Metal Roses Have Barbed Wire Stems

Metal Roses Have Barbed Wire Stems FARM HOME Miscellaneous Old barbed wire is one thing fifth generation rancher and farmer Shawn Barber has plenty of And the young entrepreneur has found a way to use it to make rustic metal roses     The South Dakota rancher was inspired by a display in a western décor booth at a stock show that used barbed wire for the stems of metal roses Barber decided to make his own roses for a special friend on Valentine’s Day Friends saw them and asked him to make roses for them to give as gifts Three years later Barber has made more than 2 000 roses While the barbed wire stems make them interesting Barber’s color options are what sets his metal roses apart     He credits the quality color to his education and experience in collision repair and body shop work His father had a repair shop on the farm and taught Barber how to MIG weld when he was young Barber later took a semester of welding as part of an auto body repair program Circumstances brought him back to help with the family’s cow/calf ranch several years ago The roses provide a way to combine his painting welding and other skills with the ranch’s barbed wire     While his first roses were completely handmade with sheet metal and a tin snips Barber now has a local business laser-cut his four-part petals out of 22-ga metal sheets Using pliers he bends and curls four of them with needle nose pliers to create each rose and pop-rivets them together through a hole in the center of the base He welds the barbed wire stem to the steel rivet     Finished roses are sandblasted primed then painted and coated with two coats of clear acrylic Barber uses automotive primer and other quality paints     “I am very particular on the finishing ” Barber says “The vast array of colors is what catches people’s eyes ”     While red is popular so is purple and turquoise John Deere collectors appreciate the green and yellow roses Barber offers custom colors for people who want to match wedding and anniversary colors for an extra fee Some roses have even been buried with loved ones     For customers who like “antique” roses Barber rusts them slightly with a bleach/vinegar/water solution Prices start at $30/each for unpainted steel roses Painted roses sell for $35 each He reduces the price by $5/rose for orders of five or more     For extra special roses that are hydro-dipped or powder-coated the cost is $45/each Barber contracts out that work     As with most artists he is exploring new ideas to add to his product line His roses under glass with a Beauty and the Beast theme are proving to be popular and he welds up vases to hold the roses     Barber notes that the busy time for orders usually comes during slower times on the ranch – before Valentine’s Day Mother’s Day Christmas etc During calving and haying and harvest seasons it takes longer to fill orders     “It’s just me doing it – taking orders on the phone or through my website and Facebook ” he says “It’s been a great journey and a lot of fun I would have never thought something so small could have turned out to be such a big thing ”     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Barber Designs Shawn Barber 17220 Tisdale Rd Owanka S Dak 57767 ph 605 515-3632; www barber-designs com

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