Whats happening at Torchcraft....

Large fireplace screen ordered with wildlife scene and ranch brand included.   Scene is cut from 10 gauge steel.  Heavy screen woven wire and framed on the back side with 1.5"x1.5"x.125" angle.  Will add the two feet in the front and one in the back, along with the two handles and paint with high temp black paint. 

Long before the land men, working in the Eagle Ford Shale came to this country, the Mexican vaquero rode his caballo out of Mexico, across the "wild horse desert" and on to Mission San Antonio.   I am fairly sure that the dinner plate size saddle horn on those Mexican saddles had a GPS mounted in it for directions.   Or,,,, maybe not.  Either way, that style of cowboy,  horse and tack is not to be mistaken.  It is puro Vaquero.   A real horseman and cowboy.  This particular one is named  "El Bigoton"  for the big bigote, (mustache). 

This piece is 28" tall and 53" wide.  Hand cut from 10 gauge steel so it can be hung on a sheetrock wall. 

I love making customers happy, however, I believe these two are happy with or without my metal art.  The wife wanted to surprise her husband with a sign to mount on the storage building of their new RV spot on the Texas Coast.  Well, it looks like it worked and it was a joy to make the metal art  and working with them.

Just cut and waiting for the clean up and painting.  This sign will be hung at the entrance of the ranch by chains.  Two chain links will be welded to the top arch for hanging.  Metal is 3/16" thick. 

We have a sign for a customer who has recently aquired an interest in going to the coast with her husband in their RV.  Needed a name on the storage shed.  This sign is regular steel but is primed, painted and clear coated for extra protection against the coastal environment. 

Had a really interesting order for a 48" tall heart.  Iniitals to represent the husband and the wife's names and the reverse cut letters of "I LOVE YOU" in the middle of the heart.  This heart was going to be hung 40 feet high in the fork of a tall tree outside their home.  An LED light would be on the back side of the heart and the small holes drilled around the border would highlight the shape of the heart at night.   The initials painted a light color to show up at night on the brown base.

The heart was a birthday gift for the wife and after getting to know the husband, I believe it was true love.  But it is certainly good insurance, anyway. 

Horseshoes bookends with names have been a long time gift item.  It's a great gift that is personalized with the person's name, brand or initials. This set is an order from a long standing customer that always orders these for wedding gifts.  They can be made with two horseshoes to serve as a letter holder.

Gate is located near Three Rivers, Texas.  I get to enjoy looking at my work when I go to Choke Canyon to fish.

Near Lampasas Texas I recently noticed a sign that I created many years ago. Spanish wording for Flying Diamond Ranch.

When this sign was ordered last year, I thought it was for British Petroleum but it turns out to be the owners initials.  Either way, it was mounted in their gate and looks very nice.  It nicely represents the state of South Texas at this time with the oil boom in full swing.

This is a great gift idea for anyone with a brand or someone who wants a brand. The brand is created and mounted on a base.  In this case the base is the state of Texas and tempered with heat to give it the colors.  A wall hanger is mounted on the back side for hanging on a wall.  A great Christmas gift for the person that is hard to buy for?

Durango sign was hung and I am most proud of having a part in it.  Looks really like a Colorado sign should look like.  Cut from the 3/16" plate and braced in the back with 1/8" by 2" strap steel. 

Last year I was pleased to create a ranch sign for the Vera Cruz Mountain Ranch. This year, a sign was needed to direct the visitors to the ranch headquarters.

Painted in colors that would show well at night with headlights.

Pipeline company has a yard in South Texas has brought class to Encinal Texas. Somewhere in there, there is an Aggie influence.

Looks very good and a great entrance presentation. 

Really have enjoyed creating the Colorado scene.  Not all my doing on the design.  The owner and his family had he concept and with a lot of pushing and pulling, they finally got me on board as to what they had in mind.  Will paint black and ship out soon.

Above is the metal silhouette of Joe Joe, the beloved horse who has gone on but will be remembered.

Joe Joe was the beloved horse and long time friend of a girl in Illinois.  After Joe Joe passed away, she wanted to remember him in a metal silhouette on her barn.  The next blog posting will show the barn with a silhouette created from this photograph.

Other side of the entrance with wing art.  Ovals cut from 4' x 8' x 3/16" plate.

My blog will only allow one picture per posting, so here is the wing art to the Alemana Ranch. See next posting for other side.  These are ovals cut from a 4' x 8' x 3/16" plate. 

One of my favorite places!  15" tall letters above the entrance to the establishment. 

A great Place to Shoot. 

New home with rock wall winged entrance is graced with the name of the place. Cut from 3/16" place and mounted with anchors so that it can be removed (much later) for repainting. 

Ranch entrance design that is clean and impressive.  Near San Diego, Texas.  This is one of my all time favorites. 

Recently I posted a picture of the Rancho Consuelo sign in raw steel before painting. The customer was kind enough to send a picture of the sign mounted at his ranch in Rock Springs, Tx.  Great presentation.  Very different and a wonderful way to display his sign. 

1/4" plate steel and a trip to the store for rings, votives and candles.   Not painted, natural steel with a clear coat sprayed on. 

When you build a pation/bbq/pool where the old dog pen used to be, you name it THE DOG PEN.  Pictured in the sign is a copy of a family lab that is well missed. 

Great way to get your address on the gate and advertise your business as well. 

Customer in New Jersey ordered two like signs for her dad's farm.  Shown with primer paint and was later top coated with Deep Rubbed Bronze.  

Ranch owner's family has special feelings about the little angles in the state outline. 

I always like windmills and the horseback rider reminds me of my day and his favorite

saddle horse, Joe. 

I liked the little boy and little girl angels in the State outline.  This was something special that has meaning to the land owners.  And, I always like windmills.  The cowboy is of a different generation and reminds me of my dad when he was horseback.

Grand Dad built his grand children a playground and needed a sign to grace the entrance. Special times with special people.  Go Grand Dad!