Bike Racks, Bench for Lewiston, Idaho

Well, it has been way too long between posts here on the blog! I've been trying to establish a business presence on Etsy and also on Facebook. Visitor numbers and sales will tell if all the time and effort has been worth it or not, but it's still too soon to say.

Meanwhile, I've been busy with several other studio projects, including a bicycle racks and bench project for the City of Lewiston, Idaho. Below are photos of the two finished bicycle racks. It was nice to have a client who was willing to have the racks coated in colors other than black.

While the design concepts are mine, fabrication was accomplished by Warden Bourne of Lewistown, MT (EastMont Productions). Besides being a fine welder, Warden also provides input and modifications to the designs during the fabrication process, improving on the functionality of the final product. The finish coating on the "Huge&Kisses" rack and the bench (shown here before receiving its finish coat) is by Shane Ruckman (of Lewistown.) The powder-coat finish on the "Waving Wheat" rack is by HCR Inc. (also of Lewistown.)

This cherry red bike rack is titled "Hugs & Kisses" and offers several configurations for bicycles to be locked securely while providing support for the frame of the bicycle. Fabricated in half-inch steel, it's finished with a tough industrial polyurethane coating that's lightly textured, feels good to the touch and will not mar the surfaces of parked bicycles. It parks two to four bikes.

This "Waving Wheat" bicycle rack is designed to park two bikes, but bikes can be paired two to a side, for a total of four. Like the "Hugs&Kisses" rack, it provides several configurations for securing parked bicycles. Fabricated of steel and powder-coated in a golden yellow hue.

 

 

 The bench is shown here prior to receiving its finish coating of industrial polyurethane. The utility lids will be masked off during the finish coating application. Utility lids are often quite beautiful in their design and the unique patina they develop over time from weather and vehicles driving over them daily. These lids are from the City of Lewistown, Idaho and are now permanently part of this bench. I should note that prior to this bench, I had no idea how heavy utility lids are. With the slab of this bench being half-inch steel and the insets of cast iron lids that weigh up to three times the weight of the circle of steel that was cut out to accommodate the lids, it's safe to say that this bench won't be blown away or be carried off.

Here's another view that, in the low early evening light of the fabrication shop. I really like the way the wavy edge catches the light and casts a gently rolling shadow beneath.