This is my friend Karl. He was also a mentor for me. I thought of him like a dad since my own dad lives so far away. I admired him. He was amazing - on another level sort of amazing. He passed away today. I miss him.
I got to know him through work. He was a “metal guy.” I never knew metal could do what it does until I met him. He helped me to do things in my design work that I never dreamed of. Did you know steel could feel warm and cozy? We think of it as a cold, hard material, but with all the finishing work that can be done to steel, it could feel refined, rustic, warm, cold, artsy, or even comforting. And that’s just the surface texture without even including what you can form it into. Karl could do ANYTHING with steel. In fact, he could do more than anything because he could do things that you couldn’t even conceive of. Karl could. He was as imaginative as he was scientific, calculated, and inventive. He inspired me and got me addicted to working with steel. Karl was truly exceptional at his craft.
The metal world lost an icon.
My friend Zach and Nich and Cecilia lost their dad. Gus and Everett lost their grandpa. Katy and Jess lost their father-in-law.
Katy was my wife’s maid of honor in our wedding. When I got to know Katy, I was already part of the family because I already knew Karl from work. I was lucky to get embedded in his family, and Karl took the time with me to teach me about business, how to handle discerning clients, and how to work with my hands manipulating steel. He gave me free reign of the metal fabrication shop that he retired from and sold: US Starcraft. He taught me how to weld, how to cut steel, how to drill it, and how to finish it. Most importantly, he taught me how to plan.
Karl was always thinking 12 steps ahead. When steel was being cut, he had a bucket for the scraps to fall into. When steel was being shipped, he packed it up in a way that would unpack in the right order for the guys receiving it. He was also able to measure things to the 1/64th of an inch to account for levels of accuracy that most people cannot conceive.
One time, I was helping his son, Zach, build a cabin. We needed a steel bracket, so a beam could hang from a column. This bracket weighed like 40 or 50 pounds, and it needed to be mounted perfectly, so the beam that it held would be level. I gave Karl the exact measurements for the bracket to meet our engineer’s specifications. The heavy steel bracket arrived on our jobsite exactly how I had designed it - only BETTER. Karl drilled in extra hole in it without being asked to do so. He knew that I would need to hold the heavy bracket up in the air against a post, and he understood it would be really cumbersome to hold it there while someone else bolted it into place. The extra hole he drilled was exactly in the center-of-gravity of the bracket, so that a nail could be quickly pounded through it to temporarily hold it in place while the actual bolts were being placed through it. Karl magically knew this would be a problem, and he solved it before it ever was a problem. As I lifted the heavy bracket with my hammer in my belt and a nail ready in my teeth, I fully appreciated the planning Karl took upon himself to make other people’s jobs easier. That was Karl to a fault.
He was not the best businessman, but this was because Karl put the success of the job before his own success. This is something I can certainly relate to. They say you can’t take your money with you when you die. I don’t think Karl had to worry about that. There’s much more value in this world that he left behind than any money would offer. His metal work is all over the world for others to enjoy. He selflessly left his mark everywhere. I loved hearing his stories about going to Hawaii, or California, or overseas to do an install of a custom metal table, staircase, door, door handle, fireplace surround, or even a metal flap to conceal the cords on a conference table. Karl made all of these things and more, and he did them all with 100% exact perfection.
As Karl was getting ill, I knew this time was coming, and I considered writing this post so he could read it. I think it would have made him uncomfortable, so I’ve elected to share it now. I hope it honors someone I loved and got to know personally and professionally. I wish I could share another beer with Karl, but for now, I’m having one in his honor while I share with you some of the things in my home that he helped me to create.
This image is the dichotomy of what Karl created and what he taught me to create. This blackened hot rolled steel shelf slides into an inset in my wall to expose and frame the raw concrete. It was too big to maintain its structural integrity during shipping, so he invented a method to stabilize it at a few intervals with temporary rods that kept it rigid. Once it was in place, those rods were removed to reveal the holes needed to drill the shelf into its final resting spot. This shelf is used to display an axe used my by Uncle Nick during his lumberjack days in Canada (eh). Karl taught me how to restore the steel blade and how to put a beautiful flamed blackened finish on it.
The shelf also showcases some plumbing handiwork done by master craftsman, Matt Karlstrom.
The shelf is illuminated by a concealed lighting strip.
At night, the concealed lighting creates a cool effect that no photo can do justice.
Karl helped me to weld these steel planters on my deck (and they also serve as the railings). We grow herbs and veggies here for our kitchen which is 10’ away from here. My friend Marc nearly sliced his toe off helping us with these.
The railing stanchions were made by Karl, and they integrate with the ipe top rail and steel planters that he also helped to make.
Karl helped me to conceive of these steel panel retaining walls.
Karl helped me understand the process of waterjet cutting. The address is cut into 3/8” thick steel.
At night, the address plate gives a nice effect with its concealed backlighting.
At Christmas time, it creates a nice backdrop for festive decorations.
Karl played so many roles in this photo. Steel is used for the fence, the plate next to the landing, the backrest to the bench/railing, the stanchions for the rails, and the steel water feature in the backdrop. There’s also a steel sump pump cover in there too.
Karl helped me to weld these legs for this table I built. He even figured out how to weld tension cable to the steel frame.
This bench features blackened hot rolled steel bins that open up for storage.
The legs on the table coordinate with the spacing of the bench drawers, so they can be opened without interfering with each other.
This steel shelf was the first thing I ever made without Karl’s help. He gave me the skills to do this on my own.
This shelf is so thin you can barely see it, yet it can carry the weight of Karl himself:)
The steel railing support creates a cool interplay between the walnut and blackened steel.
The closeup features the human touch, strength, and complimentary interplay between the wood and steel.
This image features the steel railing stanchions, contrasting aluminum edge trim, and the beam lighting caps above.
Door trim doesn’t need to be just door trim. A subtle drywall reveal sets off the thin steel frame around this door.
Mounting stair treads to a steel stringer can be done very beautifully with the use of steel.
This night stand couldn’t be more simple or beautiful. It is just a cube - a blackened steel cube. It gives a place for your night light, alarm clock, a glass of water, or to store your books or jammies.
Karl and I have had a few of these over the years. It is nothing more than a drink holder made of a few scraps of steel, a scrap of walnut, and some concrete.
The concrete base is also a nice place to stack some books.
I don’t watch TV much, but when I do, it’s fall, it’s mid-day, and the Ohio State Buckeyes are on. That just so happens to be when the sun is blaring in through the window above the TV. Karl fixed that problem with the help of a steel plate, hinge, and pulley.
Karl helped me to blacken the steel that caps the hidden light detail below my wood beams. It’s a perfect match.
Karl gave me the skills I needed to weld the frame for this steel gate (the wood cover is not yet installed)
Karl helped me to weld this cantilevered sliding driveway gate. It is 14’ long, heavy as hell, and doesn’t even touch the ground.
Karl gave me the skills I needed to weld this contraption that’s still in the works. The doors hinge from the side as usual, but they also hinge from the top.
Karl’s son, Nich and wife Jess, carry on his tradition of metal fabrication at Mayer Designs if you would like to see work that lives up to Karl’s standard: https://www.mayerdesigns.com/
Karl, you will be severely missed.
Mick McFadden is the one who introduced me to Karl, and here’s a bit about his impact on him: click here