Iron Monkeys

Limited Edition: Iron Monkey leather cuffs with scroll, $175+ donation

2011-07-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

The Iron Monkeys have 10 new jewelry pieces to offer those donating $175 or more to our kickstarter project. These hand-crafted leather cuffs have our unique steel scroll on the top and clasp with two metal buckles. We are currently limited to 10, so the first 10 people to donate $175 or more will get one of these, as well as one scroll pendant! The donation period ends July 31st, so please visit our kickstarter page for more info and to donate:

http://kck.st/kL3o6L

Iron Monkey scroll pendant!

2011-06-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

The Iron Monkeys are nearly 40% of the way to our Kickstarter goal. Now that we have one month left, we thought we'd show you our fancy pendants, which backers who donate $25 or more, will be receiving. Please pass on to your friends and help us reach our goal by July 31st!

Visit our project on Kickstarter for details:
http://kck.st/kL3o6L

Thanks for your donation to The Iron Monkeys!

Another monkey work night

2011-05-18T12:35:00.001-07:00

Working on the fingers

2011-05-14T15:05:00.001-07:00

Garden Of Monkey Retrospectus (GOMR for short)

2011-04-17T22:35:00.000-07:00

Hello lovers of fine hand-crafted steel!

As the winter begins to pass and the cherry blossoms begin to fall like rain it is time for the Iron Monkeys to get back in the shop and start beating some hot metal.

So what exactly are we up to this year? Well lucky for you, you're about to find out.

GARDEN OF MONKEY RETROSPECTUS

This year for Burning Man we are paying homage to our Rites of Passage as an artists collective. The Garden of Monkey Retrospectus is a look back through the projects that have brought us to where we are today. We will be bringing back a Tree Spire, "The Hand" from Incunabulum, and the Zen Gardens and Columns from The Crossroads to create a sitting garden of our evolution. This is an amazing opportunity for the Monkeys to rework these pieces, clean them up, and make them *exactly* how we want them to be. We are also going to work some new fire features into these pieces making the Garden flicker and explode in new and glorious ways.

We are hoping to bring back "The Hand" to Critical Massive, with new and exciting fire effects. So get ready to lay your ass under the flames of "The Hand" up in Mt. Vernon this summer.

PLAYA STAPLES

It's time to start thinking about how you are going to keep all of your structures in place at Critical and at Burning Man this year. Let us help you with that.

Playa Staples are hand-forged, square stock steel tapered to points at each end and bent into a 'candy cane' shape. When hammered into the ground they lay flush with the playa and will not trip or skewer people, like that unsafe rebar stuff. They enter the playa easily and stay secure until it's time to go. Playa Staples are removed quickly and simply by levering them straight up. They've been around since 2003 and are time tested and burner approved (with over 7000 made and sold in that time).

Don't be the jerkface whose carport goes flying into your neighbor's camp. That's no way to get laid/drunk/hugged/fed, now is it?

Playa Staples are currently ON SALE, and we encourage you to order early so you can guarantee having your Staples in time for...well...whatever you need them for.

http://www.ironmonkeys.org/Store/Playa%20Staples/

OTHER STUFFS

Many of you have asked us if we are planning on hosting another fundraiser at the shop this year, and the answer to that question is YES!!!! The fundraiser will be later in the summer, and we will be sure to let you know when it's happening.

We are also starting work on a jewelry line. If you like the scroll pendants we have been making for the past couple years, you are going to LOVE the jewelry line. More info to come.

Thanks to everyone who has supported us over the past few years. It means a lot to us that you support our work and our visions. This is going to be another great year, and we look forward to yet again keeping you warm with our art.

Have questions? Hop on over to our Contact Us page to send us a message.
http://www.ironmonkeys.org/Contact+Us/default.aspx

Grimy, sweaty dust love to you all.

The Iron Monkeys

2011 is here.

2011-01-12T23:43:00.000-08:00

The Iron Monkeys are alive and well.

We started the year out showing off some of our art. On New Years Eve we were invited to show 2 Zen Gardens at Tacoma's First Night celebration. Children and adults alike got to play with fire. They seemed to love us (but could have just loved the heat since it was like 30 degrees outside).

We are now working out the details for our project which we hope to take to this coming years Burning Man. We have several designs and ideas so far and will have a final design and concept by the end of January (along with a grant proposal, budget, and the need for a drink). Check back here or on our website.

Burning Man 2010

2010-09-08T21:28:00.000-07:00

Burning Man 2010

2010-09-08T21:26:00.001-07:00

Burning Man 2010

2010-09-08T21:26:00.000-07:00

More fun than a barrel

2010-08-10T00:53:00.000-07:00

What are you doing on Saturday night?

