Fire & Iron Custom Metalwork
796 Dundas Street N5W 2Z7 London, ON, Canada

Happy Sunny Friday. 3 words that work in any combination.

The first Mr. Fisty Fire Pokers. Limited Edition. These 6 feature 100% reclaimed materials. The hooks are high chromium stainless steel rebar. I think I'm gonna give these ones away in a couple contests.

Making 6 backyard fire pokers today to give away as part of our summer #digoev promo, and maybe a cool fire ring and poker set as a grand prize sorta thing.

We've decided we're going to give away some of our custom heavy duty backyard fire pokers, and some other very cool stuff. We're just figuring out the "contest" component that will require some interaction with our OEV charitable and outreach groups.

Turns out that my back didn't enjoy lifting fence panels onto a short wall for a day, so I'm planning on primarily doing sitting down work today. Thankfully we have Bradley. He's good at standing up and walking around, so he'll be handling that part.

I sold my 1968 Porsche to start Fire & Iron. The car is worth over 100 grand now. The business exceeded that value, long before the car did. Smile Emojie.

2 customers same chair repair. One brings in the whole chair and says "It's broken." Cost to diagnose, disassemble, prep area for weld, and weld, $50. Other brings in broken part of chair only, prepped for welding, and says. "It's broken here, I did all the prep, I just need it welded." Cost $10-$20. It pays to be prepared.

We make intrusion defense items, gates, window bars, bollards. I'm stunned when I see a post about a business getting broken into, or a car drives through the front of the business....Again. I always think it funny that people buy the thing to prevent the problem, after the problem. Smart businesses buy window bars first to prevent break ins. Then there's the ones that say "It happened again, and this time they took..." The second time might be bad luck, the third time is ne...gligence on the owners part. Especially when they're surrounded by well protected properties that don't get breached. Often the protection costs less than the deductible on the First break in... I once offered to build a business bollards after car 4 went through their store front, they declined...Car 6 put them out of business, Another independent store felt that window protection was too expensive. They closed because their $1000 windows got broken too many times, and insurance wanted too much to cover it after the third time See more

Me and the spirits manipulating the elemental forces of the universe to create beauty.

If anybody out there is planning on starting a small business converting shipping containers into homes and stuff. We would love to be involved.

Cool windy stormy weekend, but it blew a couple of 8 ft. tall steel flowers over, brought down an old tv cable, and my awning left if a hurry.

Starting to think more and more about creating a proper maker space. Not the weak hobby oriented types that seem to pop up and fade away, but a proper commercial grade well equipped facility that is the standard model for a Maker Space everywhere else.

I'm amazed how quickly Amazon has corrupted expectations on delivery times. Based upon the number of times somebody walked into the shop with a vague idea or napkin sketch and then asked me if it would be done today...

I find it interesting how difficult it seems to be to give away free money in a non rich neighborhood. Construction Dollars are the same as cash at a lot of the stores we in the OEV already shop at. I offered free $10 if anyone was heading off to refill a growler at a local brewer, and offered $5 to anyone to buy a coffee. All they had to do was drop by the shop and show us the empty container on the way and I would give them money. No strings attached. ZERO takers. Of course... I have no problem giving Construction Dollars away outside the OEV, but I guess that's the point anyway. I also gave some away for the Bre Ex guys working on Dundas St. to get some barbecue and beverage. They're going to be improving our neighborhood for the next couple years, the least we can do is show them some OEV hospitality and feed and hydrate them. I think it's a good use for a few Construction Dollars. See more

We at Fire & Iron are appreciators of a good pizza. We are sad that Frank and Gus' Pizza is finished. That place has a lot of tradition and a few interesting stories. It should get a heritage designation.

If there's one thing I like about the first snow of the year... Nope, not even one thing. Drive Safely out there.

