DIY Network

Roof Vent Cowboy Hat Vent your creativity on this whimsical hat. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-308

Take a good look at a galvanized roof vent. Do you see a hat?

Michele Beschen does, and she demonstrates how you can B. Original and craft these vents into sassy cowboy hats that mount on the wall as flower holders, planters or just fun decorations. Scroll down for her how-to.

Turn a galvanized vent...

Into a fun cowboy hat sculpture.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E

Roof Vent Cowboy Hat

Materials:

galvanized roof vent, any size
marker
angled tin snips
leather scraps
contact adhesive
scissors

• Use a marker to round out the hard corners of the vent. Don't worry about being precise.

• Put on some heavy gloves and use tin snips to cut away the metal at the marks (figure A). Be sure to use angled tin snips; the straight ones leave jagged edges.

  Safety Alert: Always wear gloves when cutting metal or working with cut metal. The edges can be extremely sharp.

• Gently roll the sides up from the middle to create the cowboy hat shape (figure B). Don't rush this: The material rolls up fairly easily, but you don't want to crimp or wrinkle it.

• To make the piece look more like a cowboy hat, cover it with soft leather or even a car chamois. Cover the brim first: Dry-fit the leather, positioning it so there is enough to cover all exposed areas (figure C). Then apply contact adhesive to both surfaces with a brush and glue down the leather.

• Let the adhesive dry according to the label instructions, then glue the leather to the tall part of the hat, pressing on the leather to make good contact. Position the leather so the seam where the pieces meet lands at the back of the hat. Don't worry about wrinkles – they add to the look.

• To dress up the hat, add a belt, another piece of leather or some braid (figure D).

• Mount the hat on a wall or hang it from a coat hook. You can even add a jar to make it a rustic planter or flower vase (figure E), or just leave it as a conversation piece.

Now you're an official ductwork buckaroo!