Whats happening at Torchcraft....

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.

Cardholder was custom made according to the customer's directioin.  State of Texas cut from 1/8" plate steel and tempered finish added.  The name is placed on top of the state and welded in place.  The card holder is mounted on a large horseshoe.  Horseshoe nails are welded on the sides of the card holder to keep the cards in place.  The entire piece is clear coated. 

Received order from a custom for a ranch sign to be given for a wedding gift.  Horseshoes were used for hangers.  Sign cut from 3/1`6" plate.  Primed and painted black.

Realtor wanted to give their client a gift for the new property that they bought.  The couples initals are cut in each star.  The entire piece is cut from 3/16" plate.  Drilled for wall mounting. 

Race car driver who's nickname must be Rhino, wanted a display for his medals.  The piece has the rhino on top with three steel rings to hold rods.  The medals which have ribbons tied to them, are hung from the rods. 

A recent request from a customer who wanted his 5 sons silhouette's cut out for a family sign that he was giving to his wife for her birthday..  The picture supplied by the customer was perfect for silhouettes and turned out very good.  Cut from 3/16" plate.  Primed with automotive etching primer and top coated with industrial black enamel.  Finished product photo was taken in my shop.  

Cut from 3/16" plate and top side is ground to a shinny finish.  The photo shows the lettering in scattered fashion on a table top, in order to take the photo.    The customer will weld pins on the back side for mounting and clear coat the metal to maintain the silver shine. 

The owners of the ranch that this sign was made for actually have names that start with T and A, but the running joke is the basis of the art in the sign.  This sign is 48" wide.  Braced in the back with 1"X3/16" flat iron.  Sign was primed with automotive etching primer and top coated with industrial black enamel.  Chain links were welded on far left and far right corners.  Going to Oregon.

Austin customer ordered address signs cut from 3/16" plate, with lettering and numbers cut in reverse.  They will be set in a recessed area of the brick and lighting behind. 

I recently posted a picture of the Fair Oaks Ranch sign while it was still in my shop.  It is now mounted and has lighting.  This is really a nice and shows up very well with the lights. 

Customer from Giddins bought art for his ranch gate and recently sent pictures of the gate with all of the art mounted.  It really looks good to me.  I like all of the game that is represented on that ranch.  I really do appreciate it when customers send their photos so I can post to my blog.

The praying cowboy is a very common scene but this scene brings the cowgirl to the cross as well.  The two saddle horses and the dog complete the scene.  This piece is cut from 3/16" plate steel and welded to an entrance gate.  

Longhorn steer head with name across the horns is always a popular sign display for a ranch entrance. 

This set up is made to hang whatever but it is enspired by two little real people and cat named LoLo.  The little boy is two years old and LoLo is in his sights.  The little girl is too new to care.  Although they probably have wings, I haven't seen them.  LoLo keeps a close eye as a wise cat will do.  The horseshoe/ hooks are made from pony shoes.  

Ten feet in width by 30" tall is a sign cut for Boerne, Texas country club.  It was mounted on a masonry wall and I am waiting for the picture of the finished product.  It was mentioned that it might be hung unfinished.  The masonry work was done by Lundberg Masonry of Boerne, Texas. 

Headed to North Florida for the gate topper to Fantasy Farms.  Cut from 3/16 and ribbed on the back side to give it strength. 

Had to look it up but Finca is farm or property.  This particular sign goes to a coffee plantation in Puerto Rico.  It displays "the farm of Pagan".  Mountains and prize roosters raised on this farm set the design.  To be mounted on the entrance gate and hand carried on an airline to it's destination.  Again, the thickness of the metal is 3/16" and will be painted black. 

As the dates on the sign indicate, they have achieved their 100 year mark of holding on the family farm.  The customer provided an old photo of the tree from back in the day and it also had a horse and buggy in the photo.  Although the tree is a direct copy the horse and buggy design was substitued to spread the sign out in width.  Apparently the place is referred to as the Family Farm.  People are to be commended for keeping the places in the same family.  I once talked to a lady who said her grand dad placed the old farm in a corporation so that no hier could sell off any of it.  He said that he and his family had worked and suffered way to long for some XXX to sell it and buy a boat!

Another design by the customer.  I like to shoot the pictures before the torch is turned off.  It may not appeal to you the viewer but it just rewards me that I can cut these signs with a regular hand held torch.  Yes, I am rolling around in it like a dog that found a dead coon.  They claim that action is a hold over from early animal hunting instinct to mask their odor in order to hunt better but I tend to think the dog just likes to be a little "macho" and show off his new smell.  Probably makes up a good story to go along with it the odor.