The Letterville BullBoard: Elementary Smalt Questions from a First Timer

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Posted by Janette Balogh (Member # 192) on :

I'm feeling abit foolish with this post, but I figure, if I don't ask, I won't know.

Here's the scenario. I have had a project in the works for the last couple months. Until recently it had only been in the "mental" state and has now moved to the "physical" state. In others words, I am now actually in the midst of fabricating a design I've developed. (finally)

One element of this design calls for smalting. (sure hope I'm referring to this process correctly). I have seen, and really liked the end results of smalting, but have never watched it happen.

Well, way back in the planning stages of this thing I had called Rick Glawson and asked him for the materials and the instructions I would need for this project. He was very helpful, and sent me the coarse black smalt I requested, some Smith's Cream, and a type written sheet of instructions. You guessed it, I've misplaced the instructions! (they are in a "safe" place somewhere, not to be found until they are no longer needed)

I would very much like some direction from you veterans on how to proceed with this. I will be getting in touch with Rick again tomorrow, but in the meantime thought I'd elicit some help here as well. This is for my Mazeppa project, and I am nervous about the deadline.

I have a peice of HDU that is finely sandblasted at about one-quarter inch depth around some lettering. I would like to smalt the background, and then guild the letters and paint the borders.

I have some basic questions, and hope you will bear with me. I just don't want to mess up. I had figured on leaving the rubber on the letters and the borders until after I smalt, but am now wondering if the gold will stick to the smalt when I go to gild the letters later?

Do I prime and then paint black the background area that is to be smalted in preparation before hand?
What are the steps to take using Smith's Cream? Anything to watch for?

I know there are probably some step by steps on this in an issue of SignCraft somewhere. Would anyone possibly have a clue which issue it could be in?

I don't mean to sound so ill-prepared here. The truth of the matter is, I'm pretty darn disappointed in myself for misplacing those instructions, and now here I find myself closing in on the eleventh hour with miles to go. I would appreciate any little morsel of info that anyone would care to share with me.

Thanks much!
Nettie

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Posted by Dave Correll (Member # 100) on :

Hi Nettie
Smalts is so cool, and so easy to do. If this were my project, this is what I'd do...Take the mask off the lettering and the border. Since the letters are to be gilded, I would sand the edges of the letters with a fine (220) sand paper so that the letters are rounded. This will give the the gold more areas to reflect light, plus give the letters some dimension. Then give the sign 2 or 3 coats of primer. The next step would be to sand the letters with a fine grade of sand paper and then give the whole sign a generous coat of black lettering enamel. When that is dry, sand the letters again and give them a coat of imitation gold lettering enamel. When dry, lightly sand the letters again, then size and gild the letters. Then use a 50/50 mixture of smith's cream and black lettering enamel (do not thin) and apply carefully but generously to the background of the sign. While the coated background is still wet-sprinkle on the smalts! I use a coffee can with a bunch of 1/8 holes drilled in the bottom to make a "smalts shaker". Let dry for a day or so and tip the sign upside down over a sheet of paper to collect the excess smalts.

Any other ?'s-call me!

I'm looking forward to see you and your project in Mazep! (what we locals call Mazeppa...we also call it Mahoppa at times as well!)

Dave Correll
Brushwork Signs
Faribault, MN
Brushwork@ll.net
507-334-8446

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Posted by Samazon (Member # 408) on :

Nettie,

Having never smalted before, I don't have answers to any of your questions.

What I CAN help you with, however, is locating back issues of Signcraft that had articles about the process. On the Signcraft site there's a place to search all back issues. It's at http://www.signcraft.com/index .

I put in “smalts” and got 5 articles (well, not the article itself, but which issue to find it in, page numbers, and the author's name.) I think you have most, if not all, back issues, right? Perhaps you'll find answers to your questions there...at any rate, I know you'll create a project that's gonna blow us away! I loved your Bloomington project; I can't wait to see what you do this time!

Sam

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Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :

Dave's response is on target. Smalt has no 's' when plural.

from Webster.......

Etymology: Middle French, from Old Italian smalto, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German smelzan to melt

there are similar words in german and yiddish that have meanings for sentimental especially to excess or in affectation, which might be to the point when speaking of this type of sign.
Smalt: a deep blue pigment used especially as a ceramic color and prepared by fusing together silica, potash, and oxide of cobalt and grinding to powder the resultant glass

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"The codfish lays ten thousand eggs,
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Posted by Samazon (Member # 408) on :

Hmmmm...would “smalted” not be the proper term, then, when referring to the activity of “smalt”-ing in the past-tense?

I'm SO confused!!!

Thank you, Rick

Sam

Posted by Janette Balogh (Member # 192) on :

A very appreciative "thank you" goes out to Dave Correll in particular for going to the trouble of outlining the steps I will need to take on this project. You eliminated alot of guesswork, and fear for me in this. I started rollin' with it this morning! There's a beer with your name on it from me in "Mazep"! Thank you also for making yourself available to me for more questions.

Sammmmi.... you always teach me some cool techie thing! You are the "cyber-sherlock" around here. I'm thrilled to know how to look up pertenant SignCraft issues. This is one reference tool that will come in VERY handy for me!

Rick, thanks for the confirmation, and the grammar lesson! Hey, if I'm gonna do it, might as well know what it is and how to say it!

Thanks all for being here for me.
Nettie

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"When Love and Skill Work Together ... Expect a Masterpiece"

Janette Balogh
Sign Studio
in Sunny Florida
jbalogh@earthlink.net

Current Pet Profile - Please send us yours!

It's just too easy to be a Website Supporter!
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[This message has been edited by Janette Balogh (edited July 14, 1999).]

Posted by Dave Correll (Member # 100) on :

Glad to help! Hope your project goes well. I'll look forward to that salve in Mazep!

Dave Correll
Faribault, Mn

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Posted by jack wills (Member # 521) on :

Us old turds, referred to Smaltz, as:
"Chicken Fat" ( a Jewish, term )
Still Crazy...........CJ

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Posted by bill riedel (Member # 607) on :

Hi Nettie (Jan),
One thing they didn't mention is that when you sprinkle the smaltz, you should either stand on a stool or a step ladder. This way the smaltz has a better chance of really getting down as deep as possible into the paint and will last indefinitley.
Good luck,
Bill Riedel, The Old Sign Painter

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Posted by Cam Bortz (Member # 55) on :

When you prep your panel for smalt use a heavy, sticky adhesive - I have a can of Holdfast glue for that purpose, or you could use West System epoxy I suppose. After you coat out, immediately sprinkle a HEAVY coat of smalt, really pour it on! Bounce your sign a couple times (lift one end and inch or so off the table and drop it) this will help spread the smalt evenly. Then put a dropcloth beneath it and tip it over - I do this right away - and dump off the excess (there will be a lot) onto the dropcloth. Now lay the sign down and look for light spots, if you have any, put on more smalt. You can even add more glue with a small stiff brush if you find a dry spot.

The advantage of using glue instead of paint for adhesive seems obvious - paint is not meant to be an adhesive, glue is!

Unless I am mistaken, smalt was used primarily as a background for gilded wooden letters. In pre-plywood/MDO days all sign panels were made of planks or sheet metal; the smalt ground helped hide any seams, rivets, etc. that would be visible on a painted surface. To my mind there is no more classic sign than one with gilded raised letters and a smalt ground with a nice frame.I look forward to seeing your project in Mazeppa.

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"A wise man concerns himself with the truth, not with what people believe." - Aristotle

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