FAQ
Frequently
Asked Questions
Does Wiemann Ironworks work outside of Oklahoma?
How do I get Wiemann Ironworks to offer a proposal for my project?
Does Wiemann Ironworks
offer “ball-park” pricing?
Does Wiemann Ironworks offer "Value Engineering" or can Wiemann
Ironworks offer improvements to specifications, materials, finishes,
fabrication processes which would improve the price of the work?
Does Wiemann Ironworks offer discounts to designers, architects,
builders, or similar?
What is Wiemann
Ironworks normal lead time?
How does Wiemann Ironworks measure for a curved stair railing?
Does Wiemann Ironworks ever ship work for others to install?
What materials
does Wiemann Ironworks work in?
What if I do not have
a design in mind?
What finishes
does Wiemann Ironworks offer?
How can I keep my
project within budget?
Why is Wiemann Ironworks bid so much higher than some of the other bids we
received?
What
is the difference between wrought iron and steel?
What is the difference between cast iron and wrought iron or or other
metals?
What is the
difference between Brass and Bronze?
Does Wiemann Ironworks ever work with Laser Cutting, Water Jet Cutting,
or CNC Milling
of metals?
What are
the CAD capabilities of Wiemann Ironworks?
Can Wiemann Ironworks send me samples or mock-ups for review or
approval?
How does Wiemann
Ironworks warrant its work?
Does Wiemann Ironworks ever work for or with other businesses or
ornamental metal shops?
I have an existing exterior iron railing which is rusting, what is the
best way to maintain it?
Does Wiemann Ironworks install electronic gate operating systems?
Does
Wiemann Ironworks ever design gated entries?
What is the best gate operating system for my residence, my gated
community, or subdivision?
Why does
custom ornamental metalwork cost so much?
What
affiliations does Wiemann Ironworks maintain?
Does
Wiemann Ironworks work outside of Oklahoma?
Yes, we work nationwide including
Hawaii, the Caribbean and internationally as well.

How do I get Wiemann Ironworks to offer a proposal for my project?
For the most timely, accurate, and
cost effective bid, please provide the following
information to us via mail or email:
1. Your architect’s or
landscape architect’s plans and specifications
2. Any site measurements
and photos if applicable
3. Job site
location
4. Timeframe for
completion,
5. Any other
sketches, designs,
photos, or magazine clippings
which may help us understand what you want.
As with any form of custom work, the more information you can give our
estimator, the more accurate and timely our response and your proposal
will be. If you come to our shop in Tulsa, we will gladly set an
appointment and consult with you free of charge about your work. We have
a showroom full of samples and finishes to offer better insight into
what your particular project may need.

Does
Wiemann Ironworks offer “ball-park” pricing?
No. Ball park prices are not
offered because they are almost always inaccurate and often do not take
important factors into account which would be caught during the normal
estimating process.

Does Wiemann Ironworks offer "Value Engineering" or can
Wiemann Ironworks offer improvements to specifications, materials,
finishes, fabrication processes which would improve the price or
schedule of the
work?
Yes. The more information we
receive during the estimating phase, the more accurate we can be with
our proposal. If you indicate up front that your project is extremely
budget driven, we will offer VE ideas from the outset in order to make
it as affordable as possible.

Does Wiemann Ironworks offer discounts to designers,
architects, builders, or similar?
No. We offer our
best price for each quote based on the information we have received for
the project. However, we do appreciate the marketing value a
professional referral brings to us and we may discuss a referral fee
depending on the circumstances.

What is Wiemann Ironworks normal lead time?
This depends on the size and
complexity of the project and the backlog of work already underway.
We can turn many projects around in 12-16 weeks from approvals however.

How does Wiemann Ironworks measure for a curved stair
railing?
We must physically template your
curving stair which generally involves a crew from our shop traveling to
the jobsite by air or by truck and working on site for a few days making
a steel or aluminum “template” of your stair.

Does Wiemann Ironworks ever ship work for others to
install?
Yes. We have excellent
discounts with our freight carriers. We often manufacture products
for others to install excepting most stair railings.

What materials does Wiemann Ironworks work in?
We can fabricate, forge and cast in
iron, stainless steel, steel, brass, bronze, copper, aluminum and other
alloys.

What if I do not have a design in mind?
We can offer design services on an
hourly rate including the preparation of shop drawings and
specifications for bidding, and we also recommend you consult with a
local architect who can help coordinate our work with other trades that
may be involved.

What finishes does Wiemann Ironworks offer?
We offer many finishes for many
applications and alloys. For example, we offer traditional
blacksmith finishes of wax and linseed oil on forged iron, patina
finishes for ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as
complex catalyzed paint and primer systems. Be aware that
specialty finishes can
sometimes cost as much as the fabrication of a product. If you
do not have a finish specification for your work, we can offer one to
suit the requirements of the installation.

How can I keep my project within budget?
If you choose to share your
budget with us, we will help design and/or value engineer your existing
design to stay within your budget. If we provide you with a fixed
price proposal for your work, we will hold that price unless the scope
of work changes.

Why is Wiemann Ironworks bid so much higher than some of
the other bids we received?
Quality, Integrity, Attention to
Detail, Experience.
These are a few of the reasons we are rarely the low bidder.
But equally as important, unless the customer tells us otherwise, we
will always assume a very high level of finish quality on the work and
offer a “turnkey” price that does not leave the customer with surprises
at the end of the job. Conversely, when specifications and details
are clear, our bids are very often on par with others. This is the
reason you need to provide as much information as possible to each
bidder, so you receive a fair and accurate “apples to
apples” result.

