DIY Network

Sax Player Sculpture Make a miniature musician from car parts. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-163

Old valves become a new piece of art.

Cars are big, powerful machines—but many of their most important parts are tiny. Michele Beschen takes some of the tinier auto parts for today's project, sculpting a diminutive saxophone player from old engine valves.

This project uses a handful of auto valves and other small parts, which Michele Beschen bends and welds to form her piece. If you haven't worked with a welder before, take a look at Michele's welding primer from another installment of B. Original before you fire up the torch.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

Materials:

automotive valves, valve guides and small springs
propane torch
vise
pliers
eye protection
gloves
carburetor cleaner
welder
wire brush

• Let the auto parts soak in carburetor cleaner, then wipe them off.

• It takes five valves to create the sax player's body (figure A), plus one for the saxophone. Play around with the valves to determine how you want to shape the sax player: how far the knees should bend, whether the sax is angled up or down, etc.

• Use a torch and pliers to heat up the valves and bend them to shape the legs, body, arms and saxophone (figure B). Don't attach the parts to each other yet.

  Safety Alert: Always wear heat-resistant gloves and eye protection whenever you work with a propane torch or welder. Since these tools generate very high heat, be extremely careful of fire hazards. Keep kids and pets away from these tools.

• Slide a spring over the valve body and weld in place.

• Weld the two legs to the body (figure C). Weld on the arms and saxophone.

• Weld two valve guides together to create eyes. Weld them to the body of the saxophone player (figure D).

• Once all the metal has cooled down, clean the sax player off with a wire brush and display.

Play around with other small auto parts to see what else you can create!