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This is an interactive Bulletin Board on the topics of Sign making, design, fabrication, History, old Books and of coarse Letterheads, Keepers of the craft. The Hand Lettering Forum features links to resources, sign art history, techniques, and artists profiles. Learn more about Letterheads at https://theletterheads.com. Below you'll see Mchat has been added as a live communication portal for trial, and the Main forum Links are listed below.

Search found 477 matches

by Patrick Mackle
Wed Jul 27, 2011 1:51 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: 1906 Rawson & Evans sign on shorpy
Replies: 16
Views: 12003

Re: 1906 Rawson & Evans sign on shorpy

Looks like a 1900's Rawson & Evans chipped and silvered big corner Cigar Store sign posted on Shorpy.com. And across the street is The May Company/Outfitters store.
http://www.shorpy.com/node/10891?size=_original
Pat
by Patrick Mackle
Mon Jun 27, 2011 11:32 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Brilliant Cut glass Signs
Replies: 22
Views: 18441

Re: Brilliant Cut glass Signs

Hi Inga, The first part of your questions is a big subject, so I will answer your last question quickly as I currently have a moment for it. I use lose silicon carbide and water place upon a scrap piece of glass that have just been cut on the wheel I want to "dress". These lose grains roll...
by Patrick Mackle
Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:53 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Elaborate Victorian Style Mirror
Replies: 30
Views: 19298

Re: Elaborate Victorian Style Mirror

Dave, That is a really nice screen that is, however, Like so many new movies out recently , I see you believe in blatant product placement. But I think I would have gone with a bigger product name something like Coke or Pepsi. Somehow next to your stunning mastercraft, window cleaner doesn't grab me...
by Patrick Mackle
Fri Jun 03, 2011 6:58 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Art Nouveau Slumped Glass
Replies: 7
Views: 5400

Re: Art Nouveau Slumped Glass

Dave, Were you able to get multiple firings off of the thin fire mold material? Or did it fall apart any after the first piece of slumped glass was removed. The mold hardener, also known as ridgidizer, is usually alumina silicate, or sodium silicate (aka: water glass). I have actually found that som...
by Patrick Mackle
Fri May 27, 2011 3:33 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Gold Leaf
Replies: 20
Views: 15385

Re: Gold Leaf

It's the same everywhere! I get the same stupid question at the super market- paper or plastic? DUH!!
Pat
by Patrick Mackle
Fri May 27, 2011 12:16 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Sulis. The Natural Mineral Water of Bath
Replies: 6
Views: 4669

Re: Sulis. The Natural Mineral Water of Bath

Dang Dave. You have such a talent! You should bottle YOUR bath water and sell it! I'd buy a bottle! Maybe I could soak in some of that talent. :lol:
Thanks for sharing,
Pat
by Patrick Mackle
Wed May 18, 2011 10:46 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Me Likes a Good Mystery...Hows About You?
Replies: 6
Views: 4244

Re: Me Likes a Good Mystery...Hows About You?

Well, once again, the photo is bad for enlarging- but... Judging from how well those signs have withstood the ages, I would guess them to be either cast or acid etched brass with a black lacquer in fill. Can't tell if they are curved or flat. They may have been made by Gorham Bronze Manufacturing(19...
by Patrick Mackle
Wed May 18, 2011 4:03 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Me Likes a Good Mystery...Hows About You?
Replies: 6
Views: 4244

Re: Me Likes a Good Mystery...Hows About You?

I'll bite. I enlarged the photo, but it is not hi-rez. But from what i can tell it looks to be a bank building. I may be nutz but I'm guessing that it is the same bank that Rick had a glue chipped advertising sign of, hanging in his shop. I have a picture of it somewhere. I know this is a WILD guess...
by Patrick Mackle
Sat Apr 16, 2011 3:20 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: The Hensley Co.
Replies: 85
Views: 78626

Re: The Hensley Co.

