Slide 1
The factory I went to is still working with iron but they are not producing window grille anymore, because this skill takes time to learn, and the material and making price is much higher than stain steel, so people is no longer asking him to make window grille.
So you can see the mould in picture 4 has rusted is because no one is using it now, otherwise, he will remove the rusty part because the touch is really bad.
picture 1 and 2 are showing how the maker twists the bar in a regular size, and drill a hole in the middle part of the twisted bit, then repeat the process again so the two-piece can be joined together.
According to Mr Lin, there is no computer to help him with making in the past, all of the makings need to be done by hand, so that's why he needs to learn the every making methods.
Slide 2
Because it was a working day in the factory, I was limited in what I could see. Firstly, I learned about the steps that do not require a large machine, and then I went next to the cutting machine in the main working area to learn how to cut and trim sharp edges of iron bars.
From the cutting part, I can tell this maker is good at measuring the length because there are no tools around to help him, and he can do the perfect cutting is because of many years of working experience.
If the maker is faced with a large area of window grilles, the cost of the material wasted due to calculation errors will be a lot.
Because these skills are something that I can't see on the internet, until I have been to the factory in person, so it is like the maker is performing a magic trick in front of me.
Slide 3
After he finished the cutting and folding, it's the time to lay out a draft to create any beautiful shape, the most common and traditional figure is the heart, in picture 5 shows that through the arrangement of different shapes which allows better understanding of the formation of geometric figures.
Most of the workers are also create new shapes through permutation and combination, because it takes 3 years and 4 months for each of them to become a professional maker, so this long learning time also allows them to continue to create until they are very skilled. For me, these iron makers are also designers, because when the buyer doesn't have a request patterns, they can play what they want to do freely.
Slide 4
Next, Mr Lin also introduced to me how to use the welding tool. I told him that I had used this tool before, but I couldn’t accurately aim at the junction.
He smiled and told me that he also took a long time to control the tool.
Mr Lin also said that welding is the most critical step, because a good weld does not require additional repairs, and a failed weld may break the material.
The face cover can't see the material clearly. He must rely on experience and the spark to find the welding position. This is also the part I admire most.
Because from the production process, it can be seen that his skill is accumulated, and every step is very fast and accurate.
At the same time, he also encouraged me to try more to achieve better results.
Slide 5
In this slide, I use pictures to organize the process of the bars. This meeting gave me a more in-depth understanding of the manufacturing process of iron windows, especially in the details of a more complete study. For example, welding cannot be at the same point for too long, otherwise, the material will burn out.
I also talked about the decline of the bars, but after searching, I found that several artists used their own styles to protect this dying culture, which made me very touched.