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Leonardo,Vol. 5, pp. 47-48. Pergamon Press 1972. Printed in Great Britain A POLYESTER CASTING PROCESS FOR REPLICATING CLIFF SURFACES FOR ARTISTIC PURPOSES Manuel Bromberg* and Henry P. Raleigh** The first named author of this note set for himself the project to replicateparts of a forty-foot-highcliff in the CatskillMountains of the State of New York, for which he developedthe process describedbelow. The molding process was begun by waxing the face of a cliff part with a product called a ‘separator’ to easethe removalof a sprayedrubber mold. Holes and crevicesthat were too deepto receive the rubber spray were stuffed with paper. Then numerous coats of rubber solution were applied (cf. Fig. 1). To strengthen the rubber layer, which was too thin and brittle to withstanditsremoval, a urethanefoam was sprayed over the rubber. Most of the spraying devices were specially designed. Ten to fourteen *Artist living at Woodstock, N.Y. 12498,U.S.A. **Artist,Chairmanof theDivision of Art, StateUniversity College, New Paltz, N.Y. 12561, U.S.A. (Received 25 January 1971.) parts of thecliff were sprayedat atimeby aworkman standing in an elevatable bucket similar to that used for trimming trees (cf. Figs. 1 and 2). The molded parts were then cut from the cliff (cf. Fig. 2). Large molds were sliced into smaller parts to facilitate removal. The parts were then brought to the studio where the smaller ones were rejoined in groups of three or four. Each part was marked after being identified on photographs of the cliff surface. The assembled casting was then fixed, concave rubber-sideup, to a wooden armature with back props resemblinga large easel. Polyesterresin with a filler of wax and mixedwith Monzini colors (marbledust in resin made by Adhesive Products Co., New York) was then applied in several layers to the rubber mold. The colors were pre-mixedwith a catalyst for controlling the drying time. The initial coat, called the gel-coat, was Fig. 1. Preparation of elifsurface with the rubber solution. 47 48 M. Bromberg and H. P. Raleigh Fig. 2. Parts of mold being cut from cli# surfuce. brushed in the mold by hand. A specially designed spray gun was used to apply the subsequent c3ats, which contained chopped and ground fiber glass for reinforcement. The thickness of the resulting piece varies between $ to +in. The translucency of the final casting varies over its surface. Pleasing visual effects are obtained when the intensity and direction of projected Iights through the casting are Fig. 3. Clif part replica dedicated to the memory of Martin Luther Kirig at State Utiilicersity College of' New Paltz, 22 x 16 ft, 1970. changed. A system of programmed lights is now planned. A part of the cast cliff replica was exhibited in the 0.K. Garris Gallery in New York City in 1970. A second part has been donated to the State University College of New Paltz and is dedicated to the memory of Martin Luther King (cf. Fig. 3). ...

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