William, Dean was a brilliant guy as I knew him. As his concept of recreating in his own style these grand old glass advertising signs of yesteryear, he went to some fair depths. He designed the eye pleasing shapes of his frames, to the point of having custom carbide steel wood shaping blades custom...
by Patrick Mackle
Fri Mar 18, 2011 12:04 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Western Sand Blast Catalog
Replies: 16
Views: 10296

Re: Western Sand Blast Catalog

Poor ol' Mike the Chicken. Choked to death in the middle of the night on a bit of food. His owner forgot to pack a syringe for the trip to clear his air way. Mike made a ton of money for his owner in lean times. Mike's fame caused a rash of copy-cat chicken choppings, by people trying to cash in on ...
by Patrick Mackle
Wed Jan 05, 2011 1:52 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Antique glass Sign
Replies: 11
Views: 6994

Re: Antique glass Sign

Rod,
Well, ya got me. But to be fair, I couldn't smell the fresh paint from the photo of your "Antique glass Sign". lol :?
You did a good job on the design, looks like it could have been duplicated from a Shorpy photo. I like it.
Pat
by Patrick Mackle
Tue Jan 04, 2011 8:57 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Ditch that nagging cough....
Replies: 1
Views: 1649

Re: Ditch that nagging cough....

Larry,
It appears to have a purposely embedded subliminal message, as the shapes with the gilded afflictions look a bit like bloody blobs of phlegm. Uuggh.
Most used ribbons or banners, not as shocking.
Pat
by Patrick Mackle
Tue Jan 04, 2011 8:49 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Antique glass Sign
Replies: 11
Views: 6994

Re: Antique glass Sign

Rod,
Are there any names or dates to this sign? How thick is the glass?
Hope it's a fun job.
Pat
by Patrick Mackle
Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Keeping your water size warm
Replies: 12
Views: 7689

Re: Keeping your water size warm

If we are to test this proceedure I think it should be started by focusing first on several groups of glass that will be cleaned in what are believed to be the best way, as listed in this post. Then I think that the various gelatin solutions should be applied in their conditions ie: warmed or cold, ...
by Patrick Mackle
Mon Dec 27, 2010 5:06 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: the importance Surface tension and Silvering front surfaces
Replies: 12
Views: 8082

Re: the importance Surface tension and Silvering front surfaces

Ismael wrote: "do you have that soap's name?"
The product is ALCONOX made by ALCONOX INC. It's a powdered laboratory soap for cleaning medical glass instruments.
Pat
by Patrick Mackle
Sat Dec 25, 2010 4:41 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: the importance Surface tension and Silvering front surfaces
Replies: 12
Views: 8082

Re: the importance Surface tension and Silvering front surfaces

I have a surfactant I use for several in house concoctions, the product is DAPRO 77. Also AIR PRODUCTS sells several surfactants and wetting agents as well as defoamers. And actually, I have found that even when taken fresh out of the crate, float glass is highly water repellent until laboriously pr...
by Patrick Mackle
Tue Dec 21, 2010 6:48 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Possible Rawson and Evans?
Replies: 4
Views: 2931

Re: Possible Rawson and Evans?

Nice piece. Hard to tell who originated these types of theme windows. I have seen a few in my career. I have noticed they generally have a center framed design motif of a theme like a harvest or a hunt that draws your attention like a story. Then the outer boarder is sometimes a random design that f...
by Patrick Mackle
Fri Dec 17, 2010 12:18 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Golds That Glisten
Replies: 34
Views: 17541

Re: Golds That Glisten

Hi Dave,
I just checked in first thing this morning to view your progress and you did not disappoint. Really nice job on this one!
Hope you add a picture when it's finally nested in a frame.
Thank you for the progressive photos, it's inspiring to see how you bring it all together.
Pat
by Patrick Mackle
Wed Dec 15, 2010 12:35 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: precursor to LED signs
Replies: 12
Views: 7442

Re: precursor to LED signs

Another Rawson & Evans style double sided sign with mirrored/chipped bevels and lit jeweled letters sign on Shorpy. "The Illinois"
R&E may have done the balcony signs and the stained glass transom as well.
http://www.shorpy.com/node/9492
by Patrick Mackle
Tue Dec 14, 2010 1:51 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Golds That Glisten
Replies: 34
Views: 17541

