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gold size question

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

Moderators: Ron Percell, Mike Jackson, Danny Baronian

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Doug Bernhardt
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gold size question

Post by Doug Bernhardt »

Okay....have heard of and used different mixtures of size for different uses although my standard is 12hr and gild in the morning. Who has and what are your experiences with using a 50/50 mixture of lefrancs and what is the set up time like in relation to straight 12hr. Have a job to gild in the next few days and am hoping for a larger open time. Waiting waiting ;=)
Also to add, Rick FineGold used a 50/50 mix and swore it was open longer than straight 12hr. I put this down to atmospheric conditions and thought if I parked the truck in the shop and let it run for a few hours my gilds might be as good as his!
Danny Baronian
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Post by Danny Baronian »

Doug,

I got myself in trouble with a large quantity of 30"incised letters. The 12 hour size was going off faster that I wanted. So I did what most of us did when we were stumped ... call Rick. He said he used the 50/50 99% of the time. Got a can of 3 hour, mixed the 50/50 and started gilding in 12 hours. Worked beautifully, and was good for at least 3 days, could be longer, but I was finished by then.

If I remember correctly Rick said never to use the 3 hour by itself, always mix with some 12. It may have applied to both the 3 and 12, but I'm not sure. He explained the reason in one of the typical long late night conversations, but I don't remember the details.

Apparently Dusty Yaxley was the one that came up the 50/50 mix due to the Florida climate. He'd be the one to talk to for a good explanation.

And Doug, if you park the truck in the shop and let it run to simulate Wilmington air, don't wait in the shop ;-).
Danny Baronian
Baronian Mfg.
CNC Routing & Fabrication
http://www.baronian.com
Doug Bernhardt
Posts: 1077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:29 am
Location: Ottawa Canada
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Post by Doug Bernhardt »

Dan...will try a test tomorrow and post results asap.
Question??? and right off topic... Have you made the change to digital cameras? Am looking at a couple right now but the criteria is.....low light not too menu driven. The Konica Minolta has my eye right now as it has the image stabilizer built into the camera instead of the lense...next is that new Nikon...(can't remember model number) but is in the under 2k $ range,and get a lense with the "shake"stabilizer. The Canons seem great also but the small changes seem deep in menus as opposed to easy access. Your thoughts?
Danny Baronian
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Post by Danny Baronian »

Well I'm in the market for a new one too. I've had several nikon digitals, the most recent an older 950. It works very well, but looking for something better for low light. The Nikon D70 seems to be a good choice. I'm also looking at the D2H. I haven't heard about stabilization in the camera, that may be new. I do know the high end canons offer stabilization in the lenses.

I've seen the D70, and they have presets - landscape, portrait, close up, after that it's menu driven. To get use of the features after the presets it looks like a lot of time with the owners manual.

I have several 35mm cameras, but I can't remember the last time I ran a roll of film through them, and don't see much use for them with a good digital camera.

Personally I'd stick with either the Nikon or Canon. both are excellent cameras, have interchangeable lenses, and should you upgrade down the road, the lenses will be interchangeable with a newer camera body.
Danny Baronian
Baronian Mfg.
CNC Routing & Fabrication
http://www.baronian.com
Tony Segale
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:20 am

Post by Tony Segale »

hello oot there, sparky...

this year, I started using the 50/50 mix with great results, gilding the letters the following day.
a few years ago, I gilded the large bear that sits on top of the mission style arch in Downtown Lodi, and I used "straight shots" of the 12 hour with excellent results as well. I set the sized bear in a "tented" room for three days before I applied any leaf. I recall the Boss telling me I could gild that way for up to two weeks..
Since then, that's all I used is 12 hour size, until this year. Now I havent' had the nads, and have been to busy, to test the maximum open time for the 50/50, but overnight it works great reaching the optimum tack.

hope to see you oot here in California next year for that much needed vacation, I set you up with some really cool sites along the backroads.

Oot,
Seegar
and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear.
http://www.tonysegale.com
http://www.tonysegale.wordpress.com
John Studden
Posts: 150
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2004 11:40 am

Post by John Studden »

A 50/50 mix of 3/12 hour LeFranc will stay open at least a week, I have used this several times, & is the same mix Rick used for the letters outside his shop. If you are doing a big area, tint with universal tints, like an ochre. Do not use enamels they do not mix well & will not flow & can cause "dry spots". Also do not re-use this mixture, always prepare fresh.
Hope this helps.
John Studden
Valencia Signs, California
Doug Bernhardt
Posts: 1077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:29 am
Location: Ottawa Canada
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Post by Doug Bernhardt »

Hi Seegar and Studdley....sized one of the many 24"HDU letters with a 50/50 mix today although I did use chrome yellow one shot to tint. I do have a set of the universal tints and will put that in the next batch. Tony....I need that vacation RIGHT NOW!! not next week or next year...but am looking forward to coming to your end of the woods!
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