Behind The Scenes With Dwyer Kilcollin, USC Grad Student

When we were contacted by Dwyer Kilcollin, inquiring about whether we could help her bring an art concept to life with a donation of Precision Board Plus HDU, we were only too happy to help. Especially when she told us about the complex project she had planned.

As part of the thesis for her MFA, Dwyer wanted to explore the role of volume and mass in sculpture. To bring this idea to reality, she decided to build a thesis exhibition titled “Stein is Sein”, which is German for “Rock Is Being.”

Part of the exhibition consists of a cornerstone piece named “Winter”, which was made from Precison Board Plus. The first thing she did was design a 3-d model in RhinoCAM using a combination of algorithms and built-up shapes. Dwyer then had the Precision Board PBLT-15 CNC milled to the CAD file.

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The unique pattern was created by using a projector to map the contours onto the Precision Board Plus with a pencil. After that, Dwyer used the pencil lines as a guide to apply the urethane/sand mixture to specific areas to come up with the pattern. Next, she coated the milled piece with Johnson paste wax, which also doubled as a mold release, and used it as a mold to cast a mix of urethane resin and silica sand.

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“I am interested in understanding how our physical relationship to objects is affected by the language of images and the increasing accessibility of virtual space. The title of my show, Stein is Sein, posits the philosophical assertion that material (stone, or stein), is the root of existence (sein). In the work, I attempt to restructure the role of mass, surface and pigment in both physical and virtual sculptures so that they might build a new relationship to these objects.” -Dwyer Kilcollin

Be sure to take a look at Dwyer’s website, http://www.dwyerkilcollin.com to see more amazing art!

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Waterjet Benefits For Your Sign Shop

Waterjets have been becoming increasingly more popular in sign shops due to their ability to cut any type of material that comes in the door. 

As any sign shop owner will tell you, you can never predict the next job that is going to come in the door. Having the capability to cut anything is a great addition to any “shop arsenal.”

A previous blog featured an OMAX Waterjet cutting out the Coastal Enterprises logo from a piece of PBLT-30. Today we are going to show another example of how a waterjet can be used for a signage application.

This giant letter “A” was cut out using an OMAX 60120 Waterjet with a 40hp pump. This waterjet has a 0.0016 orifice nozzle, 0.0042 diameter mixing tube, and Barton Garnet as cutting media.

Not only is cutting time reduced with a waterjet, they also work well in a sign shop environment because the taper-control features and accuracy allow them to cut laminated materials with ease. CNC routers, lasers and plasma cutters are also limited in their ability to cut certain thicknesses and types of material (unlike a waterjet).

OMAX Corporation was founded in 1993 by Dr. John Cheung, and Dr. John Olsen and have been manufacturing waterjets ever since. Within the industry, OMAX is the only waterjet provider that designs and produces its own pump, nozzle, cutting table, machine controller and control software. All OMAX and MAXIEM waterjets are made in the USA, and they will be celebrating their 20th anniversary in August of this year, see their website for more details on this event.

If you would like more info, please contact Mr. Kimball Smith at OMAX Corporation: (253) 872-2300.

Building The Perfect Bunny: Soha Sign Co. Tells All

Hopper’s House Historic Cottage is the proud owner of a new, great-looking sign boasting a depiction of the loyal guardian bunny “Hopper.”

Crafted by the creative minds at Soha Sign Co., the Hopper’s House sign is as sturdy as it is beautiful. Mike Starks, owner of Soha Sign Co., has been building signs for 25 years and was not taking any chances with this sign located on the coast.

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The rough shape of the sign was cut on a CNC router by Joe Finn using Precision Board Plus PBLT-15 HDU, while the finer details were hand-carved by Heath DeWallace. FSC-88WB was used to prime, followed by a 1-shot mixture paint job, followed up with a custom wash to add depth in some of the more detailed areas of our friend Hopper. For a final and realistic touch, whiskers were added using stainless steel wire.

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To make sure it would stand up in the wind, the sign is backed with a 1/4″ aluminum composite sheet for durability. In turn, the entire sign is attached to a steel post, which was powder coated to also withstand the elements. A heavy post needs a sturdy base, so Mike cemented it into rebar and finished the installation with powder coated, self-tapping, vandal-resistant, stainless steel screws.

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Needless to say, this sign isn’t going anywhere soon!

If you find yourself in need of a beautiful sign, be sure to contact Soha Sign Co. And, if your looking for a relaxing, Cannon Beach, Oregon vacation, you might want to check out Hopper’s House!

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Silver Creek Signworks Serene Signage Setting

Dick Bohrer, owner of Silver Creek Signworks and member of the elite “Walldogs” group of mural artists recently sent us pictures of some great signs he made for a resort last Fall using Precision Board Plus HDU.

Dick’s signs spends their days in the serene setting of the Leech Lake Resort Lodge in Walker, MN. Renowned for its hunting, fishing and hiking, Leech Lake experiences harsh weather during the winter so the signs needed to be able to resist moisture and withstand extreme temperatures. To guard against these elements, Dick chose to use Precision Board Plus PBLT-15 HDU, the proven Cold Weather Warrior.

The Precision Board was cut using what Dick calls the “BAR” technique (Brain Assisted handheld Router). After routing, the finished touches were added to the larger sign by a light sandblasting with a wire frame to create an authentic wood look.

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To additionally protect them from high winds or other acts of nature, Dick sanded a sheet of Di-Bond with a coarse sandpaper and attached it to the Precision Board using PB Bond-240. The hand-carved paddles are also each backed with Di-Bond as a precaution. To add texture to the directional and trading post signs, a v-gouge and spoon gouge were used to add a hand carved look. Dick wrapped up the job with several coats of Nova Color paint, which is one of his favorites because of the high pigment content.

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An additional sign Dick made for the lodge:

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Dick also sent over this group of pictures showing how one can quickly and easily add a wood -grain finish to Precision Board Plus HDU by using a wire brush.

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Dick Bohrer has been making signs since 1976 and Silver Creek Signworks is a full-serivice sign shop ready to tackle any signage project you can dream of! Be sure to visit his website for more information: http://silvercreeksignworks.com.

PBLT-15 HDU Is Going To The X Games!

Check out the sneak preview of an upcoming project currently underway by Art Sign Works! Owner Enrique Valenzuela sent us in process pictures of a Red Bull sign he’s constructing for the X Games.

This project is rather large, and the sign will measure 12′ x 20′ x 18″ thick once complete! Enrique is using PBLT-15 HDU cut on his ShopBot CNC for this massive sign and as you can see from the pics, this will be an awesome project to watch unfold! Be sure to check in for updates! (You’ll also be seeing it soon at one of the upcoming X-Games!)

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Enrique Valenzuela crouching by the sign’s massive support structure.

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