Bronson is the coolest name I’ve ever heard, so it was an appropriate title for the scrap-metal representation of my favorite creature.

He was created as part of the DJJ Scrapmetal Showdown. Each participant had an hour to go to the U-Pull-&-Pay scrapyard and quickly salvage materials, which had to be less than 500 pounds.

The perforated sheet of steel originally sparked thoughts of a giant Venus Fly Trap, but the whole plan changed when I cut a bulldozer track and it fell on its side - looking like a winding, industrial dragon.

He turned out to be 8 feet tall and very menacing. I was voted first for the People’s Choice, and competition judges awarded Bronson Second Place.

The perforated sheet became Bronson’s wings, as well as his face and legs to give him more mass.

The veins in the wings are quarter inch copper stitched on with very fine copper.

The fin-like plates on his back are made from parts of a motor that I ran through a shrinker twice to get the texture that I wanted.

He has 3 pupils that are copper, and he has brass eyeballs.

His horns are twisted from a 16 inch circular saw blade.

Impellers make up his feet, and 5/8 inch rods were welded on to the edges for his menacing toe nails.

His mouth and teeth are crooked because they are on my face too, and one of his legs is shorter than the other because that is also the case for myself. Those parts were fun to represent myself in the piece.

He is patina’d with a special paint and highlighted with copper.

He is gripping a small creature with his claws. I wanted him to be about to eat it, but most people said “He has a little baby!”

Bronson currently resides at my mother in-law’s home, where his magical presence is appreciated by whimsical landscaping and creative imagination that keeps him alive.

Jr. was made more recently and found his new home through the Hyde Park Art Show.

Components:

• Underside scales: Punch drops that were shrunk

• Back scales: Punch drops

• Body: Conveyer belt chain & wrapped with copper wire

• Wings: Russian banding wire, scrap expanded metal

• Hands, Feet, Tail: Nails

• Legs: Steel rivets

• Head Horns: Antique ice cube tongs, Russian banding wire

• Eyes: Gear tines

• Lower jaw: Railroad screw

This tough little guy is made from scrap metal and retired tools that I have cut, welded, and remastered. The components of this piece are as much a part of the conversation as the finished product.

Body: Motor winding

Neck and Tail: Go kart drivetrain

Legs: Steel rivets

Head and Tail: Accented with nails

This original art is made from scrap metal and retired tools that I have cut, welded, and remastered.

Wings: Expanded metal, with ½ inch rebar, ¼ inch round stock

Body: 1 3/8 inch rebar accented with stump grinder teeth

Arms: ½ inch rebar

Eyes: Roller bearings accented with copper

Teeth: Antique wood saw blade

Tongue: Part of a horseshoe

Eyelashes: Drive gears

Neck accent: Horse bridle

Back of head/neck: Shaper blades

Head spikes: 16 penny nails and ¼ inch round stock

Split Tail: 1 /3/8 inch split rebar accented with 8 penny nails

Base: 5/8 inch round stock, large bushing, 2 large gears