What can I do with this?

Carol Karstens
by Carol Karstens
My husband picked this up at a auction, any ideas of what I could do with it. It is about 55" wide. Thanks for looking! Carol
  51 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Aug 28, 2015
    That looks amazing.Nice score. Are you into spray painting. I can visualize that in a bright sunny yellow. Hang it up some where or just prop it in a garden.
  • Amy Ogden-Paparone Amy Ogden-Paparone on Aug 28, 2015
    I can see this draped in fairy lights hanging somewhere outside! It would be stunning. And I wouldn't paint it either, the patina is priceless!!
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Aug 28, 2015
    That a matter of taste!
  • Linda Fraser Linda Fraser on Aug 28, 2015
    you could of put a clock in the center
  • Mona Mona on Aug 28, 2015
    Send it to me!
  • Kelley Kelley on Aug 28, 2015
    I agree with Linda Fraser, clean it up and put a clock in the middle, it would look amazing...
  • Betty Miller Betty Miller on Aug 28, 2015
    I thinking yard art. Do you or have friend that welds may be wind ornament. Maybe trellis for something to plant climb on. In garden for peas or beans to climb if mounted in air. Depending how creative you want to be.
  • Vicki Rogers Vicki Rogers on Aug 28, 2015
    @Carol Karstens It looks like a big ol' sunburst to me. :D
  • Cornelia Schott Cornelia Schott on Aug 28, 2015
    Yes, the first thing I thought of was a sunburst. You could spray paint it and put a mirror in the center.
  • Z Z on Aug 28, 2015
    It's great just as it is, but here's a few ideas. Clock Mirror Paint a sun face on a round wooden plaque to fit in the center. Add a round thermometer. Turn it into a light fixture.
  • Swan Road Designs Swan Road Designs on Aug 28, 2015
    I see lightning! I'd paint it as shiny a silver/chrome as I could get, then using E6000 or some such adhesive, glue all manner of tiny mirror pieces and crystal bits on it, then place it outside where it can sparkle in the sunshine.
  • Lori Jackson Lori Jackson on Aug 28, 2015
    Do you see this as an indoor or outdoor piece? I would spray paint it and install it on my privacy fence.
  • Heliane Ripley Heliane Ripley on Aug 28, 2015
    I would hang it on my wall after creating a ceramic center piece for it.
  • Carole Carole on Aug 29, 2015
    Spray it with Penetrol to prevent it rusting any further and use it as a wall hung ornament on an external wall or fence.
  • Irene Irene on Aug 29, 2015
    You could make an awesome indoor ceiling light fixture with this.
  • Priscilla G Priscilla G on Aug 29, 2015
    Carol, I can see this as a sun dial. Make a center stand to balance it on then rustoleum paint it put a clock dial in the center and place in the yard. Would be a perfect conversation piece.
  • Taffetal Taffetal on Aug 29, 2015
    I'd use it in my garden as is. I'd hang it on the adjoining wall as art. It has become art, as we see it. Good find!
  • Judy Judy on Aug 29, 2015
    Jusy in case you wanted to know....."IT" is a pick up wheel off an old hay rake.
  • Judy Judy on Aug 29, 2015
    sorry... Just
  • Melody Melody on Aug 29, 2015
    The first thing that jumped into my mind was wall clock. Garden decor if you have a privacy fence.
  • Marion Nesbitt Marion Nesbitt on Aug 29, 2015
    Outside prongs make me nervous. If you could bend them back to make a loop at the ends, it would make a great outdoor light fixture for a veranda or such. You could weave outdoor lights around the exterior using the loops to keep the wire in place.
  • Nancy Nichols-Miller Nancy Nichols-Miller on Aug 29, 2015
    I would put it on the side of the garage, or shed and decorate it like a dream catcher. Or if on a barn. Just hang it as is, and paint a dream catcher around it, maybe add a dragon fly or arrowheads or something on it.
  • Tammy Tammy on Aug 29, 2015
    Paint it yellow and put a metal piece in center and make a sunflower
  • Dee Dee on Aug 29, 2015
    I think you could use this outdoors as well as indoors. You have gotten some great suggestions for outdoors. If you have a fireplace or a large empty wall you could spray paint it with Rustoleum with your choice of color. Straighten out the prongs and then you could glue a mirror in the center or a clock.I can even see some polished decorative rocks in the center OR just leave it as is after being painted. would make a great conversation piece.
  • Sharon Seiber Sharon Seiber on Aug 29, 2015
    As others have said, I would hang this on a garage wall, or house wall outside so others can admire it. I would paint it bronze. Speaking for myself, I love it! I like the mirror idea, in the center, maybe focused on something pretty. A beautiful flowering bush, roses or whatever.
  • Cheryle Fuller Cheryle Fuller on Aug 29, 2015
    This is used for raking up hay or spreading out mulch from a tractor. i think this is a great piece! i woul dnot worry too much abut the end tines, unless you will have it where someone could snag anything on it. as a ceilig piece it is awesome! Put it behind a ceiliing fan, or as Marion Nesbitt says twine ights around it. You can use Christmas LED lights along the outside with a chandelier hanging from the center, prongs pointing up.
  • Damian Mastnick Damian Mastnick on Aug 29, 2015
    You've received some good suggestions as to what to do with it. All I can add is to clean it with a stiff vinyl brush to get the 'rust dust' and dirt off. Don't use a wire brush because you do not want to remove the surface rust. Then coat it with multiple layers of clear spray varnish or polyurethane. This will make the natural patina from the surface rust stand out and shine beautifully.
  • Dave Bain Dave Bain on Aug 29, 2015
    You could cut off all the outer tangs, Paint it a bright and cheerful colour, put a piece of glass on it use a wire spool for a base it to turn it into a patio table
  • Sandy graham Sandy graham on Aug 29, 2015
    I'd say clock!
  • Cynthia Cynthia on Aug 29, 2015
    Paint and hang, very cool design. What about a light?
  • Jan Herman Jan Herman on Aug 29, 2015
    Spray paint it a glossy yellow like the sun. You can add other embelishments to it also to give it more color and texture.
  • Charlotte Moser Charlotte Moser on Aug 29, 2015
    Make it a clock. It would be easy and beautiful.
    • JuJu JuJu on Jan 08, 2017

