Consider the design of the metal lawn ornament you wish to make. Think about the size, style and types of cuts you want to make. Find some design examples at Shining Sun Garden Works.
Choose the type of metal you plan to use carefully. Visualize how the metal lawn ornament will look after at the metal color changes. Aluminum doesn't rust and is easy to cut, and steel is strong and durable.
Figure out how many bends in the metal you need to make to complete your design. Choose your metal type according to your strength and the malleability of the metal.
Draw a model of your design, figure out measurements and where you plan to make cuts. Create a small prototype to make sure everything looks right and balances properly
Take into account environmental factors. You want this metal lawn ornament to hold up in rough conditions such as heavy rains, snow and high wind. Supply powder coating paint to enhance durability.
Determine the best tools for the job. When cutting metal, you might want to use band saws, metal cutting shears, oxy-fuel cutting torches or air plasma cutting.
Follow the safety guidelines that come with any metal cutting tools such as wearing protective eye gear and keeping your fingers away from sharp edges. Metal is very sharp and can cause great damage, even minute metal splinters can cause injury.
Put on high protective gear when using band saws, plasma cutters or torches. If you are only making a few minor cuts, it might be tempting to do it without eye gear, but remember that flying metal can cause a lot of damage in a millisecond.
Cut the metal for your lawn ornaments and smooth the edges. Set your metal lawn ornament up in your yard for a while to see how it stands up to the elements.