At Hercworx, I love turning junk into something meaningful—and for a while now, I’ve had a rainbow trout sculpture on my list. After finally carving out some time between other builds, I decided to make it happen.
This metal trout is about 28 inches long, made entirely from scrap, old tools, bike chain, and repurposed steel. It’s lightweight, sculptural, and packed with detail. Here’s how I brought this fish to life.
Cutting the Trout and Building the Head
I started with a sheet of 16-gauge steel and cut out the silhouette of a trout. Using photo references, I traced and cut the head separately, creating two mirror-image pieces. To give the head shape and depth, I bent each piece slightly and welded them together.
Getting the right curve was key. Fish heads aren’t flat, so I shaped each piece until it flared out just right. I also added a small steel rod to form the structure at the base of the head, where the lower fins eventually attach.
Filling in the Body with Scrap and Chain
Once the head was tacked on, I began working on the body. I used an old rusty bike chain for the spine—welding it straight was a slow process, especially since the rust needed to be ground off first. To form the rounded body of the fish, I bent an old shelf panel using two welded tubes as a bending jig on my bench.
Using the DeWalt cordless grinder, I shaped and smoothed each welded section. Clean welds matter here—trout have sleek bodies, and I wanted to preserve that smooth, flowing line throughout the sculpture.
Welding, Clamping, and Solving Problems
As with any sculpture, things didn’t always go smoothly. Some parts didn’t align. Others warped during welding. I relied on my trusty F-clamps to pull curved pieces into place and tack them before everything cooled.
I added bulk to the belly and smoothed the welds out with a die grinder. Sculpting the fish without making it look patched together took patience—and a fair amount of cursing.
Fins, Texture, and Small Details
For the fins, I used quarter-inch steel rod to create frames, then filled them in with welded segments to mimic natural fin rays. I also used a worn-out saw blade to add texture to the tail, creating visual contrast and saving rod material.
To bring the trout to life, I added realistic touches like a detailed lower lip and chrome ball bearings for eyes. The trick was drilling tight-fitting sockets and welding the spheres in without distorting them. It worked better than I expected.
Final Touches and Weigh-In
After welding the top fin and side fins into place, I gave the trout one last grind and clean-up. For fun, I weighed the finished sculpture—thinking it would come in around 35 to 40 pounds. Turns out, it only weighed about 15 lbs. Either the scale was off… or I need to hit the gym.
Want a Custom Sculpture?
Like what you see? I take commissions!
Email me at [your email address] to start the conversation about a custom piece for your home, business, or outdoor space.
You can also watch the full video of this build and other sculpture projects on my YouTube channel. If you like these kinds of builds, give it a like and subscribe—it helps me grow and keep creating.
Thanks for following the journey. Stay tuned for more builds at Hercworx.