As many of you know, the Iron Monkeys have been working hard for the past 5 months building The Crossroads, which is our contribution to Black Rock City this year. The Crossroads is a 40’ steel and fire courtyard, and is by far the largest and most involved project we have undertaken and we are tr...emendously excited to bring it to the playa.

Also, it costs a hell of a lot of money to make.

This coming Saturday night we would like to invite you to come down to the shop for some early evening festivities and a bit of fundraising. We will have the shop up and running so you can see how we make pretty things out of steel. Also, a lot of The Crossroads will be set up out front of the building, so if you missed the fountain at Critical Massive, or want to see how how the project has evolved since then, this is your last chance to sneak a peak before TEITD. We will have the fountain turned on, a couple of columns connected by an archway, and a Zen Fire Garden up and running.

In the interest of supporting the grand diversity of our community, we have a number of ways you can contribute to our fundraising goals:

* We will have a yummy keg of Georgetown brew and just like back in college, we will be accepting donations in exchange for a classic red keg cup which you can reuse throughout the night.
* Cold hard cash or check. Anyone who donates some cashola to the Iron Monkeys will receive a Monkey made scroll pendant. We will be making the darn things right in front of you! Also, if you have already been so kind as to donate to us come on down and let us know. We will hook you up.
* Own a piece of Iron Monkey history! We will be auctioning off one of the three Zen Fire Gardens we are making for The Crossroads. This is a 6-sided steel bowl filled with sand and piped for propane. When on fire, designs can be drawn in the sand creating toasty warm awesomeness. Starting bid is $400. Delivery of the Zen Garden will be after playa. ;-)
* If you can’t make it down but would still like to drop us a few bones you can contribute via Chip-In. http://thecrossroads.chipin.com/the-crossroads
And let us just send a huge THANK YOU to those of you who have already contributed. You = Rock!

Saturday is also the Georgetown Art Walk which means that the whole neighborhood will be full of art, and a number of the other artist in Equinox Studios (where the shop is) will have their doors open. Can your artistic self really afford not to attend?

Let’s recap: beer, art, Monkeys, cool power hammer, art, music (yes, we somehow managed to find a DJ), beer, art.

Here is the nitty gritty -
Where: Equinox Studios, 6555 5th Ave S. http://www.equinoxstudios.org/index.html
When: Saturday, August 14th. 5:30pm - 9:30pm
Why: So you can say you saw it first, and that you are a part of The Crossroads

We are excited to open up the shop for ya’all to come take a look. We promise to be filthy and friendly.

Hope to see you Saturday!

The Iron Monkeys -
(2010 Monkey Crew) Tabasco, Alex, T-Bone, Cyra, Kay, Karla, Medic, Kristen, Mark, Steph, Misty, Deanna, Chris, Ryan, Elana, Brian, Gigantic Dave, Just David “Faust”, Cheryl, Scott

Making a finger and then a hand

2009-06-21T23:11:00.000-07:00

It was a Busy weekend with 9 people in the shop working like a bunch of bee's.

This included some "tester" monkeys" More Dave is below.

And Just David

Medic using the slip hammer to make some tapers.

Alex is working on making scrolls

Karla is wire brushing a finger getting it ready to add scrolls

Brian is welding on some scrolls for the bone structure

The center line of the bone structure

And the Finger comes together.

another work batch of work photo's

2009-06-15T21:00:00.000-07:00

hopefully we will have some great things to show soon, but until then here are pictures of us working.

im blog 6-15-09

working on the egg

2009-06-15T20:31:00.000-07:00

The outline for the egg, about 9 1/2' tall

Starting to weld up the frame of the egg. Our current plan is to do it in three pieces, bottom and left and right.

Our first attemp to skin it.... we have since moved on and are trying some new ideas

We have the right idea but not sure we have the best way yet. I will be getting some new steel this week and we will figure it out.....

Work collage from the weekend of May 17th

2009-05-24T19:58:00.000-07:00

This weekend we were finalizing the position of the hand using a ring that is close to the size of the egg at the point the hand is grabbing it.

