A small residential street in Rawalpindi gives little indication of industrial activity. Shop shutters clatter open in the morning, and behind one of the low gates, another world unfolds, the world of Sharjeel Minhas, the artist behind these meticulously crafted artefacts. The rooms of this house have been systematically transformed into a complete metal workshop. Welding machines are installed, aircraft schematics are stored on steel racks, and half-completed fuselage parts rest in various stages of assembly. This is not a temporary setup or an improvised hobby room. Over the years, the building has been structurally modified to accommodate heavy equipment, air conditioning, and precision fabrication, all within the confines of a family home. As he moves through the workshop, it becomes evident that every item has a defined purpose. Aluminium sheets are stacked by thickness, steel rods are sorted by gauge, and plans are pinned to walls and worktables, marked with measurements and scale ratios. He works from authentic reference material, aircraft layouts, armoured vehicle drawings, and mechanical blueprints, all scaled down with painstaking accuracy, where even a single cut is executed only after exact calculation. Here, accuracy is the starting point.
Material Selection and Hand Fabrication
Raw metal forms the basis of every project. Aluminium is chosen for aircraft wings and fuselage skins because it mirrors the original material: lightweight, formable, and capable of retaining fine surface detail. Mild steel is used for structural frames due to its rigidity and strength. Every panel is cut, scored, and graded by hand, without automated cutters. The grinder clicks steadily through the room, and metal flakes from a curved wing scatter across the floor. Once cut, the metal is shaped gradually. He uses bonded hammers designed for specific models, bending and shaping panels through controlled strikes rather than brute force. Rivet lines are drawn with rulers and dividers, then individually pricked. Real rivets are installed, reproducing both the structural logic and operational reality of military aircraft. The surface begins to tell a story, not a decorative one, but one rooted in function. Sharjeel added, “During the first stage, I encountered lots of difficulties. I started with two simple tools, such as a simple paper cutter, and I was doing my job with such restrictions, which resulted in injuries. The initial investment I made was the upgrade of my tools after receiving my initial orders. What was formerly consuming me 20 and 25 days to do a single piece, was gradually brought down to 3 and 4 days, without injury to detail or quality.”
Welding, Assembly, and Hidden Details
TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding is used to attach thin aluminium skins to avoid heat damage, while internal steel frames are joined using heavier welding tools. Nothing in the process is rushed. Cockpit components are fabricated individually, including instrument panels, control columns, and internal framing, often made from brass and steel, even when these elements will later be concealed beneath the outer body. Sharjeel added, “I started this work when I was seventeen. Prior to that, I used to sketch and paint throughout my school years. As time progressed, I learnt more about form and detail, and later on, the air force and the army started commissioning my work.”
Internal frames are enclosed within outer casing cuts, extensions are aligned and fixed, and landing gear mounts are reinforced and squared. The same engineering-first process is applied across different artefacts. Armoured vehicles are constructed using multilayer plating that reflects real ballistic geometry. Ships are built with stepped hulls and layered decking. Trucks and cars begin with precise chassis alignment, with exterior bodywork added only after structural accuracy is ensured. Ornamental installations are designed with concealed brackets and internal supports, allowing them to be safely installed in both private and commercial spaces.
Finishing is treated as a technical stage rather than a cosmetic one. Weld seams are flattened, sanded areas are levelled, and edges are sharpened. Some clients request glossy industrial finishes, while others prefer oxidized, weathered surfaces that resemble aged military equipment. Protective anti-corrosion coatings are applied, particularly for pieces destined for Gulf climates. Completed works are carefully packaged for export in custom-made wooden crates lined with foam. Shipping labels list destinations such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf states. Export documentation classifies the work as handcrafted metal art. Clients include private collectors, aviation enthusiasts, and interior designers seeking statement pieces for villas, offices, and hotel spaces. Locally, smaller works are sold through personal networks, military hobby groups, and select décor stores in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Minhas also added, “I am professionally an IT specialist, and this fact allowed me to position work online successfully. I coordinate and market my pages in several nations, with Bahrain being my main market, and other Gulf nations, including the UAE, coming second.”
As evening falls, the workshop lights remain on, reflecting off metal surfaces still warm from the day’s work. Objects shaped by engineering discipline, artistic vision, and perseverance begin journeys that carry them thousands of kilometres beyond Pakistan. What emerges from this house is neither imitation nor novelty, but a fusion of technical mastery, patience, and skilled workmanship, a reminder that world-class craftsmanship often develops far from where global markets expect it to exist.