Metal question (no kidding!)
 

I want to use some free pieces of granite to make water features. This will
probably evolve or go down in flames, but I'm going to start with two types.

The first will be horizontal, using a large base piece of 3/4 granite, then
successively smaller jagged pieces to form a rough pyramid. I want to use
rod to support these, so that there is maximum see through space. Each
"tower" would probably have no more than four square feet total pieces of
granite to support. I want to tie them all together for strength and
stiffness so that no "tower" is really free standing.

On the other, they will be mounted in a sheet fashion vertically, and the
water will flow down the face. On those, I will have to bend hanger rods.

What would be the best metal rod to use? Stainless? Brass? Bronze?
Marine stuff? I do have one of those shop benders that I have never used
before, so should be able to get nice looking repeatable bends.

I don't mind it patinating, but don't want it to eat through. The water
here is hard, and this will be using the local irrigation water because it's
cheap, cheap, cheap.

Sources appreciated, but will try to buy local and save shipping. Might
even get lucky and get some scrap. I can get stainless scrap, but it's all
sheared flat goods. That would work, too, but then I'd have to get some TIG
gear, which is a possibility. On edge and braced, that would be very
strong, and visually attractive.

Steve

Metal question (no kidding!)
 

On Apr 24, 1:07 pm, "SteveB" wrote:
I want to use some free pieces of granite to make water features. This will
probably evolve or go down in flames, but I'm going to start with two types.

The first will be horizontal, using a large base piece of 3/4 granite, then
successively smaller jagged pieces to form a rough pyramid. I want to use
rod to support these, so that there is maximum see through space. Each
"tower" would probably have no more than four square feet total pieces of
granite to support. I want to tie them all together for strength and
stiffness so that no "tower" is really free standing.

On the other, they will be mounted in a sheet fashion vertically, and the
water will flow down the face. On those, I will have to bend hanger rods.

What would be the best metal rod to use? Stainless? Brass? Bronze?
Marine stuff? I do have one of those shop benders that I have never used
before, so should be able to get nice looking repeatable bends.

I don't mind it patinating, but don't want it to eat through. The water
here is hard, and this will be using the local irrigation water because it's
cheap, cheap, cheap.

Sources appreciated, but will try to buy local and save shipping. Might
even get lucky and get some scrap. I can get stainless scrap, but it's all
sheared flat goods. That would work, too, but then I'd have to get some TIG
gear, which is a possibility. On edge and braced, that would be very
strong, and visually attractive.

Steve

Well, without a drawing or something, It's hard to guess what the load
will be, but I would try bending strips of your stainless scrap into
"V" shapes and setting the stone on several of them. They would be
"see through" in one direction, but not the other. Might be able to
make a bunch of short "V" pieces and weld a piece across the open part
of the "V" for additional strength.

Paul