Thursday I started making a mold of the left side of the major capitals that originally graced the four corners of the rotunda. This will give us a correct starting point for the recreation of the complete capitals. The center area is missing on all four capitals. By having a replica of both sides of the capital will give us a beginning. We are making a rubber mold of the original plaster surface and when complete we can then cast an exact replica of the original allowing us to set up each side on our work table in the shop in Lubbock without removing the original elements from the wall. It is a messy process spraying rubber on the surface. Especially since most of the capital is upside down.
The spray on rubber is a product of Smooth-on. It is a polyurethane rubber that comes in a kit designed to fit in their spray gun. Called easy spray 45. It has a mixing tube that correctly mixes the two components and sprays the prepared product on the surface. It sets up very fast so once you start you must continue without getting too thick and causing the rubber to run. It will take several coats to build up enough thickness and to fill in the undercuts. It however is very messy so I have taped up plastic around the edges and will wear protective clothing. This created a tough problem for some other professionals, the cameramen Jeffry Mills and Nash Baker.
They are producing a documentary on the restoration and wanted to film this part of the process. So they had to work around me 28 feet high up on the scaffold trying hard not to get the rubber on their expensive equipment and climbing all over the scaffolding trying to get the right angle to show the process. They even climbed up into the attic and shot out of a hole in the wall where an old ventilation duct used to be. They are true professionals and are passionate about their work.
The spray on rubber is a product of Smooth-on. It is a polyurethane rubber that comes in a kit designed to fit in their spray gun. Called easy spray 45. It has a mixing tube that correctly mixes the two components and sprays the prepared product on the surface. It sets up very fast so once you start you must continue without getting too thick and causing the rubber to run. It will take several coats to build up enough thickness and to fill in the undercuts. It however is very messy so I have taped up plastic around the edges and will wear protective clothing. This created a tough problem for some other professionals, the cameramen Jeffry Mills and Nash Baker.
They are producing a documentary on the restoration and wanted to film this part of the process. So they had to work around me 28 feet high up on the scaffold trying hard not to get the rubber on their expensive equipment and climbing all over the scaffolding trying to get the right angle to show the process. They even climbed up into the attic and shot out of a hole in the wall where an old ventilation duct used to be. They are true professionals and are passionate about their work.
Their company Io Communications is a documentary and corporate communications production company that specializes in historical and educational films. It is also involved in several broadcast documentaries for PBS through its nonprofit organization, Documentary Alliance org. Io is headquartered in Houston and was founded in 1983.
Io's involvement with the Harris County 1910 Courthouse restoration is to produce a one-hour documentary film and a coffee table book that documents and puts into historical context Harris County's restoration of this architectural gem in downtown Houston. Io was hired by Vaughn Construction who has had a long association with the country on construction projects and is this project's general contractor.
There team members include Jeffrey Mills, Producer/Director for the film and writer for the book, Barbara Mills, Animator for the film and Graphic Designer for the book, and Nash Baker (http://www.nashbaker.com) photographer for the book.
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