Medic and Cyra are working on some of the rings for the egg

Tapers and scrolls being made for the finger bones
Kirsten, Kay and Alex

Kay and Kirsten making hoops for the egg using the rolling mill

Karla tapering and Ryan working in the back ground

Scape goat (Garwood) working out some measurements for the bone scrolls

Chris Concentrating

New Monkeys trying out the shop

2009-05-23T23:51:00.000-07:00

Cyra Grinding

Alex and Cyra doing some forming

Ryan doing some grinding

Alex making large rings for the egg

Incunabulum - BONES

2009-05-08T23:31:00.000-07:00

Today Medic and KristIn came to the shop and started working on the scrolls we will use to make the bone structure for the hand

working on the egg

2009-05-03T20:42:00.000-07:00

So this weekend we worked on the egg

First we made a series of rings about the shape and size for different parts of the egg

We then welded the ends together

then we made cross pieces and cut a center pole the length of the egg (9 - 1/2 feet tall)

and this is what the egg would look like if you stepped on it.... more next week

First Day - incunabulum

2009-04-12T23:08:00.000-07:00

Today was the first "work day" of incunabulam. The plan do a mock up to scale on the hand.

1" pipe cut to scale

T bird doing some cutting

Brian Welding up the palm/base

more welding

The Palm(minus thumb)
All the fingers (Thumb being welded by Chris)

reinforcing the welds but all in all the mock up is done. woo woo

In`cu·nab"u·lum

2009-02-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

The Iron Monkeys have just been awarded a grant to create In`cu-nab"u-lum.

You can see the Grant Application at

http://theblacksmithshop.com/ironmonkeys/Incunablulum-1.pdf

We are honored and excited, for updates on the project please check back here.

Cauldron on TV Free Burning Man

2008-09-26T13:52:00.000-07:00

Hot. Cauldron. Footage.

Lighting Ceremony

2008-09-26T11:21:00.001-07:00

Originally uploaded by javith

Crimson tossing in the flame for the maiden (and, barring the hazing pranks of BRCVFD, week long) burn of the Cauldron.
A pile of wood is (ir)regularly restocked to encourage passersby to stop and feed the fire thus adding the participatory element of nourishing the flame.

One night, Brian, Stuart and I went out in search of the Sparky the Fire Truck Posse by way of Center Camp. At the Cauldron, we found a guy dangling a stick with a hot dog skewered on the end into the fire. Brilliant! We took his picture, wildly praised him for his ingenuity and self-reliance, and gave him one of our gift scrolls. He was pleased; we were delighted.

Reno ManGrove Flyer

2008-09-26T10:51:00.001-07:00

If you're heading to Reno before mid-December be sure to visit our Tree.

Opening Reception for the ManGrove
Originally uploaded by affinity1

Mangrove Tree by Night

2008-09-26T10:44:00.001-07:00

Mangrove Tree by Night
Originally uploaded by Rob~Simpson

A lovely photo of the upper half of the Tree against the sky mural. The larger branches are made of lengths of pipe that have been textured by repeated rounds of heating and hammering. Smaller branches consist of round bar that has been tapered, scrolled and deformed for a more organic look.

A Tree Grows in Reno

2008-09-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

As Burning Man 2008 ended, most of the Iron Monkeys headed north, returning to life here in "reality camp." While we were buying vinegar in bulk and reminding ourselves to wear clothes and not drink before noon, an elite team of Monkeys was dispatched to Reno where they lounged by the pool, stormed the casino at the Peppermill, AND installed one of our trees in a temporary sculpture park located in downtown Reno. The Mangrove - Reno, a nod to the collection of recycled material trees from Burning Man 2007 of the same name, sits on the bank of the Truckee River. Tony, Jannette, Tabasco and Kay - I think I speak for all the Monkeys when I say "hey, thanks for going to Reno." We raise our BRetford-crafted beers to you.

Other press about the Reno Mangrove:
The Mangrove Reno Art Installation Downtown Reno

Community Tree Spire: Rainier Vista, Seattle

2008-08-10T07:19:00.000-07:00

From the beginning of the tree building process, all of the Monkeys have been committed to the idea that ours was not a project destined for the dusty land of forgotten Burning Man art. We want these trees out in the world, taking root.

In time for Arbor Day 2008, we permanently installed one of the trees at Rainier Vista. We were able to do this through a grant from Black Rock Arts Foundation (BRAF) for the creation and placement of of a community driven art piece, support from Ignition NW, plus additional cash and in-kind donations by Seattle Housing Authority, individuals and local businesses.

Detail of seat back echoing images of the Whirligig story including the full text. Quality plasma cutting courtesy of 2K Metal Works.

Seat back detail. Etching and stainless steel courtesy of Acu-Line Corporation in Fremont.

Tree Spires: A Retrospective

2008-08-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

For Burning Man 2007 we received an art grant for our project, Tree Spires, four 15' tall steel trees the trunks of which are encircled by octagonal wood and steel benches.
Installed in the Mangrove, the Tree Spires were located at the cardinal points and provided passersby a place to sit, rest and reflect.

