|
To give you a little
info about us by Bill Mashburn
We are Bill & Lillian
Mashburn the owners of “Wrought Iron Expressions”. I guess you would say
we are American & Canadian owned because the love of my life, my wife, is
from Vancouver, Canada.
I spent 23 years touring
Europe, South East Asia, Alaska and the USA for you and the U.S. Military.
During my time in Asia I picked up the knowledge of hand bending and
forming steel into whatever your imagination could want. In Europe it was
scroll wrought iron on homes older than old. I did wrought Iron back to
the 80s. Then about 7 years ago I started incorporating steel art into it.
Could not sell anything for the first year or two, not because it
was not beautiful. It was because every time I made something my wife
would say “Its mine”. As a result just in our living room we have steel
art pheasant, salmon, dolphins, light houses, sea gulls, flowers, elk,
bears, eagles, crosses, and dragons. Every room, flower garden, front
porch, patio, shop walls and shop windows are covered.
Having been around the
world more than a few times I have seen art of many cultures. I saw the
steel art work of the world, the railings of Europe, the scrolling of Asia
and our own forms of the New England states. As a result we make
unlimited custom steel art work, wrought iron gates, fences, window
covers, weather vanes, patio covers, murals for the wall signs for
ranches and business. Art that is “one of a kind in the world”. We like
to say that we are only limited by the customer’s imagination. Please
support you disabled vets originations, remember freedom is not free.
While we do have some
pre-made items on our web page. I would say that 80% of our work is for
people who want something that is “one of a kind in the world”. We like to
say that we are only limited by the customer’s imagination. Don’t be
afraid to ask us to do the impossible, we do it all the time.
INFORMATION
Our metals:
We make items of mild steel, stainless steel, mirror finished stainless
steel, brass and copper. The metal thickness is determined by the strength
needed. We can cut from 1/64’ up to ½’ thickness.
Strength of metal:
Only you can determine the thickness of metal needed, it mostly depends on
the size, how the sign is mounted and wind and weather conditions in your
area. Because we are not installing it and do not know conditions in all
areas of the world we leave that up to the sound judgment of the
customer. We can cut steel up to ¼ “ thick with fine detail and up to ½”
with less detail. The standard thickness is 1/8”. With 1/8 “thick steel
you will be able to see the hair on an Bull Elks back
Wrought iron: We can add wrought iron
as a border around the sign or build the entire sign out of bent wrought
iron. Must be powder coated to keep it long lasting.
Our painting
process: You have two choices either powder coated painted steel
or rust inhibiter type enamel paint. If the item will not be exposed to
bad weather the latter works well. But if it is to go outside in the snow
or rain, powder coating is the only way to go. Powder coating is just that
the paint dust is applied to the magnetically charged metal as a powder.
Then the item is baked in a big oven at high temperature. This creates
almost like a plastic coating. It adds to the price of the item but will
last for years and years. Most likely your bicycle was powder coated and
you know how hard that paint is and how the welds are almost unseen and
smooth.
We paint or don’t
paint too. Yes we do painting too, well we don’t but we have a
master powder coater that does. We can bring a rainbow of colors to your
project. Powder is baked on at about 500 degrees and makes a rock hard
finish that will last for years.
Heat coloring steel with a torch: There
is nothing in the steel art world prettier than heat colored art work.
Steel will change color from a silver to copper to brass to light blue to
dark blue then to black. Before we color it we use different sanding disks
processes to texture the metal.
Examples are: a duck mural in which you can really
see the feathers on his wings; you will be able to see the hair on an
Elk’s back and the blades of grass under his feet; the clouds will look
fluffy.
We had one of our
customers in Kentucky that wanted a 5 horse brass mural to go above her
fireplace to match the brick wall. I talked her into doing a heat treated
one instead. She wrote back and said. ”I’m so glad you talked me into
this, the room lights bring out the color. It changes colors as you walk
by and even the reflection of the fire changes its color, It is so
beautiful.”
Rust finish: Some people do not want
it painted at all, they want a rust finish to make it look old and
natural. We recommend that a year after it is up to give the sign a few
clear coats of enamel on a sunny warm day to stop the rusting process
but still give it the old look.
The ever lasting sign: The sign that
will last forever is stainless steel. What you install today will look the
same 20 years from now. We normally do a sand blasted finish. But can also
do texturing and a little heat coloring to add depth. The heat coloring
will slowly fade over the years due to time but the texturing will always
be there.
