GOODNIGHT inventor Steve Cole has recently completed constructing a six-foot tall steel seahorse.
He began building the massive marine animal in July this year after a school in Melbourne inspired him to create the model as it was their school emblem.
“I’ve always wanted to do a seahorse but never had a reason to,” said Steve, who has been designing objects from scrap metal for more than 35 years.
“I’m very happy with how it’s turned out.
“When you build something, you build it in your mind and it doesn’t always work out the way you want it to but this one has turned out pretty good.”
To create the giant seahorse, Steve first designed and built a miniature version made from stainless steel that recently sold at the Balranald Art Gallery.
He then drew an outline of the larger seahorse on the floor of his workshop and bent the steel to shape.
“I had an idea of the size and shape and worked on it on and off,” he said.
Plough discs formed the fins of the creature while a 50mm solid steel ball from a roller table was used for the eye.
The entire seahorse was then tack welded together and left out in the weather to rust.
“What I love about what I do is taking stuff that other people have thrown away as junk, turning it into something good and putting a smile on faces,” said Steve.
The seahorse is Steve’s second biggest sculpture he is yet to create, the biggest being the giant ant on display at the Tooleybuc Sporting Club.
