At Hercworx, we love a good challenge—and today’s project was definitely a first! In this build, I created a scrap metal sculpture of a Labrador or Golden Retriever-style dog. Using nothing but leftover bolts, rods, wrenches, and steel parts from my workshop, I pieced together a 30-inch tall metal dog that captures both creativity and craftsmanship.
Let’s walk through how the sculpture came together!
Planning the Build: Creating the Dog’s Frame
The first step was designing a strong frame for the sculpture. Instead of welding random pieces together and hoping for the best, I used 1/4-inch cold-rolled steel rod to bend and weld a basic outline of the dog’s body. This included the back, legs, chest, and head structure.
For protection during all the welding, I used my welding helmet and a good pair of leather gloves. Cold-rolled steel is much easier to bend by hand, making it perfect for projects like this.
If you’re thinking about trying your own scrap metal sculpture, having the right protective gear makes a big difference—especially when you’re spending hours at the bench.
Filling in the Body with Scrap Metal
After getting the basic shape down, I began filling in the body. I started with the legs, using bolts, old wrenches, and whatever scrap hardware I had lying around. I welded circles of rod into the body and head to add width and give myself anchor points for all the scrap metal pieces.
While filling out the dog’s torso, I had an idea: Instead of closing off a space on the back with bolts, I created a hanging heart sculpture inside the body. I shaped it using old pipe hangers and hung it off a salvaged drill bit, giving the piece a lot of character. Sometimes the little design choices end up making the biggest difference!
Sculpting the Head and Adding Details
Once the body was filled in, it was time to tackle the head. I used lots of nuts and bolts to build out the cheeks, muzzle, and jawline. To create the eyes, I cut circles from old stainless steel spoons and mounted them inside the sockets with a small welding trick—using a tack wire to hold them in place while welding.
Meanwhile, my DeWalt cordless grinder came in handy for smoothing rough edges and trimming pieces to fit better.
The ears were cut from 16-gauge sheet metal and shaped to capture that classic retriever expression.
Final Touches: Tail, Toes, and Clean-Up
With most of the head and body finished, I turned my attention to the feet and tail. I used rebar to create a strong, curved tail that matched the overall size and style of the sculpture.
After filling in a few remaining gaps and cleaning up the final welds, the sculpture was ready for delivery — just in time for Christmas!
Reflections on the Build
Building this scrap metal dog sculpture was a rewarding (and slightly exhausting) project. From using bolts and wrenches for texture to adding a custom heart detail, it was amazing to see a pile of old metal transformed into something full of character and life.
Interested in commissioning your own custom sculpture?
I’d love to create something one-of-a-kind for you! Reach out to me at hercworx@gmail.com to get started.
Also, check out my full build process on my YouTube channel — and don’t forget to like and subscribe if you enjoy creative builds like this one. Your support helps me keep making bigger and better sculptures!
Thanks for following along, and stay tuned for more projects at Hercworx.