Hello all,
I'd like to share with you what I have learned
about making long-lasting sundial faces in color or black and white.
After extensive investigation on how to make the faces for my Sundial Cupola
tower, I have found out the following:
1. The only colored materials that last longer
than 100 years are these (not necessarily in this order):
a. stained glass
b. kiln-fired ceramics
c. baked porcelain enamels
2. The shortest lasting materials (< 10
or 15 years):
a. paints
b. adhesive vinyls (like on most
signs)
c. acrylics
3. Powercoating is a poor option
since it is almost impossible to apply two or more colors.
4. Anodized aluminum is ok and lasts a very
long time, but the colors and texture are not as nice as
porcelain.
4. No sundial makers that I can find offer
porcelain sundials for sale.
Here are my comments:
It's a shame that no dials are being made with
porcelain. After all, old clock faces were usually made from porcelain
and they've lasted hundreds of years. In the old days, a (usually white)
background was baked onto a metal sheet. Then the artwork was
painted on by hand (called an "overglaze") and the piece was fired
again. There are still artists that offer custom hand painted
porcelain. But there exists a new computerized photographic
process that allows you to overglaze with an exact copy of a drawing or
photograph. It's a wonderful process, and much cheaper and more exact
than the hand-painted ones. And it's not too expensive!
My cupola sundial faces will be made
with this photographic technique. These four round 21" (53cm)
faces will have my DeltaCad/Photoshop drawings (in pdf
files) baked onto a white porcelain background on a 14 gauge sheet of
stainless steel. These will go into copper frames. I was quoted
a very good price of only $175.00 for each face (this doesn't include the
cost of the steel sheet).
If the first sample comes out nicely, I hope to
add porcelain dials to my product line of sundials. Then I can offer
sundials in full durable color! (By the way, to attach the triangular
copper sheet gnomons to the face, I will cut to slots in the steel before
the porcelain is fired on. Two flaps on the bottom of the gnomon
will go through the slots on the steel sheet to be bolted to an angle
iron that's attached the back side.)
Some of you may want to consider using
porcelain covered steel for your next sundial project. The name of the
company who is doing the work is: Photo-Tech Inc. at http://www.phototech.websbest.com/
So far, they are the only ones I've found that
do this technique.
John
John L. Carmichael
Sundial Sculptures
925
E. Foothills Dr.
Tucson AZ 85718-4716
USA
Tel:
520-6961709
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
