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Touch up surface gild?

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

Moderators: Ron Percell, Mike Jackson, Danny Baronian

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John Arnott
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Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:50 am
Location: San Diego County
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Touch up surface gild?

Post by John Arnott »

About 6 months ago I guilded a 22" ball with a 4' tall point and base. This was a fininal for roof top of a bank. Well the grunts from the sheet metal shop came and picked it up and I could just tell this was going to get screwed up!
6 months later, sitting around the sheet metal shop, getting bumped around, then the contractor roughing it up installing it, then the roofers gouging it up, now the architect wants to "Modify" the shape and reguild the bad spots where it will be cut and welded. I have a meeting with the sheel metal shop "ASAP" because now its another emergency of course! They want me to go up on the roof and re- guild or touch up after they remove so much ceramic tile, so I can work. Sounds like fun huh!
My question to everyone is what is the best way to touch up surface scratches and general bad spots. I have never had good luck just using quick size on the area. Most of my stuff is viewed much closer and I can always see the touch up spots. thanks John Arnott
Since 1978
Danny Baronian
Site Admin
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Post by Danny Baronian »

Bill it as a new job. Rush? Charge accordingly. Size as you did originally but tint the size in order to identify the areas you need to touch up, charging time away from the shop, and any equipment you have to take / rent to get to the roof top site. Gilding on site you will have to roll from the book, or if it's too windy use patent. Better yet, make some 'Noel' patent leaf. If it's windy, double the amount of gold you estimate using.

As you've stated, touch ups - on close up inspections are never exactly the same. With the project sitting in the sheet metal shop, it may have taken on a patina you will never duplicate due to the equipment / chemicals in the shop.

Figure all your time and materials and prepare an estimate. Then double it. Write into the contract you do not guarantee a perfect match, including the fact it's sat in the sheet-metal shop for months which could affect any matches. Also put in writing final inspection for approval is based on viewing the completed project... from the sidewalk. Insist that the contract be signed by either the building owner or project supervisor, not the forman.

Danny
Danny Baronian
Baronian Mfg.
CNC Routing & Fabrication
http://www.baronian.com
Doug Bernhardt
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Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:29 am
Location: Ottawa Canada
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Post by Doug Bernhardt »

A job I'd hate to do....yikkes!! But if it were me I'd tint the size, made up of venice japan and one shot 1/2 n' 1/2 with blue so you can see it outside...and charge accordingly as Dan has said. There always seems to be the temptaion to "feel bad for the customer" and not realise there was a screw-up on anothers part. Soaking the client I certainly would not....although if pressed for a quote it would be high. Good luck with this puppy.
Roderick Treece
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Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2004 8:04 pm
Location: San deigo Calif
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Post by Roderick Treece »

John,
You gotta love the pain in the --- jobs.It makes you appreciate the fun ones.
I'm with Danny,It patch will not match so let them know that right up front.When you size try to do it in a broken grid pattern that way you won't get any straight lines where your touching up.
We just finished a gold job in Atlantic City for Cesears palace,2,500 sqft.When we touched up the trouble spots we sized squares the size of the leaf but in eregular shapes ,that way it blended in a little bit better.
Call me if you need help,I like heights!

Roderick
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