Gorilla Glue Guilding

[knucklehead]

I recently aquired some of the little gold leaf sheets from Thailand, that they sell on e-bay. 10 packs, 100 sheets in each pack, minus about 20 sheets in one. I swapped a 12 pack of Bud Select for em, which was a gift, and I don't like Bud.

Now I've been wanting to try the gorilla glue guilding for a while, but didn't want to "experiment" with my good leaf. But, now I have this asian leaf for next to nothing, I say let the experimenting begin.

First I understand you let the glue expand for 15 minutes or so, then remove the mask, and guild the uncured glue. Can you use kaolin powder on the glue, like you can with size? If this works out, and I wanted to do an outdoor project, what would one topcoat it with, size, varnish, etc?

I'm gonna do my experimenting on a piece of glass right now, so I can just scrape off my first few failed experiments, which I'm sure there going to be a couple. Thanks in advance for any help. Mike

 

[Jillbeans]

Hi Mike.
Be careful because that stuff expands FAST. Faster still if you add water.
Not sure how well it will dry on glass.
Last year I got some dollar store mirrors for an auction project. The GG never dried properly on them and I had to pitch every one.
When I have done GG gilding for outdoor use, I just use slow size and regular gold leaf and I never clear or varnish it. I usually let it dry for a few days before sizing.
Sal Cabrera, the guy who I think invented this technique, gilds right away.
I have one sign that has been up about 5 years (my first attempt) it still looks good although it is a fascia sign under an awning.
Trial and error is the way to go with this stuff, start out small maybe on some aluminum or painted wood scraps.
If I can do it anyone can, although I have had some glaring errors.
Love....Jill

 

[knucklehead]

Thanks Jill. I think I'm going to try both ways, that's what experimentins all about.

 

[Jillbeans]

Just make sure to remove the masking ASAP.
I often cut an outline on the mask letters but don't weed it off.
I remove it quickly after filling the mask so I don't get a real sharp lip.
By the time that's removed, it's usually time to remove the whole thing!
Wait till you see how that stuff expands with water added.

 

[signmeup]

I have yet to see any lettering done with gorilla glue that looked like it was worth bothering with. You must be able to find a better use for gold. Do you have any pics of lettering done this way that look good? It always looks like gilded Cheetos to me. I guess I'm being negative....sorry.

I would be interested in hearing what the cheap Thai gold was like.

 

[Jillbeans]

What? You don't like shiny Cheetos?
(I agree, it does look like that)
After my last experiment with it I have decided it's not worth it.

 

[signmeup]

Eeek! The colours are nice....

 

[Patrick46]

I think the Magic sign looks wyld! I love signs made using different approaches....(car parts, body parts, old junk, etc...). They still need to have a good layout and be balanced though.

From what I've learned, the GG technique is not necessarily for signs to go on a bank (elegant, scrolly, formal, whatever...)...but is used for a funner, splashy look. I've seen it used on pinstripe panels and loved it!
I also believe that you guild directly on TOP of the GG, and there's no need to size it. It's sticky enough as it is. I've got an article on it in one of my 'striping magazines here somewhere......I'll see if I kin locate the article for ya.

 

[JoySigns]

gilded Cheetos, ha, ha. A perfect description. My attempts with this have failed.

 

[signmeup]

One thing I will say about Gorilla glue.... don't get any on ya! It's nasty stuff to get off. Acetone seems the best.

 

[Just Another Sign Guy]

I have yet to see any lettering done with gorilla glue that looked like it was worth bothering with. You must be able to find a better use for gold. Do you have any pics of lettering done this way that look good? It always looks like gilded Cheetos to me. I guess I'm being negative....sorry.

I would be interested in hearing what the cheap Thai gold was like.

i;ve got to agree..everytime i see this topic i cringe, i have seen some of the best in the industry experiment with this technique and it still looks like doo doo.

in my opinion it doesnt look like a gilded cheetoh but a gilded turd and even if you gild a turd, well it's still a turd.

 

[SignManiac]

I got great results once, but purely by accident. I sneezed and blew snot on my mask and the gold turned out beautiful. Snot has a longer open time compared to gorilla glue and it's all natural. Difference is, it looks more like gilded frosted flakes and has many more reflective facets and the gold looks more brilliant.

The only thing I've done that DOES look good, is gilding direct to self leveling table top epoxy. It comes out with a mirror finish. I've used it on raised letters on sandblasted signs but I can't say what the long term durability is. Inside stuff it's great.

 

[knucklehead]

Thanks for all the insights on "turd gilding". Having used a good bit of GG on wood projects, I know going in what it will look like. I've just read about it, and wanted to try. That's why I wasn't willing to use my good leaf. Now in order to try it, I've got to stop by the hardware store and get a little bottle of GG, seems mine is kinda solid.

The Thai leaf actually looks pretty good, real shiny, real small, like an inch x two inches. I'll see if I can get a pic of it next to regular leaf. Thanks Mike

 

[studio 440]

there is a water based product called wundasize been using for years dries fast .best used with dutch metal for real gold oil base size is best

 

[Freehandan]

Has anyone just used regular paint as a size or gold leaf adhesive?. I have done a few projects with that(not for glass though) and because I was using paint as well, I just pressed the leaf on the paint and left it b. One of the signs was stained and because I did not want to wait for the peice to dry before sizing and leafing- just pressed it into the tacky stain for the rest of its existance. Still holding fine and looking good last time I checked. I feel the whole sizing and clearing thing is over-rated and un0neccessary unless you are on glass. What tests and projects endorse the whole......Formal process folks seem to keep referring to? Any contrasts other than the GG farse?

 

[Si Allen]

The trouble with using paint to gild is that the paint gets brittle when old and the gold falls of due to thermal expansion and shrinking back.

Gold size is much more flexible.