Jeff Longtin on fri 28 nov 03
Currently working in the studio on some new forms and new molds and I
realized I've been using certain "tools" that have been extremely helpful to me so I
thought I would share them with you all.
The first "tool" that I find extremely helpful is metal window screen
material.
This idea came to me after I moved into my first big studio,1000 sq.ft.(big
mistake) and I found myself with lots of bare sheetrock walls that needed mud
and taping. Knowing my alergy to plaster dust prevented me from sanding all
that dry mud I looked for alternatives. At the time, sanding mesh had just
started coming on the scene and was promoted as a great solution, it could be used
to wet sand and didn't clog as easily, however, I found it to be not that
useful and terribly expensive. So I chose not to sand my walls.
Years later I was in the studio and needed to quickly sand down some huge
irregularities on some plaster forms. I thought of buying the mesh sanding
material but then was reminded how expensive the stuff is. Looking around the studio
I realized window screen material would do exactly the same thing, and it's
cheap.
Since that day I have used aluminum screen material whenever I need to sand
down a plaster form quickly. The nice thing about screen material is that if it
starts to clog just pull opposite corners and the material will "sqeeze" out
any stuff lodged in it. This is especially helpful when sanding down freshly
set plaster.
Using screen material as a solution to the problem of sanding down a large
piece of plaster came into play the first time I needed to sand a large plaster
mold part and I wanted it to be smooth on one plane, (so that the seam created
by the part would be even). I laid the screen on the tabletop and then pulled
the plaster form acrossed it. The mold part in question was large, about 18
inches, and the weight of the piece itself created enough pressure to make the
process relatively quick and easy.
The second "tool" I like to use is a wallpaper hanging scraper. I was in the
midst of setting up my first so-called "professional mold-making studio" and
wanted to have some paint brushes on hand, to apply mold soap in the process
and to keep prototypes dust free. While looking around the paint supply store I
happened upon these things that, I was told, were used by wallpaper hangers to
keep the paper bubble free. At the time I didn't realize how often I would
be pouring paster slabs and how often they would come in handy? They have a
nice rust free aluminum strip supported by a nice large plastic handle. I keep 12
inch, and 24 inch scrapers on hand at all times. I use them whenever I need
to pour a large plaster slab and want to have a nice level, and smooth,
surface.
Take care gang
Jeff Longtin
still in minneapolis
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