About
Experience & Creativity
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." I heard this quote and thought it summed things up perfectly. I love working with metal and take a great amount of pride in all the work I do, whether its creating a one of a kind sculpture, carefully following plans for a custom railing, or a simple welding repair.
Instead of putting on the facade of a multi tiered company, I've learned to embrace the fact that a company of one can give customers a very personal experience. Dealing directly with the craftsman who is carrying out your vision or creating your masterpiece has many advantages.
I create sculptures by hand one at a time using old fashion tools and methods. I like to get a sense of your taste and find out a little about the space the sculpture will occupy before I create it. For this reason, I prefer to communicate before a piece is purchased, whether its by phone, email, or text. This ensures that you are getting the best and most personal sculpture possible. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you, James O'Neil
Sculptures
Every sculpture I make starts with a flat sheet of metal and thousands upon thousands of forceful hammer blows. Once a piece is roughly shaped through this grueling process, I switch to a style of hammering called planishing. This process smoothes the piece and allows me to bring out finer details. Depending on the sculpture, there could be hundreds of individually shaped pieces that make up a completed sculpture. All of the pieces are seamlessly welded together, then refined with a careful grinding process. I then use precise heat to bring out the beautiful, natural colors of the metal. Finally, an automotive grade clear coat is applied to preserve the sculpture, unless it is constructed from stainless steel or copper; these require no coating and are suitable for outdoor display. All pieces can be made from stainless steel if desired. Commissioned pieces are welcomed and encouraged!
Fabrication
Experienced, detail oriented welding and fabrication with the ability and knowledge to work with all types of steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. I am versatile and always up for a good challenge. I deal with, but am not limited to, architectural features, marine fabrication, and automotive customization and restoration.