Tony Segale on December 04, 03
Lodi Police Deptartment has a brand new building set to open in about three weeks. A leiutenant called me over to show me the LPD Badge that was installed in the center lobby floor. The badge was created with brushed metal and tile or metal fragments inlayed and in the center is a cast of the Seal of the State of California. It was cast in bronze and the City's Finest are not happy with the cast as it appears quite dull. they wanted to know what I could do to it with my experience in gold. I'm thinking sure, I could lay some thick crocodile leaf or maybe some mica powders, but how do we "protect and serve" at the same time?
This 8" diameter cast is recessed in the floor to a depth of about 1/2", maybe deeper in some of the dimensional crevices. What to I cover it with?
A piece of strong acrylic: condensation problems.
Clear resin for sign-foam products?
Any thoughts? Or maybe I should just step over this job?
Tony
Ron Percell
Rather simple here Tony, I personally dont like to say No.
Contact Gemini for a bid on a complete replacement, explain what the concerns are.
The Second would be to gild the crest, and then fill with Clear Casting Resin & Catalyst, once cured, it will be need to be sanded and then buffed with rubbing compounds. The labor and material cost, would be about the same as a replacement crest.
This may not be what they wish to hear but will keep you from saying no, and might land you the job. Contact me for more info.
Rick Sacks
Antonio, is this really interior, and recessed to where it doesn't get stepped on or touched? Seems that a little gold might provide the sparkle without stealing all the work from the artist that made it.
Mike Jackson
Kent SmithHi Tony,
Like the other two Dannys below, I think I'd pass on trying to solve someone elses boo-boo, especially if I could fill my schedule with projects I liked doing.
Mike Jackson
DannyI agree with Mike wholeheartedly.
Bronzing powders followed by an application of water clear casting resin available through Douglas & Sturges in S.F., or Tap Plastics if you have one in your area. That would provide the best protections I know of, but at that it's going to require continual maintenance. Another method would be to mix atomized bronzing powders into the resin to coat out the existing shield, or to cold cast over the existing. Either way it will take some time to work out the best solution.
If I was in your position, I'd pass. Your starting out with a customer that's not happy with the end product, it's already in the floor, and if you don't get it right the first time will you have to replace or remove the plaque to make it right?
I've engraved some pieces, gilded them and filled with the water clear resin, and it looks gold colored, not gold leaf. Can you maintain a dust free environment when you pour the resin, eliminating all air bubbles?
A plastic cover over the plaque will scratch faster than the resin.
I would guess they're not going to be happy to pay you close to what the plaque cost just to have what they should have had in the first place. Let their contractor order a replacement and worry about the consequences.
Do you really want the cops mad at you too?
Hope this helps.
Danny Busselle
Oops Slow down! and read what you wrote. there NOT Pleased with what they have. Unless you have the hand of GOD don't even think about taking this JOB. Much more troble down the line.Cya
roderick
Posted by Tony Segale on January 07, 2004If the piece was in fact cast in bronze it should be able to be polished to a bright finish as long as it has a smooth finish to start.The probelm is it is going to tranish if it's out side so you could guild it and be done with it.
Roderick
Hi all,
It's been a while since I sat down and posted or replied to those who replied to me.
A quick and overdue update: the last time I posted I talked about an emblem cast in the floor of the local police department, they wanted me to gild and I asked about how to protect. Well, thank you Danny Baronian, I created a sample of a Gemini Plague sample I had, applied some one-shot fast size and gilded with 23K Crocodile leaf. Then set inside a square tupperware container and mixed up a little clear casting resin from Tap Plastics and poured it on, worked fine! During the end of the year and just after New Years Day, went into the new Police Department and gilded the State of California Seal and poured on the resin. All department heads loved the finished product and it is still roped off so no one can walk on it for two weeks and at least four coats of floor wax. Thanks to all who gave me their input...
In the middle of all that, I brought a couple pieces of glass to a shop a little over an hour west of me to have sandblasted, as my little booth isn't big enough. But the real reason was to check out this place that has these pieces of glass hanging inside this quaint lttle storybook home. The lady of the house is a calligrapher and her husband has this website called walljewelry.com.
Well, Larry White and I had a little lunch, worked on the glass and checked his stash, nothing short of some of the most really cool stuff I've seen. And an excellent tribute to his buddy, Rick Glawson. That piece is phonomenal.
Some of you might have heard about my involvement with the IOOF, International Order of OddFellows. Well, tonight we had our monthly dinner and one of my fellow OddFellows came up to me and gave me this book. Wow, what a compliment. Here I am this small town dude who is still hoping I get things right and he gave me this book and said he thought I should just go ahead and keep it. I offered to pay him for the book and he said no don't worry, I have another. He just thought I might appreciate it. Well, . yes I do. Have any of you fellow letterheads seen this one? It's pretty cool. " The Art of show Card Writing by Charles J. Strong, President of the Detroit School of Lettering, copyright 1907.
What an honor!
and with that bit of rambling (did I spell that right?), Happy New Year to all.
Tony Segale
Denver Chapter of the Letterheads