Mounting the sign.: It can be
installed on top of wood or metal posts. We normally weld it onto
pre-drilled angle iron. So all you have to is weld it on or stainless
steel lag bolted to the post. Under slung: With the use of
stainless steel eye bolts and / or chain it can be hung under the
post. You can also do 3 part signs. Example: your main sign in the
middle and matching wagon wheels or horses heads where the posts come up
from the ground.
Safety factor:
While the stainless steel mirror finish mud flaps looks outrages. It
also offers 2 safety factors. One is that if your trailer is parked on
the side of the road at night time it can be seen for hundreds of yards by
traffic because there head lights will reflect back to them. This is
especially important if you should have to leave it to go get parts. This
brings us to the second safety factor. People do not want to tail gate
you. It’s not comfortable to have your own head lights shining back onto
them.
How we do our
custom work: While we do have some pre-made items on our web
page. I would say that 80 % of our work is for people who want something
that is “one of a kind in the world” Even the items on the web page can be
customized with names or addresses. A customer will e-mail us with an
idea or picture of what they want. We will make a cut pattern and e-mail
or fax it back to them. After a few trips back and forth and only when the
customer is fully happy with the pattern we will ask for a 25% deposit.
When the item is finished we well ask for the balance due and ship the
item to their locations.
So you are ready to
turn heads: After you come up with your idea as to what will make
your friends envious. Set down and draw it out or just email, fax or phone
us and tell us to shoot some examples out to you. When you decide on the
pattern, material and size we will give you a price. Depending on orders
in about 2 weeks you will be installing your “one of a kind “item on your
trailer and driving to your best friend’s house for a little show and
tell. Yes you will have to give him our web site address, you could not be
that mean. If you request it we will delete your custom pattern, what that
means is we will never reproduce it unless you say so.
How much do they
cost? : We can not give you a set price because it depends on the
type of steel, thickness of the steel, the size of the item painted or
unpainted and the time it takes to make a pattern. The thickness of the
steel is determined by the engineering needed to make the item to hold up
so you can put it on your next trailer when you get it. Remember stainless
steel never rusts and powder coating last for years.
What size sign can we make?. We are
currently building a 2 piece sign / mural 5 foot tall and 16 feet long.
It is for us to go onto our show room trailer we take on the road in the
summer. We have built over the drive way signs up to 16 feet long by 3
foot high.
Shipping: Depending on the size we
normally ship larger items like signs/murals plastic wrapped between
two sheets of ply wood or particle board. This will protect it from
damage. Our normal carriers are shipped UPS or USPS. We will give
you a shipping and handling price before you order.
SUGGESTIONS
Gift ideas:
As you see here and on our web page (www.wiefab.com)
we don’t have many limitations. Examples of the possibilities are: one
solder in South Carolina that had a boss who was retiring and he bought
one of our fishing murals off our website and cut a lovely wooden
background for it with a brass plaque that is engraved with his boss”
military information; one gentleman in Minnesota wanted just musical
notes to go on the wall behind his new piano; another in Portland Or.
wanted come distinctive custom hinges for his new gate he built. Some of our many custom
items: weather vanes, house number signs, book ends, lamps, tables,
anniversary murals, contest awards, company logos, ranch and barn signs,
gates, window covers, railings, a custom stainless steel stand for a
wedding cake with little horses around it, made for a local bakery.
Some of the items
we have made over the years: Our home has about 177 feet of 6
foot high wrought iron fence across the front with 12 foot wide gates. On
the fence are 9 murals that depict the history of the North West. On the
top of our flag pole is a full size 3 dimensional eagle sitting on a
branch that is actually a weather- vane that always faces the wind. We
have made over driveway murals for the local ranchers. There is an example
on our web page that is 16 foot long. It was designed by one of our
customers for their wheat farm. As I indicated we are not limited to any
one type of item. We make items as small as mud flap emblems,
weather-vanes and as large as 16’ x 16 ‘patio covers. As you can see from
our web page we have made more than a few item
Items for trailers
by “wiefab”: Let me start by saying we, proudly, put our WIE
logo on every item we build. We have hundreds of patterns to show
you, just give us an idea of what you want.. How would you like dancing
horses on the back doors of your trailer, how about your ranch name and
logo?. Maybe a 10 foot long calf roping mural on the side of the trailer.
Feel a little unsafe parking your trailer at the rodeo grounds, maybe some
safe security window covers with a bull rider on it. You want to tell the
world your ranch name, how about a full trailer width stainless steel
mirror finish mud flap across the rear of the trailer or maybe your club
logo. So you were the state bull riding champ last year, let’s put a
bull rider on the side of the trailer with a sign telling all the folks.
