Scrap Iron Bull Really Draws A Crowd

2013 - Volume #37, Issue #4, Page #21

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What has 186 railroad spikes, about a ton of old tools, and bellows like a bull? It’s Leonard the Longhorn, says Dean Holbert, whose imagination and wire welding skill shaped the bullish sculpture.
  The 81-year-old Kansas farmer was inspired by the memory of a Longhorn bull his family had 40 years ago. Though he had only tackled one other sculpture – a cactus made of truck drive lines and saw blades – he was determined to make the bull.
  He started with a frame made of oil well sucker rods. Then he raided his junk pile as well as neighbors’ junk piles for wrenches, horseshoes, traps and other metal he could find to shape Leonard. Before he could weld them on, however, he had to take care of one thing.
  “The wire welder can’t deal with rust,” Holbert notes.
  So, he bought vinegar – 10 gallons of it with 5, 10 and 20 percent acidity. The higher the acid content the fewer days he needed to soak the parts.
  “It made the parts smell good,” he says. “You can’t believe how much black junk was left at the bottom of the vinegar.”
  After wire brushing, he spot welded items to the frame. His son, Gary, usually stopped in after work to hold bigger pieces while Holbert welded them in place.
  Dump rake wheels transformed into ribs over a set of numbered Deere wrenches. Railroad spikes formed the horns. Holbert polished and lacquered a spade for the bridge of the nose, and welded 1 1/2-in. ball bearings for eyes. While Leonard is mostly made up of tools, he also has a rat trap, cast iron frying pan and shears inside him, too. Holbert added a few surprises inside too.
  “I welded a door off an old wood stove ahead of the hip,” he explains. “It opens up and you can look inside the stomach – an old flat air tank. For intestines, I used the downspouts off an old grain drill. I pounded a heart out of metal and painted it red.”
  The cavity also contains an audio system to make Leonard bellow like a bull when Holbert activates it with a remote control.
  The Longhorn sculpture was taken to a few events last year including one in Oklahoma City and another at a Kansas City barbecue. Kids loved turning and spinning parts that Holbert included just for that purpose.
  “A car dealer in Oregon wants to buy him. I can’t sell him. He’s family,” Holbert says. “But I might rent him out.”
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dean Holbert, 826 Milo Rd., Concordia, Kan. 66901 (ph 785 243-0950).

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Scrap Iron Bull Really Draws A Crowd AG WORLD What has 186 railroad spikes about a ton of old tools and bellows like a bull? It’s Leonard the Longhorn says Dean Holbert whose imagination and wire welding skill shaped the bullish sculpture The 81-year-old Kansas farmer was inspired by the memory of a Longhorn bull his family had 40 years ago Though he had only tackled one other sculpture – a cactus made of truck drive lines and saw blades – he was determined to make the bull He started with a frame made of oil well sucker rods Then he raided his junk pile as well as neighbors’ junk piles for wrenches horseshoes traps and other metal he could find to shape Leonard Before he could weld them on however he had to take care of one thing “The wire welder can’t deal with rust ” Holbert notes So he bought vinegar – 10 gallons of it with 5 10 and 20 percent acidity The higher the acid content the fewer days he needed to soak the parts “It made the parts smell good ” he says “You can’t believe how much black junk was left at the bottom of the vinegar ” After wire brushing he spot welded items to the frame His son Gary usually stopped in after work to hold bigger pieces while Holbert welded them in place Dump rake wheels transformed into ribs over a set of numbered Deere wrenches Railroad spikes formed the horns Holbert polished and lacquered a spade for the bridge of the nose and welded 1 1/2-in ball bearings for eyes While Leonard is mostly made up of tools he also has a rat trap cast iron frying pan and shears inside him too Holbert added a few surprises inside too “I welded a door off an old wood stove ahead of the hip ” he explains “It opens up and you can look inside the stomach – an old flat air tank For intestines I used the downspouts off an old grain drill I pounded a heart out of metal and painted it red ” The cavity also contains an audio system to make Leonard bellow like a bull when Holbert activates it with a remote control The Longhorn sculpture was taken to a few events last year including one in Oklahoma City and another at a Kansas City barbecue Kids loved turning and spinning parts that Holbert included just for that purpose “A car dealer in Oregon wants to buy him I can’t sell him He’s family ” Holbert says “But I might rent him out ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Dean Holbert 826 Milo Rd Concordia Kan 66901 ph 785 243-0950

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