Rusty Elk Designs

I was tasked in making a grizzly bear that was “tall and awesome” and this is what I came up with.

The difficult part of this project was to keep weight low, and with medium that I am using, it can be a very tall task. I decided to make the bear with a shell of thin metal parts rather than using the thicker/heavier parts I am used to using. To make transport easier as well, I had to make it so the arms and head were detachable as well but I wanted to blend everything together as if it looked like one piece.

My favorite part of the project was making the claws and the teeth. I have been wanting to start blacksmithing for quite some time now and I finally found a reason to start. After extensive research on YouTube and trial and error I figured out the basics. I’m hoping to keep learning the process and start incorporating that into my pieces more often.

Come check it out before it goes off to its forever home!

This is the second Pileated woodpecker I’ve made. It has a shovel, a piece of a sawblade, and a piece off of a suspension part of a car. It’s a little different than the things I am used to to doing.

The last two pictures are of an actual Pileated woodpecker I got to see on our property yesterday. It was such a huge bird! Sadly I could not get close enough to get a good picture.

All finished! This is by far the the most extensive projects I have done. It took me just under 60 hours to complete. It is looking for a new home!

My most recent of spiders!

Part one of this project is done and ready for part two. The wingspan is 9ft long. I repurposed 20+ feet of chain for the body and saved roughly 50 lawn mower blades/chainsaw bars from being thrown in the scrap yard.

Stay tuned for the completed piece!

The most recent of my turkeys. The more I make these animals, the more I appreciate the complexity and details of even the most basic of animal.

This piece was something I was asked to do that really pushed my creativity and design skills. This is a totem pole with 5 different animals on it.

1) Turtle (protecting/strong)
2) Snake (transformation/wisdom)
3) Deer (compassion/peace)
4) Lion (strength/courage)
5) Eagle (divine spirit/healing)

I’m glad I had the opportunity to bring this idea to life. Keep an eye out for my next project - coming soon!

After a lot of studying for finals, I got a break to make this as a gift. The irony of the situation was that the night I started it, was the same night we found a brown recluse in our house.

FOR SALE - $200

Just got done with another piece. I have been wanting to incorporate materials outside of metal for a long time. The eyes are cut from stained glass and glued into the concave surface of the spoon.

Just finished my second turkey! I will be making more of these in the near future to sell if anyone is interested! They are priced at $200 and have almost 100 pieces of silverware!

Just finished a huge project, take a look!
A 7 1/2ft tall horse made of old scrap metal, mainly car parts.

Keep an eye out for designs to be sold and some of my new projects to come.