What is the difference between Wrought Iron and Steel?
The terms iron and steel are often
used interchangeably today. So, unless it is “cast” iron you are
referring to, iron and steel mean the same thing to the contemporary
metal fabricator. “Wrought Iron” usually refers to the process of
iron or steel being “wrought” by hand or machine and implies a degree of
decoration is involved. (e.g. “I would prefer a wrought iron
fence” and “ I would prefer a decorative steel fence” means the same
thing) However, “wrought iron” is also a very
specific type of iron which was the predominant metal used for
ornamental and structural work prior to 1920s. When modern
smelting processes and higher grades of “steel” became available and
“wrought iron” was discontinued in favor of the new alloys. Since
“real” wrought iron is no longer made except in specialty mills, all
ornamental metal shops use A36 Carbon Steel in their fabrication and
forging operations where ironwork is required. See the NOMMA
website here
http://www.nomma.org/support/wrought/wrought.htm for an excellent
article by Todd Daniel which details the technical differences.

What is the difference between Cast Iron and Wrought Iron
or or other metals?
Cast iron is formed by pouring
molten iron into a mold which was formed by pressing a carved pattern
into casting sand. Wrought iron is also called forged iron. It is
the process of taking a bar of preformed metal then heating it and
working the hot metal by hand under the hammer and over an anvil and with
various tools. Wiemann Ironworks utilizes both methods in many
alloys of metals to achieve the final finished product.

What is the difference between Brass and Bronze?
Brass
and bronze are all members of the copper alloy family. There is no
formal differentiation between brass and bronze, only a
perception that the more yellow a copper alloy appears, it is more
likely referred to as brass, and the more reddish it appears to be it is
called bronze. While there are several hundred copper alloys used
in industry, we generally use the following alloys in our work.
Silicon Bronze, Aluminum Bronze, Muntz metal, Naval Brass, and
Architectural Bronze. Of these alloys, bronze handrail or cap rail
is made of architectural bronze.
See the Copper Development Association website here
http://www.copper.org/ for more
details on copper alloys, uses and specifications.

Does Wiemann Ironworks ever work with Laser Cutting, Water
Jet Cutting, or CNC Milling of metals?
Yes. Because of our CAD
capabilities we can work with any applicable CNC machining processes to
economize and/or accelerate production schedules.

What are the CAD capabilities of Wiemann Ironworks?
Wiemann Ironworks uses AutoCAD
and Solid Edge 3-D modeling software. These files can be
plotted or sent electronically for revisions, comments, and field
coordination. In addition, we use digital photographs extensively to aid in
progress billing, design, and project coordination.

Can Wiemann Ironworks send me samples or mock-ups for
review or approval?
Yes, for a charge. We often
create a full size sample for review and approval prior to beginning
work.

How does Wiemann Ironworks warrant its work?
Wiemann Ironworks stands firmly
behind all of its work. We are bound by law to hold a one year
standard workman’s warranty on any of our products, but we are not
satisfied until our customers are delighted with both our service and
our products. In this way we are able to work for the same clients
year after year.

Does Wiemann Ironworks ever work for or with other
businesses or ornamental metal shops?
Yes. We have formed strategic
business alliances with many architects, builders, designers, stair
manufacturers and other metal fabrication shops all over the country.
We work with each other by continually offering referrals and production
support.

I have an existing exterior iron railing which is
rusting, what is the best way to maintain it?
We recommend that if the railing is
badly deteriorated or loose in any way to find a qualified local
ornamental iron or welding service shop to
make necessary structural repairs. If the railing is in sound
shape then remove the rust with a wire brush, use a rust inhibitive
primer or a zinc rich primer and a good quality rust inhibitive top
coat, all should be available at your local hardware store. Be
sure to use a good amount of paint as well following the manufacturer's
recommendations, a thin coat of paint will not weather
as well as a heavier coating.

Does Wiemann Ironworks install electronic gate operating
systems?
Yes we do, but only within the
Tulsa area. If you are wanting electronic gate operators for one
of our gates but you do not live near Tulsa, we recommend you coordinate
the work with a local experienced gate operator installer. This
ensures good service after the sale. We can offer this
coordination service as well if you desire a turnkey solution.

Does Wiemann Ironworks ever design gated entries?
While we provide designs as they
relate to the gate, and electronic entry system and fencing, wiring
requirements, or other site furnishings we may be fabricating, we defer
overall design and planning of the entry to a qualified landscape
architect. Be aware that set back, city and state building codes,
hydrant access, emergency vehicle access and many other considerations
will come into play with a gated entry and the best person to manage
this is a qualified design professional.

What is the best gate operating system for my residence,
my gated community, or subdivision?
Wiemann Ironworks has installed
over 60 gates and gate operators and entry systems in the Tulsa area
over the past three years and can provide the specifications and design
best-suited for your gated entry as part of our scope of work.

Why does custom ornamental metalwork cost so much?
With the exception of specialty
metals such as stainless or bronze, the single
greatest cost of our goods sold is labor. The more labor there is
involved in the work, the more expensive the work will be.
Additionally, we rarely enjoy the benefits of production processes
because we are always making something different everyday. If General Motors or Ford had to make your car one at a
time, to your specifications for size, design, color, metal, etc. you can be
assured it would cost a lot more!

What affiliations does
Wiemann Ironworks maintain?
Wiemann Ironworks is a founding
member of NOMMA (www.nomma.org), and
Doug Bracken currently serves on the Board of Directors for NOMMA.
Mr. Bracken is also a supporter and Board of Trustee Member for the
National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis (www.metalmuseum.org).
Wiemann Ironworks also maintains memberships with the local chapter of
the AIA, Sculpture Center, ABANA, and American Craft Council.

|