Piston in Bloom

Most of the things I make have a definable function, a practical purpose that they perform while being aesthetically appreciable. On occasion however, things come together in my workshop whose only function is in its aesthetic. This lawn mower piston head and Jeep transmission synchro had been on my parts bench for a while; more than a few times I held each of them up against a project, only to put them back on the bench. Parts that are uncommon or difficult to get always get this treatment. If it isn’t exactly right then you don’t want to waste it. Finally, as I was floundering on two other projects, I picked these two parts back up to work on something different. There was a mess of bicycle sprockets and freshly cut coffee burrs on my bench; and without any real forethought or objective I started burning parts and pieces together. As simple as this little flower came out, I think it may be one of my favorites.