The View From Our Window
We were delighted to welcome the crew from INMIST Media House to our shop today. They'll be spending some time here this week and then producing a short video for the front page of our new web site. Their mandate was to capture what we do and then put together a ninety second video to tell it concisely and with style.
It's a tall order but Dawson and RJ have a good eye and we look forward to seeing the results of their efforts very soon.
It is great fun to build features in concrete. Each time the process is the same. First we weld a structural frame, then a subframe which is slightly undersize. Galvanized mesh is fastened to this frame and then the real magic begins. A special mix of fiberglass reinforced concrete is troweled on no less than three quarters of an inch. In key spots where we want to carve deeper the mud is piled on, something that takes a great deal of skill and practice. This giant lumpy pile of mud is allowed to cure for just the right time.
Once the mud sets to the perfect consistency it is time to carve using a variety of hand tools. The big strokes are done first, roughing things to size, smoothing off the trowel marks as necessary. Then the joints between pieces and different levels are sculpted in. Gradually we work towards the smaller details, switching tools and techniques as necessary to get whatever texture we desire. Often more than one person carved different sides or ends of the same piece and if the concrete is hardening fast the whole crew crowds in on a single feature to get it done before it turns to stone. Care must be taken to ensure everyone's work blends seamlessly from one end to the other. All through we continually push what we know and experiment to make it better than ever before. Each piece is a teaching and learning environment.
The end result is pure mud magic.
Mud was flying all day as more features got their sculpted skins. Two operator's booths, some rocks and the bottom portion of the stump roof got the treatment.
The parking lot is quickly being emptied of welded and wired features as they get their concrete skins. The two forty foot containers are busy being loaded with finished pieces. It's tricky to move the heavy features into position, lift them off their temporary wheels, bolt them to the transport frames and them slide them into the containers. The forklift and the tractor help with the muscle power. As planned, it all fit with mere inches to spare.
Custom Design & Construction
