I have a friend who makes custom stringed instruments who wants some gold leaf window lettering. I have never done such a thing...yet.
Chances are I will practice on an in shop piece of my own or glass door or something.
My question is: Can I apply the gelatin size and leaf and backup paint on the interior of a COLD window? He has REAL OLD glass in his big window, so it is not insulated. Temperatures here in Mid-Upstate New York are in the Mid 30s and going colder. Is that too cold? How cold outside does it have to be to make it too cold on the glass to apply it inside?
[ December 08, 2004, 02:40 PM: Message edited by: Philip Steffen ]
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Can he wait until Spring?
Gilding a window at those temperatures is going to be a real problem! Chances are that the gelatin/water solution will freeze, or at best, never really give up all the water, and bubble the first warm day. Warming the glass is a disaster waiting to happen! What does replacing a shattered window cost?
Other more experienced guys may have a solution...lets hear from them!
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
It was done here last year during the "Winter Muster"....Don't listen to the California wimps....it can work..I've done it.
Posted by Philip Steffen (Member # 2235) on :
Mike- did you have size freezing or anything like that? The indoor temp I imagine will be around 60 degrees, I just don't know much about this type of thing...yet.
Posted by Jeff Lang (Member # 336) on :
Phil, First thing you should do is get the book, Gold Leaf Techniques by Kent Smith. That will cover many different situations you will face while learning to glass gild. As to the cold, like Mike said, it will work, but it probably will work a little different than your sample piece done in the conditions of your shop. One thing you can do in order to combat the extreme cold or extreme hot, is cover the entire area of the outside of the window with foam insulation. This will help the glass stay closer to room temperature. Practice will be the best preperation. Good luck, Jeff
Posted by Philip Steffen (Member # 2235) on :
Have the book already- been studying it in the evenings. Great stuff. I get excited with new stuff like this.
Anyone else with advice for cold window gilding?
Posted by Scott Telfer (Member # 3949) on :
Hey Philip
I was working on the glass piece in Mazeppa and although it was only my 2nd Glass Gild I had no problem with the size actually freezing, or the application for that matter. The only problems on my part were lack of experience and c££p technique. It wont be easy but it is do-able.
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
Like Jeff said...that helps....If it's 60 INSIDE, ya got no problems. Nothing frooze except yur feet going outside to see how it's lookin'.....Schnapps works good for coating the inside of the Sign Person's Stomach which eventually makes any stress go away.....unfortunately makes any profit go away the more you drink it on the job..(hick).... Scott Telfer did one window and Barb Schilling did the other...both are excellent and look fantastic! I would drive to the Adirondacs, chill out in a Adirondacs "CHAIR" in a coffee shop, read the Gold Leaf book....Go back thru all your "A Magazine About Letterheads" and press yur nose to the pages with all the Gold Leaf eye candy, then do as the 1980 Olympic Hockey team did and GO FOR THE GOLD!!!!!
Game On!
Posted by PKing (Member # 337) on :
Move to Florida!!!!!!
hope this helps
Posted by Rovelle W. Gratz (Member # 4404) on :
I have gilded the sign on a glass panel and hung it inside the window. I did this for a business that was relocating in a few months, but it is a thought and would be easier to start out on in your controlled environment of the shop.
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
Yeah, Florida....Do they have Hurricanes there?
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
With the interior of the store warm, there would be no freezing. If you're in a dry climate, the size will dry quicker than it does here on the coast. The cold might slow things a bit, but shouldn't hurt.
Rick Glawson used to tell us how he read that little book about how to do a gold job that Swift used to put out, and did his first sellable jobs with the book in his hand.
I prefer getting together with someone that knows and can teach me, and I then have someone to hold hands with during the process.
Who can you get together with for a private letterhead meet this weekend?
Posted by Bob Stephens (Member # 858) on :
Its been many, many years but I've gilded glass in the cold of winter in New York and yes it can be done. Not as much fun but the money pays the same. You should be glad that you have a customer who is willing to pay for the real deal.
Posted by Philip Steffen (Member # 2235) on :
Bob- pay shmay, I will probably be trading for a mandolin or violin for my sons. He makes awesome instruments. This one won't be one of his hand made instruments though, they fetch $4000 to $6000. I'm not doing THAT much gold leaf.
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