Rustic Chalk Board

This was a project for my mom for Christmas. She wanted a rustic frame she could put by the door and write notes to my dad.

She gave me a barn frame to work around and she gave me the dimensions she wanted around the frame so it would fit on the wall. About an hour in SolidWorks and the design was complete.

I had most of the material in my storage area, so my wife made a run to Lowe's for me to get the rest. This was my first time doing this much decorative metal work and it had to be symmetrical so I decided to make a bending jig.

  

This thing worked great...keeping all the small, tight curves smooth and accurate. After welding all the pieces together I gave the piece a vinegar bath over night to rust the steel.

  

Here's the finished product. My mom loves it!