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The process of anodization and its early applications in aviation through to modern day consumer electronics
Richard Storer-Adam explains how metals are altered through anodizing and the anti-corrosive benefits and coloring options this process provides to product manufacturers.
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The gargantuan stainless steel memorial to the legendary Mongolian leader Genghis Khan
Richard Storer-Adam gives an overview of the imposing statue built to commemorate the famous warrior and observes how the process of Physical Vapor Deposition has been incorporated into the design.
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The applications of Cor-Ten steel – from its beginnings in the US railroad industry to the worlds of art and architecture
Richard Storer-Adam runs through how this weathering steel alloy quickly moved beyond transport uses to give a distinct, rusted look to some iconic buildings and sculptures.
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The US Steel Tower, a lasting beacon on the Pittsburgh skyline and legacy of Andrew Carnegie
Richard Storer-Adam reviews the design and construction of this 64-story skyscraper, built in the 1970’s with Cor-Ten steel, symbolising the triumph of the US Steel industry.
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The design story of the Seagram Building, 375 Park Avenue, New York City, built in 1957
Richard Storer-Adam reviews the background and architecture of this iconic modernist glass and bronze tower by German-American architect Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe and American associate architect Philip Cortelyou Johnson.
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The story of Kem Weber (1889 – 1963), one of the proponents of Art Deco design and architecture in 1930s America
Richard Storer-Adam recounts the work of this influential industrial designer, famous for his work with Walt Disney Studios, through two of his favourite products created in the style of Streamline Moderne.
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The Flatiron Building (originally the Fuller Building), designed by Daniel H. Burnham and built in 1902
Richard Storer-Adam dwells on the genesis of NYC’s most iconic skyscraper and ‘quintessential symbol’ of Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA named after the Flatiron district.
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The Inland Steel Building, an historical landmark on Chicago’s skyline in brushed stainless steel and glass
Richard Storer-Adam reviews the background and architecture of this iconic modernist glass and bronze tower by German-American architect Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe and American associate architect Philip Cortelyou Johnson.
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The history and legacy of the ground-breaking Ingalls Building in Cincinnati
My business interests require that I spend a lot of time in the United States with our stainless steel, PVD partners Kloeckner Metals Corporation at their Cincinnati plant in Ohio. One recent weekend I was walking around Cincinnati’s Central Business District when I walked past a relatively non-descript and dilapidated office block. The building had…
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Nitrogen (N) – part of a series on gases used during the physical vapour deposition (PVD) process – an innovative method for improving the performance of stainless steel
Nitrogen is a chemical element with an atomic weight of 14.00672. It sits on the periodic table between carbon and oxygen – atomic number 7. The Earth contains enormous quantities of this element in its atmosphere. When we take a breath of air, standing at sea level, 99% percent of that breath is composed of…
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Oxygen (O) – part of a series on gases used during the physical vapour deposition (PVD) process – an innovative method for improving the performance of stainless steel
Oxygen is everywhere, and we tend to think of it in its gaseous state – approximately 21% of the planet’s atmosphere is composed of oxygen. But did you know that oxygen also makes up as much of the Earth’s mass as iron? Iron and oxygen each comprise 32% of the planet we live on. Oxygen…
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How the simple industrial process of tube drawing allows for the production of precision quality pipe and tube
I went for my annual flu shot today. The nurse that gave me the jab was highly skilled and I did not feel the actual injection at all. I had a closer look at the needle she had just used, and honestly, it was extremely small. This tiny stainless steel needle was produced using a…
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Nickel (Ni) – part of a series on metals commonly alloyed with stainless steel to form varying grades of material.
Nickel is an element, and it has an atomic weight of 58.6934. Nickel sits in the periodic table between cobalt and copper – atomic number 28. It is a beautiful color being mainly silvery-white with gold tones. There is an abundance of this element on Earth. Nickel is the 23rd most common element in the…
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Chromium (Cr) – The discovery of chromium, its origins and wide-ranging industrial and aesthetic applications
Metals added to stainless steel include Chromium (Cr). Chromium is an element – atomic number 24 – and it has an atomic weight of 51.9961. Chromium sits in the periodic table between the metals vanadium and manganese and possesses a beautiful and appealing color, being a mainly lustrous silvery-white. The origins of chromium Chromium is…
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Titanium (Ti) – a brief history of the origins and commercial applications of titanium
Titanium is a chemical element (Ti) – atomic number 22 – and it has an atomic weight of 47.867. On the periodic table, titanium sits between manganese and cobalt, possessing a beautiful pale silver color. The discovery of titanium Titanium was discovered in the year 1791 by the Reverend William Gregor in the county of…
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A brief tutorial on the most luxurious stainless steel watches in the world
Richard Storer-Adam gives a brief tutorial on Rose and Rose Gold watches, watch straps, lugs and integrated wrist bands including the Rolex Glidelock system in 904L stainless steel.
