included is a mountain lion and antelope.  There are plenty of antelope and some really impressive ones.    I really enjoyed putting this sign together as the customer who ordered it listed the items that he wanted included and I got to design it as I saw it.  The sign was a gift from a genuine friend.  Size is about 6 feet wide and cut from 3/16".  The cactus bush to the right of the coyote is called "Cholla".  Right now the cactus is in bloom with beautiful purple blooms.  The tree is a pinion tree.  The country is heavy with jack rabbits, so they are proudly displayed on each side of the ranch brand.  I have been to the ranch recently and it is a beautiful.

Ranch in South Texas is remodeling their entrance.   I was asked to cut the name and quail.  I am glad to see quail in the picture as quail are getting hard to find in South Texas.  Cut from 3/16" plate, primed and painted.

This is the second insert made for the Chama New Mexico gate.  The first insert features an elk bull and two cows.  This insert features mule deer buck with doe and two more mule deer bucks.  The basic design is copied from a wall hanging that the customer has in his lodge.

The gate that this insert goes on is is a very large gate.  Each side will have an insert and critters across the top.  This insert is about 41" tall by 91" wide.  Cut from 11 gauge (1/8") plate for the weight consideration.  Each insert weighs about 50 lbs.  Gate will be located on a 6,000 acre ranch in Chama New Mexico.

Order came from Virgina.  Couple sent a picture of themselves which became the center piece of the overhead sign.  The sign was sent to two pieces to minimize freight.  It looks really nice the way it is installed.   I hope that dream continues for a long time. 

Customer in Wyoming ordered a sign that needed to be 24" by 24".  This is hard to see in the photo but it is painted brown and made from 3/16" plate steel with holes drilled in all four corners. 

Years fly by.  This ranch entrance was prepared for an old friend's son who was very young when I first met him.  Grew up and now has a place of his own.  This is his design and I was please to make it for him.  Cut from 3/16" plate steel.  Primed and painted.  The three pieces are welded in place with welding tabs to keep the lettering up and off the main pipe.  Really looks good to me.  

Previous posting showed the barn scene during daylight hours.  This picture shows how it "pops" when night lights are mounted.  Very nice display. 

Barn with scene mounted on outside wall.  Cut from 1/8" plate steel, primed and painted black.  This scene was mounted so that lights are mounted to highlight each piece.  Next posting will show that display.  

The best part of this sign job was who I did it for.  The man is Fred Vellutini, a World War II veteran who could pass for a 50 year old.  As I only talked to him on the phone, I was really surprised to learn his age.  He owns property in Northern California and we had a really good conversation during the ordering of the ranch sign.  He had to satisfiy all of the members of his family and this is what he came up with.  The best part of the conversaion was when he told me that he was out having dinner while wearing his WW II hat.  Some man walked by and asked him if that hat belonged to his dad.  Fred said "no sir, my dad was in World War I.....he had his own hat!"   Too cool.  Super nice and I hope he gets to enjoy that ranch for many years to come.