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METAL ART GALLERY, RECENT WORK

1. Two squares marked off on a sheet of 20 gauge brass, ready to cut out. One (for the top of the pillow) is 1/2 inch larger than the other one.
2. Both pieces are annealed.
3. The bottom piece gets stamped with this special tool in the hydraulic press.
4. The top piece gets a hole drilled and tapped to receive the threaded inflation tube.
5. Here's a close-up the special jig for bending over the edge of the top piece.
6. Clamping the sheet in the jig.
7. Hammering over the edge, starting at the left corner. The piece has to be moved to continue on to the right corner, then rotated 90°, and repeated, three more times.
8. The top part is also hammered with a soft mallet to push the metal down into the groove of the die.
9. That part of the process completed. Showing the underside.
10. Now the edge of the top piece is bent over and hammered down tight against the bottom piece, using a tiny anvil.
11. The seam has been hammered down all the way around, ready to silver-solder.
12. Silver-soldering the seam.
13. Now getting ready for inflation. The inflation tube has been inserted, and a plywood cutout in the shape of the urn added.
14. The inflation jig assembled with pressure washer attached, ready to go.
15. Top, uninflated pillow, ready to hook up to the pressure washer. Bottom, pillow fully inflated.