posted
Jill's post a while back showing her rose sculpture sign really made me want to try something similar... I'd had an idea knawing at my brain for quite some time and this looked like just the way to do it!
I'd been in contact with Steve Greere for the last year about the stuff he uses. Turns out Steve is now a distributor for the product which he markets as "Abracadabra Magic Sculpt". He's sworn by it for a long while.
Listening to him describe this stuff made it almost sound way too good to be true. He says you can put it on as thick as you like, it sculpts easy, water clean-up... non toxic, no fumes... and on and on.
I just had to try it. As is usual at our shop we decided to use it on one of our projects first. And I decided we would pull no punches... we'd give it the acid test - no holds barred.
Our shiney new box trailer is still void of any advertising. But it still has few miles on it and its been parked around back of our shop for most of the time since we bought it so not much has been lost. Still its high time we remedied the situation.
The last two times around our trailers sported a combination of hand painting and vinyl lettering. While they looked good and also worked well for us... this time around we wanted a LOT more for we are advertising our new theme sign capabilities with the MultiCam. Only a full-on THREE DIMENSIONAL sign would do. The new truck will get the same treatment as well in due course.
The bulk of the sign has already been routed from 40 lb Precision Board in multiple layers for maximum effect. Its being painted now. In the circles I wanted a three dimensional pictorial to give a wonderful demonstration of our work. But how to do it in miniature in a time effective manner? Enter Steve Greere's Magic Sculpt.
Steve & I talked last week and I put in my order. Late this morning the UPS guy knocked on my door with the package from Steve. All other projects immediately were put on hold while I gave this super magic goo a try.
The product looks to be somewhat similar to the stuff Jill described. There are two parts... the resin and the catalyst, both pliable putties about the consistency of plasticine when its a little warm. They are kneeded together - a quick process. Then you have lots of time to sculpt your creation... in my experience well over an hour... I used my hands and some simple tools which were on my desk... the blunt end of a small paint brush and an exacto knife to make the tiny cracks. But mostly I used my fingers... just like I learned in primary school so very long ago.
I LOVE the stuff... for anything I can possible imagine is suddenly possible. It will be awesome stuff to build display models and small three dimensional projects. There is a smoothing compound too which I have yet to try. But it sits still sealed on my work bench, waiting for the opportunity. Right now it was time to get sculpting on the project at hand!
I worked right onto the Precision Board I had previously routered with a slight concave. This magic stuff doesn't crack or shrink and it sticks.... well, like Phoebe's you know what to her baby blanklet.
I shmooshed a thin layer down first with using my thumb and LOTS of pressure to make sure this thing bonded to the HDU. Onto this thin layer I slowly built up the layers and bits of detail. It sticks to itself superbly, making it easy to add detail. Any rough bits are smoothed over quickly by dipping your tool in water and passing lightly over the piece.
The two pieces I did are fairly small.... the disks are about 15" across. And the sculptures are almost two inches thick at their deepest.
The process went quickly... I did these two pieces in less than four hours, with a couple of good sized breaks along the way to take care of prssing needs like Phoebe who really needed a push in the swing. It was too nice a day to waste.
Jill mentioned her pieces stayed tacky for days and days... No problem with this Magic Sculpt stuff for once I set it aside it dried quickly. I came back out after a quick supper and the first piece is already dry to the touch and quite hard There is NO tackiness present in either piece after only a couple of hours.
According to Steve's instructions they will be ready to paint tomorrow... I'm a BELIEVER!
Trouble is I'll be up on Phoenix's roof nailing on the last of the shakes for the next couple of days...
Stay tuned....
-grampa dan
[ September 27, 2006, 11:02 PM: Message edited by: Dan Sawatzky ]
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8739 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I too bought some of the Abracadabra Magic. I made myself a little flower just because I couldn't keep my fingas out of it. Years I have been waiting for products like these. The "plasticine" stuff works great. But I am looking forward to a project that I can make out of foam and cover with the smoothing compound. I'm thinking if nobody asks me for something in the next day or two I may have to make something for the front lawn. Just to show people "I gotta ne-ew product!".
-------------------- Deri Russell Wildwood Signs Hanover, Ontario
You're just jealous 'cause the little voices only talk to me. Posts: 1904 | From: Hanover, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Dec 1998
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posted
Steve demonstrated this stuff at the Zoo meet this summer and it works great. Of course, he's a great salesman, but you could tell that he was excited about what all it could do.
Of course, in the hands of someone like Sawatzky there is no end to the possibilities.
I still haven't tried it, but it's on my list of things to do...right after I figure out how to run a flat bed router.
[ September 28, 2006, 08:59 AM: Message edited by: Raymond Chapman ]
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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well thanks for the plug Dan...Deri I want picks! Raymond I know you want some of this stuff.... Guys what can I tell yeah this is the newest and latest and the greatest! Call me 519-632-5220 I will ship it out to you today!
We unveiled it at the CONSAC show with great reponse.
posted
There's going to be some wicked stuff showing up in the next while.
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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I knew you'd try it Dan. It is the perfect medium for some of your applications. I think with my attempt, that our air was sooo wet for two solid weeks. Plus you really have to mix the two parts thoroughly. They also gave me a thickening powder, which helped a lot. My first piece dried in about 4 hours. The other piece took a week! I let them dry a full week before painting just to be safe. They are holding up fine outside so far. The grand opening is this weekend. Love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Jill Apparently the stuff Steve markets will even dry just as quick SUBMERGED UNDER WATER. Its about a chemical reaction, not exposureto the air. Temperature does make a difference though... the warmer it is the faster this stuff kicks.
Best of all the product had an indefinite shelf life and you can mix it in any quantity you need!
I've already reordered from Steve.... this time in a much bigger quantity. LOOK OUT WORLD!
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8739 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
While Raymond is napping my MultiCam is making chips and creating MAGIC! I wonder if his pea shooter also naps while Raymond sleeps.
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8739 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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Hmmmmmm, It says you can use this stuff on glass..... COOL!!!!!!!!
[ September 29, 2006, 11:35 PM: Message edited by: Kelly Thorson ]
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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More shameless Dixie plugs: Steve will be doing demos on MagicSculpt at the Dixie Meet in Suwanee GA Oct. 13-15. See him live and in person while he's still cheap......
-------------------- www.signcreations.net Sonny Franks Lilburn, GA 770-923-9933 Posts: 4116 | From: Lilburn, GA USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Kelly the nice part about this stuff is it can be used anywhere on anything.....except on silicon!
Sonny Man I am looking so forward to your show you have no idea......Not only a mental break but a break to let ever one in on who missed this unoffical launch at the Zoo.
-------------------- Steve Thomas Greer ABRACADABRA SIGNS & DESIGNS 102 Stanley St. Ayr, Ont. Canada Posts: 602 | From: Ayr, Ontario. Canada | Registered: Mar 2004
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-------------------- 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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