As you can see the ideas are endless especially when you are designing it
with our help. We have silhouettes of almost all breeds of horses and
dogs.
Turn your trailer
into a piece of art and turn heads when you drive in.We, here, at
Wrought Iron Expressions Fabricating (WIEFAB) build
Custom mirror finish stainless steel and powder coated (painted) steel art
work for trailers. Ideas: custom Mud Flap emblems up to trailer
width, side murals in any size, window covers, dancing horses on the back
doors, your ranch name and logo?. Maybe a 10 foot long calf roping mural
on the side of the trailer, safe security window covers with art work on
it, your club logo. We have discounts for multiple club logo orders,
great way to make money for your club and advertise your membership. How
about a custom tack rack for the inside .We have hundreds of patterns to
show you, just give us an idea of what you want.. As you can see the
ideas are endless especially when you are designing it with our help.
We have silhouettes of almost all breeds of horses and dogs. .
Items for trucks by “wiefab”: We make custom mirror finish
stainless steel mud flap emblems to go on your mud flaps. We also make
full murals that cover the rear of your truck or motor home. For behind
the rear window we do full murals. Maybe you would like an 11 horses on a
hill side. How about a big bull elk across your brush guard? Maybe your
ranch logo on the cab doors. Show off your club with their logo on your
mud flaps. (discounts for multiple orders, great way to raise money for
your club). Possibly you would like an elk, duck, horse, buffalo or bear
trailer hitch receiver insert cover. Yes, we make things for the big 18
wheelers too. We have even done stainless steel name plates for the rear
of boats. We like to think when our customers drive by, people would say “
Wow, did you see the back of that truck?”
Turn your Truck
into a piece of art: Let us at Wrought Iron Expressions
Fabricating (WIEFAB) add beautiful custom made mirror finish never
rust stainless steel and /or powder coated (painted) art work to your rig.
We make custom mud flap emblems, full murals that cover the rear of your
truck or motor home or behind the truck cab windows. How about a big bull
elk across your brush guard. Maybe your ranch logo on the cab doors. Show
off your club with their logo on your mud flaps. You would like our elk,
duck, horse, buffalo or bear trailer hitch receiver insert covers. Yes we
make things for the big 18 wheelers and boats too. We like to think when
our customers drive by people say “ Wow did you see the back of that
truck”.
Where can I get mud
flaps and hangers for my truck? Many after market venders sell
bolt on kits. Also truck dealers can order kits for you if the truck is
not too old. We have made custom hangers for our local people but I would
never try and make a set to ship. If I cannot 110% guarantee you would be
happy with it we will not do it.
What should a ranch sign say about you?.
A few ideas: The name of the ranch or business, maybe a brand or
logo; What your ranch does; What it did in the past; How long it has been
in the family; What type of animals you raise. It should beautiful
and informative. But most important it should be prettier than the sign
next door.
Gift ideas for home,
ranch, and one of a kind. We, here, at Wrought Iron Expressions
Fabricating (WIEFAB) while we do have retail items on our web
page, we have the best custom designers in the world, our customers. We
make stainless steel and black steel weather-vanes, house number signs,
book-ends, lamps, tables, anniversary murals, contest awards, company
logos, ranch and barn signs, gates, window covers, railings, and stainless
steel mud flap emblems for trucks. For a local bakery we even made a
custom stainless steel stand for a wedding cake with little horses around
it. You give us an idea of what you want, we will fax, or email you a
draft print. After going back and forth for a time we will have a cut
ready print for you. After you say “that’s It, it’s so beautiful” we will
build it for you.
Ranch signs and art
work: We, here, at Wrought Iron Expressions Fabricating (WIEFAB)
will make the entry to your homestead an eye-catcher. We do signs in
stainless steel and powder coated (painted) black steel in a rainbow of
colors. We help you design the sign that tells the story of your ranch. We
can dress that old barn and the inside of the home, build that scrolled
wrought iron gate with beautiful art work on it. A few ideas for that
sign: The name of the ranch or business, maybe a brand or logo; what your
ranch does; what it did in the past; how long it has been in the family;
what type of animals you raise. It should be beautiful and informative.
But most important it should be prettier than the sign next door.
Thanks for visiting
our website. Let us know if we can be of service to you or your
friends. Feel free to ask us any questions you need answered.
|