It's nice to get away from the shop and work once in a while. Took a relaxing drive up to Bruce County to look at the fall scenery, sunset on the lake, and then sittin' on the tailgate of the truck on a dark country road staring at a gazillion stars and the milky way. Sure I might've stopped to look at a few pieces I made last year, and checked out a couple potiential 2nd shop locations, but that doesn't count as work. Might see where another 500km of wandering takes me tomorrow. Seeya Tuesday.

We are incredibly skilled in making large pieces of metal into smaller pieces of metal. So skilled, that recently I used those same talents to take a large piece of non metal and make it into smaller non metal pieces.

Beautiful Sunday, to go look at Autumn scenery. Just relax and enjoy the beautiful season. No matter the uncertainty or tumult, nature still celebrates life in spectacular colour every year. Always has, always will. Happy Thanksgiving.

Still in mock up, but nearly ready for final fab and paint.

To the nice lady that brought us home made muffins today. They are incredible. You've made our day. We've decided we will work for muffins from now on, as long as they're yours. Thank You!

I came to the shop this morning, and this is what greeted me. I <3 my job.

We are considering putting up an OEV Holiday Bazaar Website and Facebook page. We'd put up some unique things from Fire & Iron. Black Rose Metal Smith, (which is the official name of Bradley's beautiful blacksmithing.) And a bunch of other unique artistic things from OEV artists that haven't yet sold their work, but want to, or they normally sell through their personal media. We are eligible for a media grant that could include a website and shopify portal. I think it's a good opportunity to collaborate with local artists working at home, and build a virtual OEV artists collective. Of course I need your input, ideas, kudos and criticism....Whattya think?

I constantly need help. Problem is, I feel I need to do the designing, pricing, and fabricating myself. I run across few people that meet my insanely unrealistic standards for skill, knowledge, accuracy, detail, and critical thinking, while possessing an unconventional brain. Thankfully I've been able to find a few of these gems. (Or more accurately, they found me) The success of Fire & Iron is largely the fault of Gayle Combe, Mason Floyd, and Bradley Murdock. And of course, all of you that decided to come along on this crazy ride. Thank You.

Fabricating a successful meal is more difficult than fabricating a table. When fabricating food, the base materials and work conditions vary almost every time, and success is subjective upon the opinion of the user. A table just needs to be square, and the legs all reach the ground at the same time....and of course the table is a success if you can put food on top of it.

Over a year ago we were contacted by an architect who asked us, as the local artistic metal shop to construct the entrance art for the new Lorne Ave Park. We never heard anything from them again. I just want to say that we had nothing to do with the metal art at the Lorne Ave Park. It appears to be competent work, but it's also a compromise from their own original concept. If we'd have done it, it would have been more groovy, interactive, and inspiring. I personally don't dislike the pieces, but they certainly could have done it so much better, and I believe that we would have done it better.

Sometimes folks with brain injuries don't quite fit in afterwards. My solution. Instead of trying to reshape yourself to fit the world, reshape the world to fit yourself. Both Bradley and I have suffered serious head injuries, and we adapted our world to accomodate the differences. The result is the creativity and artistry that flows out the door at Fire & Iron. That's one of the reasons we can't have students or apprentices that are "normal". Our way of doing things makes normal people crazy. Lol.

Today I will accomplish many small tasks I've been neglecting. Task 1. Pants..... Ok, that didn't work, but I am undaunted....Task 2...

My Mighty Robot Army grows. Quake in your boots before the Fierce and Mighty, Mighty Jungle Fierce Beast Robots and alongside the Mighty Robot Dogs of War, Robot Dogs are the creepiest of Mighty Robots of Creepiness. Beware Mighty Spidercow Robot and his cohort of Super Scary easily visible Mighty Glowing Bat Robots. Oh they laughed and ridiculed me at the academy.... who's the madman now! Muahahaha....muahahaha.

There are some that dare taunt the Mighty Robot Army. Well, Bill and Jason March, be prepared to flee weeping before my Mighty Dogs of War Robot Dogs. Muahahaha.

Today is a kind of sorta here sorta there day. Office, Onsite, and On the tools. But I'm never really very far away.

The 100 Mighty Robots waiting to become heros of the glorious revolution.