De Winter Metalworks
Martin De Winter founder of De Winter Metalworks, talks about his passion for metallurgy.
©Dewintermetalworks
FAME: Where are you from and how did your passion for metalwork start?
Martin, Founder of DWM and Milo.
MDW: My interest in metalwork began in my hometown of Liège, Belgium, where metallurgy was a booming industry. I went trade school to learn welding and started working for a metal fabrication shop at the age of 16. I quickly realized that there was no room for creativity in the industrial fabrication space, and decided to set welding and metalwork aside to attend art school. After graduating, I traveled for a few years, and it was when I moved to Los Angeles in 2013 to be with my now wife, Margaux, that I reconnected with metal fabrication and grew passionate about the trade. One of the first jobs I got in LA was at Molten Metalworks (now closed, sadly), where I taught welding. It was while teaching that I realized the potential for creative expression and how exciting the craft could actually become.
FAME: What brought you to California?
MDW: Margaux was raised in Liège as well, but was born here in LA. She is now the backbone of DMW, and effectively its Director of Design and Operations.
FAME: Why did you start De Winter Metalworks?
MDW: I started Dewintermetalworks because I began getting a lot of commission work while I was teaching at Molten Metalworks and wanted to take advantage of the momentum. I saw an incredible demand for custom metal fabrication and loved everything about the process.
FAME: What makes you different from other metal workers in your area?
Martin, Founder of DWM and Margaux, COO.
MDW: I think the main difference with other shops is that we really specialize in the utilization of brass, bronze, and copper. We do love all other materials, but brass is our main medium and true love. Another main difference with some other workshops out there is that we take an artistic approach to each of our projects and have gotten really good at unique finishes such as patinas, which most other shops don't totally master. We like to push the limits and try new things.
Also being a small fabrication shop allows us to choose carefully which projects we want to take on and allows us to provide a very high standard of quality while also keeping our lead times relatively short in comparison with the industry standard. I also think that both Margaux and I, having been raised in Europe surrounded by all the historical architecture and master metalworks, have given us a different perspective on the work itself. Last but not least, unlike other workshops, we also design and create our own pieces, hardware, and hand textures and we offer custom design services as well.
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FAME: What are three common misconceptions people have about metalwork?
MDW: People don't realize that welding is probably 15% of what we do, everything else is engineering, prepping, drawing, machining, and finishing. There’s so much more to it than just welding. Also, people don't realize how creative you can be with metal, the possibilities are endless (within reason of course). Lastly, many people sometimes don't understand how many hours go into even the smallest of projects, and how physically and mentally involved the work is.
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FAME: How big is your team and who is part of it?
Chris, apprentice (left) & Justin, lead fabricator (right)
MDW: Our team is tiny! Margaux and I own the business, I run everything on the production side and Margaux is the head of operations and creative director. Then we have Justin, our Lead fabricator, Chris, our apprentice, and Clayton who is our part-time fabricator. We also have a mascot, our Boxer Milo.
FAME: What is your design/ fabrication process?
MDW: Everything we do is custom, so it’s different for every project. When we work with interior designers and architects, we often first receive a design package with drawings and design intent. Then we go in and assess what is possible, and what needs to be changed in terms of design to make the piece functional and structurally sound. We also often give our suggestions for finishing and design detailing and take a lot of pride in thinking through every aspect of the project. We then move on to the drafting of shop drawings that will be used for production.
©Dewintermetalworks
FAME: What do you love most about what you do?
MDW: What I love most about what we do is that every single project is different. It's never twice the same. We always try to be as creative as possible when tackling a challenging build. We also have amazing clients that often trust us throughout the process, and allow us to add our DMW touch. This trust allows us to give 1000% and do it with a lot of joy.
FAME: Have you noticed any recent trends in design in your industry?
MDW: Brass is really hot right now, especially brass showers. Thankfully, we’ve figured out how to make them really well.
FAME: What is the piece that you are the proudest of?
MDW: Honestly, all of them! We learn so much in the process that every single project is worth it, even when it kicks our asses.
©Dewintermetalworks