Cheese Safes - Little Miss Moffat Must Have Had One!

The art of Cheese making goes back at least 4000 years, although no-one knows who the first person to make cheese was.

It is thought that an Arab merchant who was about to cross a desert put some milk in his pouch, so he could quench his thirst during the crossing.

 Polmac Cheese Safe For: Harrods Ltd

However, because of the intense heat, the milk turned to curd and whey during the crossing. In the evening he tried the resulting mixture.

The whey satisfied his thirst and the curd his hunger. The curd had an unusual but delightful taste which he liked!

Since then, cheese making has turned into a huge, global industry, which in some countries consumes a third of all milk production. 

Cheese of course is best eaten fresh and keeping it fresh has always been a challenge. 

Most people today in the know, keep their cheese in the fridge, wrapped in paper, or parchment to allow it to 'breathe' and to protect it from other strong food odours!

Cheese safes are used when the cheese is taken out of the fridge, to bring it up to room temperature, so it will taste at it’s best.

Once the cheese is inside the cheese safe, it can be stored in a cool pantry or cellar, for short periods until ready to be eaten!

Polmac (UK) Ltd cheese safes are made from food compatible, natural beechwood, with fly proof, metal mesh sides.

There are four, raised legs at the corners, to allow air circulation around the whole of the cheese safe. 

The hinged lid is located at the top and is secured with a metal ‘hook’ fastener, for ease of opening.

Inside the cheese safe there is a natural beech, cheese board with a long handle grip at the centre, to allow the cheese to be quickly and easily taken out, when required!

Polmac cheese safes are custom made to order and can be overprinted with a logo or text, using screen printing, metallic foil blocking and laser engraving techniques, if a more personalized, branded finish is required! 

http://www.polmacuk.com

Laser Engraving Colour Infill - Printing At It's Best!

Laser engraving is a specialised printing method used to apply company logos or text onto wood and acrylic products, for an exquisite and personalised branded finish.  

Laser engraving however, can be enhanced considerably by adding colour and is just one of the printing techniques Polmac (UK) Ltd uses to print onto it’s custom made, wood presentation boxes and packaging.

 Laser Engraving Over Masking Tape

The surface of the wood is first sealed with a clear lacquer finish to prevent the paint ‘bleeding’ onto the wood. 

Masking tape, with a weak adhesive application, used to mask paintwork, is an excellent masking medium. However, it's important to ensure the masking tape can be removed quickly and easily after painting, to prevent the paint lifting.

A special paper mask can also be applied to the engraving area and smoothed down with a squeegee to remove any air bubbles underneath. This is done by applying pressure at the centre of the paper mask and working out towards the edges.  

After laser engraving, the squeegee is used again to remove any air bubbles that may have been missed and to smooth down any paper edges that have curled up.

 

The depth of the engraving should not be too shallow or too deep. If too shallow, the paint may not be deep enough to hold the paint filling. If too deep, it may be difficult to work into the engraved crevices.

On average, the depth of the engraving should be about the thickness of a standard metal staple.  

Heavy body, acrylic paint in various colours is then carefully applied to the engraving, using a flat head paint brush, a large ‘Q-tip’ cotton swab, or a squeegee.

                                                  Applying Acrylic Paint With A Squeegee              

 

The paint is carefully worked into the engraving, to ensure all the crevices are filled with acrylic paint. Once this process is completed the engraving is set aside and the paint allowed to dry.

Before the paint is completely dry, the masking tape, or paper mask is carefully removed by lifting the corners and working towards the centre. If the paint is completely dry, there is a danger it will adhere too strongly to the masking tape, or paper mask and may ‘lift’ the paint from the engraving. 

                                                             Removing Masking Tape

After the masking tape, or paper mask is removed, ‘weeding’ takes place, using a sharp scalpel, or craft knife. This process removes any excess paper mask, or paint still on the wood surface. 

 Weeding Excess Masking Tape & Paint

Excess paint can also be removed by careful scrubbing with a damp cloth, if the paint is not too dry. However, if this process is unsuccessful, excess paper, or paint can be removed by careful, fine sanding. 

http://www.polmacuk.com 

Corrugated Carboard - A Dynamic Packaging Solution!

Corrugated cardboard packaging is used around the world today because it is cost effective, has good impact and vibration resistance for goods in transit and can easily be over-printed.

 The term ‘corrugated’ comes from the fluted and sandwiched inner layer of cardboard. Corrugated cardboard is made of two to seven layers of corrugated paper. These corrugated layers are glued together with layers of straight paper. 

Corrugated Cardboard Boxes

In 1871 an American, Albert Jones, inspired by the pleats in women's skirts patented the first corrugated board, as a creative way of packaging glass bottles.

It was thought that the first corrugating cardboard machine was made from old Civil War cannons.

Three years later Oliver Long improved the Jones design by adding a solid board, creating a two-ply solution. The first European factory began producing cardboard in London, in 1883.

Since then, new technology has considerably improved quality and introduced innovations in cardboard design.

Individually Wrapped Wooden Boxes

Corrugated cardboard has good impact and vibration resistance because the corrugations can absorb    severe impact, which minimizes the chances of damaging the goods inside.

Corrugated cardoard is designed for stacking. It withstands top and side pressure, is crush-resistant and has tear, tensile and burst strength, to withstand shipping pressures. 

Corrugated cardboard provides uniform stacking and weight distribution. For additional 'stackability' stiff, vertical plastic strips are sometimes provided, to reinforce the corners of palleted loads.

Cardboard has low water resistance, which can be overcome by treating the cardboard with a water resistant solution, or by shrink wrapping the cartons with water-proof polythene sheeting, on pallets.

Corrugated cardboard is the most re-cycled, packaging material by weight in the world, greatly reducing the amount that’s discarded, so provides an effective, environmental packaging solution. 

Polmac (UK) Ltd uses five-ply, impact resistant, corrugated cardboard cartons, shrink wrapped and paletted as standard, to transport your custom made, wood presentation boxes to the UK. 

To prevent abrasion damage in transit, your wood boxes are also individually wrapped in white paper. This ensures they are delivered in pristine condition!

http://www.polmacuk.com