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The Acid Etching process on stainless steel and other metals.
An explanation of the truly ancient art of engraving, etching and intaglios on copper, mild steel, aluminium, brass and stainless steel by Richard Storer-Adam.
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A journey to visit the The Sun Voyager sculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason in Reykjavík, Iceland
Richard Storer-Adam takes us on a trip to visit, admire and understand this ethereal and haunting Viking sculpture in polished stainless steel.
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An introduction to hard-anodised aluminium coatings, their advantages and environmental implications for architectural cladding
An introduction to hard-anodised aluminium coatings, their advantages and environmental implications for architectural cladding. What is anodised aluminium? Anodising is a common, stable and cost-efficient electrochemical process. It was first used in 1923, on an industrial scale. It’s an anodising process that thickens and toughens the naturally occurring protective oxide that forms on the surface…
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All that Glitters – a comparison between goldplating and gold PVD for jewellery
A comparison between Goldplating and Gold PVD for jewellery. How to make Gold If you are a manufacturer of jewellery, there are several different options available to enable you to achieve a gold look for your products. If you are producing rings, chains or even watches the two of the most common ways to get…
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The history of case-hardening and its processes
Describing the various processes of case-hardening. Case-hardening is a metal surface process also referred to as surface hardening. It is an ancient technology that goes back to approximately 1400BC. The origins of case-hardening Around 1400 BC, hardening methods began to appear in armouries around the world. It was well known that the sharpness and hardness…
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Curtis Jere – the partnership between Curtis Freiler and Jerry Fels, creating art from a heavenly mix of metals
Creating art from a heavenly mix of metals. Curtis Frieler and Jerry Fels The name of the artist and furniture designer Curtis Jeré was, in fact, the shared pseudonym of two individual American artists, Curtis Freiler and Jerry Fels using the signature C.Jeré. Together the artists used many materials including exquisite and delicately colored enamels,…
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Why and how do we electroplate? The transformation of goods made from base metals into higher-value commodities using precious metals
A look at the pros and cons of electroplating Why do we electroplate? Tragically there is no such thing as alchemy or magic when it comes to metals. If we could use alchemy, we would all be driving around in 24k gold cars. Whom amongst us would not want the ability to change common, low-value…
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Stainless steel goes stellar – a discussion on stainless steel in space, space-travel, Mars, the Moon and metal.
A discussion on space-travel, Mars, the Moon and Metal. Commercial space travel The year 2019 will see Earth’s first commercial, privately owned and funded spaceships blasting out of our fragile atmosphere. Not quite the science fact that science fiction predicted for us, but we are marching towards it every day. I am owed a jetpack…
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The story of gold and gold leaf – how was gold formed, its decorative value and the 5000- year old process of gilding.
A round up of some interesting facts about this fascinating metal. In the beginning there was Gold Gold is such a remarkable material, firstly it was created in the resultant blast of energy due to the collision of two neutron stars. This monumental collision produces enormous amounts of heavy elements including gold. The gold is…
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A study of the major design influencer Jean Prouvé
Richard Storer-Adam gives an overview of the life of an iconic mid-century designer whose background as a blacksmith and empathy with metal fabrication played out in his work ranging from furniture, such as the famous Standard SP chair, to pre-fabricated buildings.
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The Architect
A poem by Richard Storer-Adam on the agony of the late night designing process for an architect.
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The Avenues, Kuwait – An extravagant shopping mall and a lifestyle destination
Richard Storer-Adam takes us on a tour around the fourteenth largest shopping mall in the world, built in the middle of a desert with more than half a million visitors a week.
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The Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, California, home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
This distinctive building is the result of a gift from the philanthropist, Lillian Disney, who survived her famous husband by 31 years. Richard Storer-Adam looks at the story behind the design, how Frank Gehry won the design competition from seventy entries, years before his Guggenheim Museum design and of course the remarkable stainless steel sails.
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Looking at the sculptures of Beverly Pepper created in stainless steel, enamel and Cor-ten steel.
Richard Storer-Adam look at this original sculptor’s life and work in cutting, bending and shaping steel, stone and iron and selects some of his favourite pieces such as “Exodus” created in 1972 and formed from stainless steel.
colored, harder, tougher stainless steel