Sky Wall, San Antonio, TX

Home > Gallery of Metalwork > Art Metal Work > Sky Wall, San Antonio, TX, Metal Work with the TM Technologies Air Power Hammer

Sky Wall began in 2013 as a Public Art Commission for a large new hospital in San Antonio, TX. The artist, George Schroeder (Metalmorphosis, Schroeder Art), won the commission in a national public competition. He has many years’ experience doing art metal, blacksmithing, forging copper, aluminum, and bronze.

At 12’ high and 60’ wide, with a total of 180 panels of .050” 5052 aluminum, the finished piece is one of the largest shaped-metal sculptures in the Unted States. George did all the metal shaping on the Sky Wall using two TM Technologies Air Power Hammers (Model 1000 and Model 2500 machines) using custom tooling Kent created for George for the project.

Machine set-up

Kent sets up one of the two Air Power Hammers that will be used for the Sky Wall job, September 2013. All aluminum shaping will be done using these air power hammers (planishing hammers are not capable of the shaping required). Special hammer dies were custom made for this job.
Planning

Kent and George plan the best approach for the style, fit, and finish.
Details and fit

Working out all the details is very important as this sheet metal shaping job is huge.
Shaping begins

George starts shaping his first panels with the Air Power Hammer. He will do all of the aluminum sheet metal shaping for this job, and the job will be accomplished with just two benchtop Hammers.
The maquette

This maquette master was used to earn this Commission. The aluminum sheet must be shaped to match the maquette very accurately.
Compound contours

These compound metal contours are on a very large scale. This is months of hammering.
Fastening

Cleco spring fasteners are used to hold the panels until the permanent flush rivets are installed.
The grid

The grid provides the 3-dimensional form to be followed, and it is also the permanent physical structure of the entire piece.
Full size perspective
Nearly half covered

Remember the maquette in the beginning? This wall will be covered completely with hammered aluminum sheet to match the maquette.
Finished Sky Wall installed

The finished Sky Wall is installed at the Hospital, March 2014. The Aluminum sheet is .050” 5052 and has a satin finish. There are 180 shaped aluminum squares that are riveted to the grid structure. There was no need for a Pullmax or an English Wheel because of the speed and accuracy of the TM Technologies Air Power Hammer.

“Kent,

Excellent presentation and description. I am going to link it to my website also. I could not have done the project without you and your wonderful air hammer invention.

Best,
George”

Back to Gallery
See George Schroeders Gallery page
See TM Air Power Hammers
Articles by The Tinman