Re: Golds That Glisten

That's a really magnificent piece. I really like the embellished letters, they stand out beautifully on that bent glass. I see a little hint of red color in the crease of your index finger holding the glass against the wheel. Is that from a marker or are you suffering for your art? lol Keep up the b...
by Patrick Mackle
Mon Dec 13, 2010 10:31 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Zinc Nitrate in the making of whiter Mirrors
Replies: 5
Views: 3348

Re: Zinc Nitrate in the making of whiter Mirrors

My guess is that it makes the silver layer harder and maybe deposit a little heavier. Could be they add the zinc to cut the silver content and stretch their dollars. But that's just a guess.
Pat
by Patrick Mackle
Thu Dec 09, 2010 6:30 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Help Identifing a tecinque
Replies: 7
Views: 4532

Re: Help Identifing a tecinque

As Bruce mentioned, "burning a screen" is a term for exposing screen emulsion in a vacuum frame with ultra violet light. Then followed by a wash out with water. Bruce, as to the etching you see in Rod's post. As you know a camera sees glass one way, and your eyes see it differently- then y...
by Patrick Mackle
Wed Dec 08, 2010 7:38 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Help Identifing a tecinque
Replies: 7
Views: 4532

Re: Help Identifing a tecinque

Bingo! Roger is going to look in his old art files. I called just in time because as he is retired, he is clearing out some old files as he has taken up painting now in his retiring years. I always wondered how he created the art master for these mirrors. I thought maybe they were drawn out in pen a...
by Patrick Mackle
Wed Dec 08, 2010 4:43 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Help Identifing a tecinque
Replies: 7
Views: 4532

Re: Help Identifing a tecinque

Hey Roderick.
"Here I come to save the day!!"
I am almost 99.99999% certain that the mirror you have was done by my friend Roger Page.
by Patrick Mackle
Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:03 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: precursor to LED signs
Replies: 12
Views: 7442

Re: precursor to LED signs

Another Rawson & Evans style sign. Check the "KOLB" sign on the right side of the street.
http://www.shorpy.com/node/9432?size=_original
Pat
by Patrick Mackle
Sun Dec 05, 2010 1:36 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Is there an alternative for goldleaf?
Replies: 17
Views: 11597

Re: Is there an alternative for goldleaf?

Erik, As mentioned before, only real gold looks like real gold. However, I have tried some things. One is the Amber 59000 series Nazdar ink. When screen printed onto glass and chemically silvered looks pretty nice and reflective. A lot of current promo beer mirrors are done that way. Check out the w...
by Patrick Mackle
Mon Nov 29, 2010 1:51 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Original Dead Men
Replies: 686
Views: 2084704

Re: Original Dead Men...

That's a rad vid BLake. Sorta makes me home sick for your Town of Machine.
Twill
by Patrick Mackle
Sun Nov 28, 2010 12:20 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: L'art pour L'art
Replies: 44
Views: 24672

Re: L'art pour L'art

Wow Erik,
Those turned out very nice. And I agree that reverse glass painting should be implemented into current art projects. I should enjoy a resurgence.
Pat
by Patrick Mackle
Sun Nov 28, 2010 12:02 pm
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: a few shorpy picture finds
Replies: 9
Views: 5071

Re: a few shorpy picture finds

Ha Kelly,
I found that photo a few months ago and spent as much or more time looking at the suspension and drive train than I think I spent on the eye catching signs.
The "CANADA" sign on top appears to be back lit with colored glass rondels or lenses fixed in.
Pat
by Patrick Mackle
Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:11 am
Forum: The Hand Lettering Forum
Topic: Original Dead Men
Replies: 686
Views: 2084704

Re: Original Dead Men...on the rails

Take a moment and see some trains in black and white. Listen to some tine music too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyk3AEXvmLg&NR=1&feature=fvwp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pleovx3k894&feature=related I have stood in the cabs and looked in the boilers at some of these steel monsters ...