The "bark" of the trees is made up of 4' long strips of 2 and 4-inch wide mild steel. Tabasco created a bark texture template that, when used with a really big power hammer on hot steel looks, well, very much like bark. But better. 'Cause, you know, it's steel. Okay, real bark is pretty cool, too.

On the playa, we encouraged visitors to leave evidence of their time at the trees. We busted out our Sharpies™ and left some starter graffiti; the resulting "vandalism" ranged from touching to funny.

Shadows

2008-08-08T12:07:00.000-07:00

Turn my head and this is what I got to see

Legs, and detail shots

2008-08-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

Placing the scrolls

2008-08-08T11:26:00.000-07:00

One brave soul prays they don't get welded while one with at least some skill tries to weld only the scrolls

Don't worry the welds will magically disappear

with pretty wraps

How to make scrolls, sorta

2008-08-08T11:18:00.000-07:00

First we taper the ends then scroll them

Then we tumble them and spend hours detangling them

They are stacked and they get added to the cauldron.

Stakes, legs and stuff

2008-07-22T22:13:00.000-07:00

Playing the catch up blog, these are soe shots that should be shared

Did I mention how awesome these stakes are....

And then some leg ideas.... just a start, they get better as we go.

Magic scrolls

2008-07-22T22:08:00.000-07:00

More scrolls, this time using +10 Iron Monkey Magic

Pretty

Wrapps

2008-07-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

Hmmm, so you add these wrapps, and they actually hold things together

mmmmm, pretty picture

Although he doesn't look like it, Stuart is having fun

SCROLLLS

2008-07-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

so many scrolls so many place to go

So she should probably be wearing a mask, but closing your eyes will go

And don't they look good

More Top...

2008-07-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

Well we started to the top a while ago, but I needed a bit more frame work so we added more.

Tony curving the steel to the base

Jannette helping

MMMMM, Lots and lots of vice grips make sure everything goes where it is suppose to.

And then hot girls in uncomfortable postions.
Why do the gods love me so, and why do the monkeys put up with me.

GRRRRRRATE

2008-07-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

You have to have a grate and you might as well make lot of grating puns. Regardless it looks great

Stuart working on the grate, each piece is hammered down so it lays flat, then drilled and then rivited.

I'm wondering if I should concider making furniture..

Hammering away

2008-07-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

Well we are moving ahead working with the hammer.

Above is Chris our newest Monkey, working on branches for the tree.

Above is Julie working on her tapers by making stakes, ahhh BM stakes (tabasco stakes are the best stakes on the playa)

Brian working and consentrating hard, also practicing tapers by doing stakes (did I mention these stakes are for sale, e-mail me if your interested.

And finally Julie feeling very good about what she has done.

The troops go on and on

2008-07-07T17:35:00.000-07:00

So besides working on the base these girls are also working on the grating which will be inside the cauldron.

Now that most of the base is finished it time to start working on the top. This is just the frame we are working on.

Oh and don't forget we have to still work on the Tree Spire for the temp install in Reno Sept 4th install.

The Next step

2008-07-07T17:22:00.000-07:00

Once the Rivets were in we rounded the edges and welded up some cracks.

And then we need to Grind and make pretty... well prettier anyway

The Rivets are done... at what cost

2008-07-07T17:07:00.000-07:00

The Rivets are done... but the cost?

Poor Brian

There are a ix of 1/4" and 3/8" rivets

Adding Rivits Step one

2008-07-07T16:53:00.000-07:00

So after putting the frame together we add rivits

First we had to hand drill the holes then each 3/8" rivet is put in place. We use a Bolster to protect the ouside of the rivet then hammer then torch the inside and hammer it down.

The Cauldron Coming together

2008-07-07T16:42:00.000-07:00

Images of the cauldron coming together step by step.

The first work weekend

2008-05-25T20:44:00.000-07:00

The first IM work weekend on the c3v2 (Center Camp Cauldron Version 2).

Last week I built a wood version of the base, this way I could look at the size, and style of the cauldron. make sure the pieces looked good and that the form was correct. with the added bonus of being able to hand the wood pieces to the flame cutter to cut them.

After handing the cut out pieces to flame cutter, we got the first set of cuts back. Now for texturing. Usually I use a ball pien hammer and extraordinary endurance. However due to the immense amount or texture to be done, I made a pien shaped chisel and used an air hammer.
To say this was loud is a minor understatement. Its a bit like using a jackhammer on Steel... actually its exactly like that.

Why texture you may ask, why warn the entire building and the neighbors about the massive amount of noise.

Before:

After:

And while this is happening Stuart started working on the grate for the inside of the cauldron.

Ahh the ear protection