Home Improvement Store: Metal Rose

So far all the metal roses I've seen on websites require more tools then a lot of people have access to. I was inspired by the metal roses on Instructables, but they had steps that novices might think is not in their wheelhouse. So, I designed a rose that the materials are either available at home or easily acquired at a home improvement store and used tools that new makers probably already own.

All the materials should be readily available at the home depot. Here are the Products I used down below.

Tools

Needle Nose Pliers $6.82

11mm $1.97 or 7/16" $2.49 open ended wrenches x 2

Hand Drill or Drill Press

HDX Tin snips $9.88

Gloves 10 pairs for $10.00

1/4 inch Drill Bit $4.97

Consumables

Threaded rod 1\4"x 20 x 12" x 12 $0.98

1\4"x 20 nuts (25 Pack) $1.47

Lock washers (18 Pack) 1.18

12 in. x 18 in. 26-Gauge Zinc-Plated Metal Sheet $4.97

I have made up templates that you can print on a regular 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. Print and cut them out for tracing on the metal sheet.

Layout the templates you cut on the piece of metal making sure all of them fit and have a bit of space in between the individual pieces. Then trace with your sharpie to transfer the design to the metal.

I find it easier and better to drill all the center holes on the material before cutting out the parts of the flower.

Take your tin snips and cut out the main parts out of the entire sheet. I usually cut them all out first then worry about the details after.

Put two nuts and a lock washer on the stem about an inch down from the top of where your Rose will sit.

Time to stack your rose.

Starting with the sepal the 5 pointed star.

Then the biggest 6 petal.

Both the other 6 Petal pieces.

Then the 5 petal.

Then the 3 petal.

After all the pieces of your flower are in place put 2 nuts on top to make sure the petals don't go anywhere.

Use the 2 open ended wrenches to tighten the inner most nuts closest to the flower.

after that start at the top and lock down the top 2 nuts together.

Do the same with the bottom nuts

The second nuts and lock washer will ensure that the assembly will not get loose over time

After the flower is locked down start by bending the petals with the needle nose pliers on the top of the flower.

Then move to the next set of petals. Starting with one then moving around the flower.

The 6 petal layer is a little different. For ease of bending and to get more layers bend up 3 alternating petals at a time. There are ends up being 6 layers of petals bent to fill out the flower. Bending the petals in different ways makes it more organic looking.

Continue bending the petal layers. till all the petals look like a flower.

Then time to focus on the Sepal at the bottom. I usually bend the sepal in half to give the look of a rib that holds the leaves together. Then twist my pliers down the sides of the leaves to give the crinkly appearance. Finally bend the tips in different curls or straight just random in appearance to be more organic looking.

Bending the stem helps to gives the illusion that the flower is more organic then it actually is. Also it looks better in a vase or stuck into the ground.

Now its time to give it to some one you love or care about. This flower should last a long time and be prepared to make more because everyone will want one of your roses.