Mike Cowham wrote:
> Therefore I am asking for any other suggestions that may be more >appropriate. I am sure that several members of this list will have made >dials for the tropics and eagerly await their comments. > One possibility would be to make an 'incised' and reversed version of the dial using old fashioned cork lino' of the type used for lino' cuts. This stuff is easy to work, takes quite a deep cut and the various 'V' and 'U' tools required are available from art shops. If the finished result formed the bottom of s shallow wooden 'form' for concrete - or better still high-alumnia Ciment Fondu (that is the correct spelling if I remember correctly) - it could be poured to cast a permanent plate. I first met Ciment Fondue when used as a cheap substitute for bronze in casting statuary where it produced a superfine surface which could be wax polished. It must be mixed with exactly the prescribed amount of water or it 'rots' when exposed to a moist atmosphere as the roof beams of our local swimming pool proved where mixing had been by guesstimation. A thin layer applied by hand first would fill all the detail with plenty of agitation to avoid bubble cavities when backing up. Care would be required to stop the lino' floating upwards in the middle perhaps. I've not actually tried this technique but it might be worthy of experiment. Good Luck with this interesting project Mike. Tony Moss