      Would be awesome clock for the side of a barn or garage. But how would you weather proof it ?


  • Charlotte Moser Charlotte Moser on Aug 29, 2015
    Make it a clock. It would be easy and beautiful.
  • Janet Janet on Aug 29, 2015
    Paint it ,hang it on a wooden fence,especially if you like country decore
  • Barb Barb on Aug 30, 2015
    Not sure it even needs to be painted depending on where you hang it.
  • Susan Susan on Aug 30, 2015
    great piece of outdoor art work ...oh and it doesnt need painting
  • Tina Berry Tina Berry on Aug 31, 2015
    i would hang it on my barn! just as it is. would also make a cute sunflower painted yellow
  • Karen Udensi Karen Udensi on Sep 07, 2015
    Would make am interesting clock
  • D fuhrman D fuhrman on Sep 08, 2015
    that's a good question. what was it? it sure is an interesting piece.
  • K bain K bain on Mar 19, 2016
    you could put a mirror in the center to use outdoor decoration
  • Cartwrightd Cartwrightd on Jan 28, 2017

    make it a pendant light fixture

  • Judy Judy on Jan 28, 2017

    It is one of five...it is a hay rake...used to turn over hay after it is cut...so the bottom side will dry. I like the sunflower idea.

  • Joanne Joanne on Jan 29, 2017

    I like the sunflower idea, give the garden a pop of color or hang it on a privacy fence. I believe Judy is correct. part of a hay rake pulled by a tractor.

  • Joanie Joanie on Jan 29, 2017

    My first glance all I could see was the sun with the rays branching out!!

  • Lucy Marie Bernier Lucy Marie Bernier on Jan 29, 2017

    A fantastic wall hanging! Just make sure you cover the back that is against the wall. Don't want a rust ring ! Please keep it. Hang it up add ribbon to the inside or the ends.

  • Lilpixiestixxx Lilpixiestixxx on Feb 05, 2017

    use it to make a hanging light fixture add baubles and light kit.

  • Red13904764 Red13904764 on Feb 06, 2017

    Hi Carol, awesome find, score! I'm all about repurposing (my business is "Tossednfound"...) but I love this piece just the way it is. My thoughts were, using spacers, sandwich this piece between a table top and a thick piece of glass. Of course that's a HUGE table and an expensive piece of glass so.....my next idea was to use it as a bench back. Just rest it on the floor or ground directly behind a simple farmhouse wooden bench in the entry or garden, creating a sunrise back of sorts. I wouldn't paint it but for this project, I may paint the tips of the tines (5 or 6 inches, a bright orange or turquoise). What a cool and unique conversation piece!

  • Paulette Paulette on Feb 08, 2017

    I would make an anemometer. Cut the tops off aluminum cans. Make two holes through the opposite sides of the cans, and thread onto spokes about every third or fourth spoke. Mount high on a pole. Should be able to point cans horizontally, so they spin with the wind. Should look like an umbrella. Use the shiniest cans you can find.

  • Cheryl Cheryl on Feb 11, 2017

    A lot of great ideas here. You could also clean it up and paint it a bronze or if you like maybe even a pop of color and then place a clock fixture in the center with large numbers around it. Please post again with your finished product. Great find!

  • Dnacht Dnacht on Feb 19, 2017

    I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this already but I would sand it down, then paint it either silver or gold, whichever goes best with your decor. Then I'd either use it as a pot hanger in the kitchen (with or without lighting). Without changing the patina, I'd hang it on a wall or ceiling and attach photos to it with clothespins (or clothespins and ribbons if it is coming from the ceiling, like a mobile) or if you have a large window hang out in front of the window and using a similar idea of twine and clothespins (for show), hang som small herb seedlings in the black plastic starter pots. First, put the plastic starter pots into something that can catch the water, wrap them in burlap but only up to the top of the container so the sun can still get to it and attach the name of each plant with a clothespin on a piece of paper that has a protective plastic (like an ID often has) to keep it from getting ruined with the water. Wrap a beautiful playful ribbon, maybe a plaid, to bring color, around the burlap!