THERE are no drawings and there are no plans. But Granite Belt artisan David Wright will create just about anything you can think of from steel through his farm-based business Waverley Forge.
Working from his property at Greenlands west of Stanthorpe, the master wrought iron worker has developed a strong following for his incredible ability to twist and bend steel into artisitic, and usually very functional, shapes.
Signature pieces include gates, fire guards, lizard shaped door handles and in particular pieces involving the combination of wrought iron and hardwood timbers.
"I really like to think that everything produced at Waverley Forge is a unique piece," David said.
"Everything is hand made, so everything is different.
"I don't use jigs to help shape the metal. I just shape the metal as I see it.
"I'm a firm believer in that if something looks right, then it is right."
Some of David's incredible wrought iron work was on display at the recent Traprock Group's biannual Art in the Woolshed event, including a table made from a massive slab of iron bark timber fitted with decorative wrought iron legs, which not only supported the table but wrapped around and through the slab.
Another dramatic piece takes pride of place on the roof of the Waverley Forge building. The Waverley Dragon is fashioned from more than 1000 individual hand-crafted pieces.
David said steel work was all in the colour.
"Basically the hotter the steel is, the easier it is to work," David said.
"As steel heats it progresses from blue/black to dull red and then bright red. Then it goes to yellow and even to white if you continue to apply the heat.
"The heat allows me to 'draw down' the metal and create different shapes and patterns.
"Ideally I like to work it in the yellow stage because it has a good feel under the hammer.
"I can still work the metal as it cools. I just have to hit it a lot harder."
David works with both solid steel and tubing to create his pieces.
As it turns out, modern wrought iron is not iron at all.
"We call it wrought iron but no one makes actual iron any more," David said.
"Iron is really very low carbon steel and was made before they new how to make steel properly. Now all wrought iron work is actually steel."
David's skills in working with wood and metal started as a boy when his grandfather Roland, in England, taught how to use the tools associated with the Navy.
"My grandfather was artistic and a very hands-on, practical man," David said. "Fortunately he took a lot time showing me how to use tools properly. It just fired my imagination and desire to work with my hands and in particular with steel and wood."
On leaving school David completed a five-year apprenticeship as a fitter and turner at the famed Portsmith Dockyards, which maintained much of the Royal Navy's fleet.
"There were 10,000 people working on the docks then," David said. "We worked on everything from aircraft carriers to submarines and everything in between.
"Now there is no-one."
As part of the apprenticeship David learnt many of the skills of a blacksmith.
"Except how to make horse shoes," he laughed.
David and his family moved to Australia in 1979 as the tide was receding on the British shipyards.
"At the time there was a big push for tradesmen to come to Australia," he said.
"We saw a better future for ourselves and our three young children and moved to Brisbane.
"There wasn't work available on ships so I put my skills to use in general fabrication."
David, now aged 67, moved to Stanthorpe nine years ago and worked on a variety of projects. A year before he retired two years ago, he established Waverley Forge and unleashed his creative bent.
"We know Waverley was a soldier settler block and the shed that houses Waverley Forge has had a number of uses including being a shearing shed, a cow shed and stables," he said.
"It's great to know it now has a new use."
After a significant renovation process including virtually the rebuilding the roof, the installation of a concrete floor and construction of feature stone walls, Waverley Forge was born.
"It took me 65 years to work on just what pleases me most. It's great to be here."
