Metal My Way Contest Winners Announced

Metal Supermarkets
Published: September 19th, 2019

Contest Received Nearly 1,600 Submissions Showcasing Creative Metal Projects

September 19, 2019 // Franchising.com // Mississauga, ON, Canada - Metal Supermarkets, the world’s largest supplier of small-quantity metals, announced the winners of the sixth “Metal My Way” contest which showcased creative and innovative metal projects built across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

This year saw a record 1,596 submissions between July 1 and August 31. Contestants submitted photos or videos of their metal creations online through metalmyway.com.

Three grand prizes winners were selected each from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Each winner receives a Hypertherm Powermax 30 XP Hand Plasma Cutting System.

The regional winners were:

• United States - Hondamatic 750 motorcycle submitted by Michael Deeter of Las Vegas, NV. Over a period of one year, Deeter plasma cut and re-welded many of the copper and brass parts and modeled it in a western theme to appear like a 1930 Indian bike.
• Canada - “Prosthesis the Ant-Robot”, the world’s largest exo-skeleton. Weighing 8,500 pounds with a 200hp electric powerplant, the machine is controlled by a pilot inside the exo-skeletal interface. Jonathan Tippett of Vancouver, BC worked on the engineering structure over 12 years, and took nine months to build it.
• United Kingdom - Butterfly and Rose sculpture created by Paul Sproat of Gateshead, U.K. Sproat fused a mild steel strip to a bed of rose petals and a butterfly body with multi-colored stained-glass wings. He used a combination of MIG, TIG and stick welding to create the sculpture.

The contest also featured six categories grouped in the following projects:

Automotive or Vehicle Projects - This category includes car restorations/modifications, engine work, trailer and camper builds, plane builds or restorations, boat builds or restorations, motorized scooter, bike and buggy builds.

• Winner - Steam locomotive. Harry Heil of Salt Lake, Utah built a live steam locomotive and backyard railroad using metal for frames, wheels and parts, and brass for the valves and fittings.

Furniture or Home Projects - Submissions including any outdoor and indoor furniture.

• Winner - Toilet lift. An automated seat lift with an attached bidet was designed to help a disabled person rise from a toilet. It is 12V battery operated and can raise at least 250 pounds. The submission was created by John Jackson, a disabled retiree from Barrie, Ontario, and was selected due to the innovative way the project was able to solve a mobility issue that impacts many disabled people.

Knife Projects - Metal projects such as knives or blades created both for practical use or display.

• Winner - Rose Knife. Dr. Kevin Burkman of Columbus, Ohio created a custom knife with an intricate rose handle design.

Backyard or Home Projects - The category includes BBQs, smokers, staircases and railings, interior and exterior home renovations, and fire pits.

• Winner - BBQ Smoker Trailer. David Nicholas of Houston, Texas built a black BBQ smoker on a trailer to attach to a vehicle. The project featured a superior level of refinement and quality.

Industrial or Shop Projects - This category includes shop equipment and tool builds, larger scale construction projects or specific aspects of those projects, equipment and tool repair or modification.

• Winner - Kinetic Wood Splitter. Robert Webb of Anchorage, Alaska created a hand-powered wood splitter with a 165-pound head and jeep coil springs for balance. The splitter displayed an efficient and innovative way to cut wood.

Artistic and Design Projects - Metal projects that include jewelry, statues, sculptures, and other projects that have aesthetic designs that do not fall into the other five categories.

• Winner - Bison head. A life-sized bison head wall mount made of more than 2,000 mild steel pieces. The submission was created by Jesse Purdom of Everett, Washington.

The individual category projects were graded based on complexity, scale, creativity, craftsmanship and quantity of metal used. Winners in each category receive a Lincoln Electric 180 Amp Weld-Pak 180 HD MIG Wire Feed Welder.

“We are thrilled that the Metal My Way contest received a record number of entries this year with nearly 1,600 project submissions over two months,” said Stephen Schober, President and CEO of Metal Supermarkets, the title sponsor of the contest. “The contest continues to be a fantastic opportunity for talented individuals and businesses to showcase their innovative metal projects. Congratulations to all the winners and everyone who submitted their work for this contest.”

In addition to Metal Supermarkets, the Metal My Way contest was also be sponsored by OMAX, a manufacturer of abrasive waterjet systems, and Cosen Saws, one of the world’s leading bandsaw manufacturers.

The annual contest will be held again in 2020.

About Metal Supermarkets

Metal Supermarkets, known worldwide as The Convenience Stores for Metal, is the world’s largest small-quantity metal supplier with more than 90 brick-and-mortar stores across the US, Canada and United Kingdom. We sell a wide variety of metals including Aluminum, Hot-Rolled Steel, Cold-Rolled Steel, Stainless Steel, Alloy Steel, Galvanized Steel, Tool Steel, Brass, Bronze and Copper. We offer value-added services such as Production Cutting, Shearing, Punching and more. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the metal you need. We are metal experts and have been providing quality customer service and products since 1985.

About OMAX

OMAX is a global leader in advanced abrasive waterjet systems, making it possible for virtually anyone to go as far as creating high-precision complex 3D parts on our machines. With everything under one roof, OMAX provides customers with U.S. engineered and manufactured products and a company you can trust. OMAX helps thinkers redefining how concepts become reality.

About Cosen Saws

Cosen makes more than 140 models including vertical, horizontal, miter-cutting, NC & CNC automatic and customized bandsaws. Their diverse cutting abilities serve numerous industries such as construction, automobile, transportation, wind power generation, and more.

Media Contacts:

Kevin Behan
919-459-3595
kbehan@919marketing.com

Brendan Tiernay
905-362-8226 x8220
btiernay@metalsupermarkets.com

SOURCE Metal Supermarkets