In the quiet town of Stegersbach, located in Austria's South Burgenland region, a 42-year-old project manager has quietly built an impressive second career transforming ordinary scrap metal into extraordinary works of art. Jürgen Pendl, who works full-time as a sales and project manager, has spent the past eight years converting discarded screws, nails, ball bearings, and other metal refuse into sculptures that now command attention from buyers across Europe. What began as a casual experiment with a budget welding machine has evolved into a thriving small business, with his creations ranging from delicate two-centimeter flowers to massive installations weighing over a ton.

Pendl's journey into metal artistry began without any formal technical training. A graduate of a commercial academy rather than a trade school, he was simply curious when he spotted a welding machine on sale for €99 at a supermarket eight years ago. The HAK graduate decided to purchase the equipment on a whim, initially just wanting to test the product. Using scrap steel parts he had found, he created his first piece and unexpectedly discovered both a talent and a deep passion for metalworking. "I completely immersed myself in it and tried out all the welding processes," Pendl explains. What started as a fun diversion quickly became an obsessive hobby, consuming his free time as he mastered techniques to join disparate materials into cohesive artistic statements.

The artist sources his raw materials primarily from local scrapyards, where discarded metal pieces spark his imagination. "When I see the parts, I get inspired and mentally assemble the next metal sculptures," he says. His workshop, set up in his home garage, has become a creative sanctuary where he can work uninterrupted. Recognizing the potential of social media, Pendl began documenting his process, filming each project step-by-step and sharing the videos on YouTube and Facebook. This digital presence caught the attention of manufacturing companies, which now supply him with professional-grade equipment—from specialized welding helmets to advanced welding machines—free of charge. In exchange, Pendl provides detailed feedback and reviews, creating what he describes as a "win-win situation" that has elevated the quality and scale of his work.

The sheer variety of Pendl's portfolio demonstrates both his versatility and ambition. His smallest work is a two-centimeter flower, while his largest creation to date is a 4.2-meter-tall robot. He has crafted a dragon with an impressive 5.2-meter wingspan and a dinosaur sculpture weighing 1.2 tons. Beyond these personal projects, which include whimsical concepts like a "car spider," Pendl accepts custom commissions that showcase his adaptability. He has created welcome signs for municipalities, futuristic mailboxes, elaborate raised garden beds, and custom furniture including tables and chairs. For private clients, he has crafted personalized storks to celebrate newborns, a life-size horse for a stable owner, a lion as a birthday gift, and a bull sculpture commissioned by a corporation. He also regularly produces trophies for golf and dart tournaments, and once created the main prize for a German publisher's "Best Motorcycle Dealer" competition.

In response to growing demand, Pendl officially registered his venture as a small business while maintaining his primary career. He has installed hundreds of his pieces around his own property and transformed his father's garden into an outdoor gallery. The time investment for each unique sculpture varies dramatically, requiring anywhere from one to 150 hours of meticulous work. Pricing reflects this labor, with most pieces selling between €20 and €150, though specialized commissions can command several thousand euros. His customer base extends far beyond his local community, with buyers throughout Austria and across Europe discovering his work through his website, jp-metalldesign.at, which features an online shop. The success has allowed him to continue creating while balancing his professional responsibilities, though he acknowledges the challenge of managing both careers.

Looking ahead, Pendl has set his sights on surpassing his own records. His next ambitious project is a giraffe sculpture designed to exceed his current five-meter height benchmark. To accomplish this, he requires a lift platform to safely assemble and finish the towering piece. This upcoming creation represents more than just a personal challenge—it symbolizes the remarkable trajectory of an artist who transformed a €99 impulse purchase into a internationally recognized art form. As Pendl continues to push the boundaries of what can be achieved with discarded metal, his work serves as both environmental statement and testament to the creative potential that lies hidden in everyday refuse, inspiring other aspiring artists to see opportunity where others see only junk.