Terri referred to metallic decorations in her original post, but I will be going in an entirely different direction here. My readers will know that I am currently working in a factory that makes metal parts for big airplanes, both military and commercial.  Since I started in July, I have been impressed with the beauty of not only the finished product, which I am mostly not allowed to photograph, but by the scrap metal shavings generated by the huge lathes and milling machines; and the raw bar-stock and blocks of metal from which the finished products are created.  Here are some examples.

This is a group of rectangular titanium blocks being sent outside for processing (the company needs specialists to do some types of drilling and facing).  I love how the light reflects off the shiny metal-it can be almost blinding if you look at it correctly, and if you walk around the pallet, you get a mini light-show.

At the other side of the factory, in the Receiving department, you find raw materials just being delivered.  The company buys bars, rounds, and cylinders of raw material to be made into myriad different kinds of parts.

These are long cylindrical bars of steel that will be made into rollers or struts.  The colored coating prevents them from rusting before they can be machined to their final forms.  I think they look somewhat festive.

These are aluminum blocks that will be machined into a wide variety pf parts.  You can see the cut-marks where they were cut from a bigger piece of metal.  Don’t they look like ornaments?  And if you walk around their big wooden box, they sparkle.

Finally, the milling machines generate tons of scrap metal shavings, which are sent out to be melted back into the bars and other shapes.  The shavings make all sorts of shapes and curlicues, and are never the same way twice.

Abstract art!  But very sharp abstract art, and you are advised to keep your hands far away.

Here’s the link to Terri’s Original Post.