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I posted a gilding process on the portfolio page in a step by step. It is one using a mask devised to save a big cleanup. Although, I'm sure it is not totally original, I have not seen the process used anywhere, and found that I got a better prep job especially on my edges, saved time. I was amazed at the outcome. Prior to this I was using a pinstripe tape to work with and prior to that nothing. I did see photos of the carving at Mass Mayheim where a mask was prepared for the carving pattern itself, which I also have been doing. For that process (on HDU) I use the filler on the face to create a smooth surface before I apply the mask. A step I would be doing anyway. Opinions please, its dark here for Jiman'I. Bronzeo
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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I have done this a few times and showed a friend who was not comfortable with a brush this technique and she loves it. Also I have played with a theroy of pre-painting your blank and applying a mask before carving then prime, paint and size the letters while the mask is still on... remove mask, gild, done.
-------------------- Ken McTague, Concept Signs 57 Bridge St. (route 107) Salem MA 01970 1-978-745-5800 conceptsign@yahoo.com http://www.pinheadlounge.com/CaptainKen
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"A wise man once said that, or was it a wise guy?" Posts: 2425 | From: Salem, MA | Registered: Apr 1999
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Jack, nice job on the portfolio page. That Mass Mayhem panel you're talking about used mask over bare foam. It didn't stick worth a hoot and kept lifting and rolling up. They would have been better off to use the mask temporarily to spray on some flat black, then peel the mask off leaving a precise outline to carve to.
Actually the best method, what Cape Craft signs does as standard proceedure, is what Capt Ken mentions - applying the mask to a pre-painted background. We carve into the spaces where the letters have been weeded out. If you are a little shy with your cut, the mask still gives you a perfect edge to paint or size up to. We love it.
We've found on rare occasions when some mishap caused a background to need repainting after it's been carved, we're even able to line up a new mask over the letters to reapply the copy color.
There are two cautions to carving through a mask:
One is to apply the primer and top coats to the freshly carved areas as thinly as possible to avoid undue ridge thickness at the letters edge. On 18lb HDU we find one coat of primer followed by light sanding and two coats of copy color get the job done.
Two is to make damn sure you've prepped your background properly and let everything cure before applying the mask to avoid any lifting of background colors when you go to remove the mask.
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Hey Joe, thats exactly it! I have done it this way many times and find it very nice. I only had problems when I had some primer bleed through under the mask and you see a bit of it on the face after you peel it, buy it was an easy fix. I have not yet (as I knock on wood) had the background pull up. I apply the primer and the basecoat to the inside of the carved letters with a foam brush then apply the size with a quill, I have been know to also sand or steel wool the letters before sizing. Last one I did I applied vinyl to the face and clearcoated it in before applying the mask. As for the Mass Mayhem panel, that was Brian's doing, I told him to do it the way we have discribed here, but he skipped a few steps... next year we will have 3 days to work on it and I want complete a hand carved, gold leaf sign. Also, I think the panel Brian "prepped" was a bit big, we'll do a couple smaller ones next year.
-------------------- Ken McTague, Concept Signs 57 Bridge St. (route 107) Salem MA 01970 1-978-745-5800 conceptsign@yahoo.com http://www.pinheadlounge.com/CaptainKen
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"A wise man once said that, or was it a wise guy?" Posts: 2425 | From: Salem, MA | Registered: Apr 1999
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We also use a very similiar process and have modified it a little each time. I should say that it's differnet in the respect that we now use a cnc router to do are carving but started doing them by hand. Prepping painting vinyl etc. before the carve apply the mask carve etc. etc. as described flawless edges as for the ridge left we often outlined are carved and gilded letters with computer cut vinyl (matte black usually. When we started with the router we were doing it the same but we would carve right through the mask with acceptable results but v-cutter had to be very sharp and would ball up if not. In Our latest evolution of the process we start completely raw on the table. Route (what a huge time savings), then fill and surface background & letters all at once (saves a little time) prime & Spray (finishes vary from Chromatic Background to Latex house paint) Let dry & cure completely (<MUCHOS IMPORANTE) Mask with Computer cut mask wich matches perfectly to the cnc routed letters spray one coat background yellow, brush in slow size at the end of the day. Guild the next morning. We can route, prep, Prime, paint, size & leaf a 4'x6' with medium copy (headline, couple of lines of secondary copy nothing to fancy) about 10 hrs start ot finish.
-------------------- Eric Roche Douglasville, GA
"Someday I'm gonna get a real job, HEE HEE" Posts: 97 | From: Douglasville, GA | Registered: Feb 2001
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Just a note here about masking. I used 2 kinds on the project, because I ran out of one. 3M and Mactac. Whereas the 3M is more brittle in nature and less stretchy, it would probably do better to run a chisel or router through without the balling up. On the other hand, it leaves a film on the paint surface that needs polished off and is about twice the price of Mactac. I would certainly recommend Mactac or similar on the method that I am describing. Bronzeo
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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next year we will have 3 days to work on it and I want complete a hand carved, gold leaf sign. Also, I think the panel Brian "prepped" was a bit big, we'll do a couple smaller ones next year. 
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