About destructivetesting
I'm a self-taught artist who prefers to use found objects in ways that were never intended. I'm not interested in making 10 or 100 of the same object. This, of course, takes more time to make each piece. I also prefer a more minimalist look, where each part of a piece can be appreciated. I consider my clocks to be small sculptures with moving parts. And, my lamps to be small sculptures with light. My mirrors are reflective sculptures.
DESTRUCTIVE TESTING means to push something to it's limits to understand it's structural performance or material behavior under different stresses. I interpret this in my artwork as using materials in different ways or combinations than they were designed to be used. I also just like the slightly ominous sound of the term...
Destructive Testing 
This. Steampunk piece. I like it.
curious how do you secure the blade into the wood, i see the slot…do you use anything else?
I cut the slot by drilling a lot of holes in a straight line. I used a piece of straight metal as a guide. Then, I just kept cleaning it out using the drill bit to clean it out. It was a very snug fit. I shot some Super Glue in there and just kept tapping on the metal until it was far enough in. I didn’t want to hit it too hard because I didn’t want to split the wood. It’s impossible to remove without wrecking the wood base.
brilliant 🙂 thank you
Since everything I do is one of a kind, I have to keep inventing ways to do whatever it is I’m trying to do. I don’t know about ‘brilliant’, but I did think it was ‘pretty good’.
Mike
i’m right there witcha. thats the exciting part of working with found objects, the puzzle of how to put it together. its the only time i think my brain gets stimulated 🙂
But, for me, working with found objects is much easier than having to come up with an idea out of thin air, and creating it that way. Also, with found objects, if I drop it, scratch it, drill a hole in the wrong place, it just makes it that more ‘interesting’. I just sold one lamp that I broke a drill bit in the metal, and it stuck out a couple inches. I was trying to decide what to do about removing it, but decided that it just made it ‘more interesting’. And, it did!