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Showing posts with label decorated boxes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label decorated boxes. Show all posts

Friday, 17 October 2014

Decorating Wood Boxes Using Traditional Craft Techniques!

Decorating wooden boxes by hand can be fun and very satisfying and there are many techniques and processes developed over the years that can be used to create visually stunning, decorative effects.

Pyrography is one of the traditional techniques used to provide special, decorative features, motifs and effects on wooden boxes and can also be used as a base for other decorations. 


                                Polmac Treasure Chests With Pyrographic Decorative Motifs 

 A hand held, electric pyrographic tool is used to literally burn decorative shapes onto wood, to create original patterns and textures that can then be over painted with natural wood and colour stains and / or block colours!

Metal strip inlay is a technique that uses flexible, thin gauge, corrugated, or plain brass or nickel plated metal strips, as lines to create patterns, shapes, decorative motifs and borders.

A thin groove is cut into the wood and the metal strips tapped in, flush with the surface of the wood. Any raised edges are then, ‘sanded’ off, on a special sanding machine, to provide a flush, even finish on the wood surface.

 
                          Polmac Stationery Boxes With Pyrographic & Metal Strip Inlay Motifs
 
Traditional hand carving techniques are also used to create textured areas, motifs and patterns, using special, hand carving tools!

Polmac (UK) Ltd supplies decorated wood boxes that are custom-made to order, using traditional hand carving, metal strip inlay and pyrographic techniques. The boxes are finished using wood stains, as well as solid block colours, in a range of vibrant colours.  

You can choose an existing pattern, or alternatively, we can help you design your own decorated boxes, using our specialized knowledge and expertise, to maximize your company branding and product sales!


 

Wednesday, 3 September 2014

The Enduring Qualities of Alder Wood!

Alder is one of the high quality, base woods that, Polmac (UK) Ltd uses to manufactures many of it's wood, presentation boxes and packaging, including decorated boxes, that are custom-made to order, to our customers exact requirements! 

Alder Trees


Alder trees are widespread throughout Europe and particularly in Poland, in the mountainous south of the country, where the wood is derived and can grow to 30m or more! 

They are normally found on the banks of rivers and streams and in damp / cool conditions, such as marshes and wet woodland.

The wood itself has a warm, reddish brown colour, with good grain character  and is relatively soft compared to most hardwoods.

Polmac, Alder Wood, Decorated Boxes

Alder wood is easily worked by hand, or machine and is not very susceptible to shrinkage or cracking after drying/curing, which is a great advantage, when making wooden boxes!

Alder wood provides an excellent base for wood staining, as an alternative to more expensive, high-grade woods! 

There are a wide range of natural, wood stain finishes, including oak, mahogany and maple. Indeed, many people are amazed at the astonishing effects that natural, wood stain finishes can provide!

Natural, Wood Stain Finishes

There are also many colour stain finishes, such as red, blue, green and yellow, that provide a fresh, vibrant quality, that many people prefer.


 Wood, Colour Stain Finishes

Alder wood is also an excellent wood for carving, because it can be easily worked, using hand tools, as well as wood turning machines. This means that intricate decorations and motifs can be carved into the wood, providing visually stunning effects!  

In addition to presentation boxes and decorated boxes, Alder wood has many other uses, such as furniture, cabinet making, smoking salmon and clogs. It's said that if you place a few Alder leaves on the clogs, they will keep your feet cool and prevent swelling, on a long journey!

The Alder tree is thought to have other mysterious qualities. The dye from Alder tree blossom for example, produces a green dye and is said to have provided the 'Lincoln Green' colour for Robin Hood's clothing, when he was fighting the wicked Prince John, in Sherwood Forest!

When cut, Alder wood has a reddish colour, not dissimilar to the colour of blood and is thought to give the impression of 'bleeding'. For this reason, many Irish people think it's bad luck to pass an Alder tree, when they're out on their travels!


    

    





 

  





Thursday, 14 August 2014

First World War Wooden Box With Carved Sides Found!

Polmac (UK) Ltd supplies customized, wood, presentation boxes, including decorated boxes, that are finished using highly skilled wood carving, inlay and pyrographic techniques. This is a very time consuming and specialist process but the results can be spectacular! 

 Polmac Decorated Boxes

We were therefore impressed when we came across this short article about a man called Peter Peterson, who as a prisoner of war in the First World War, carved a beautiful pattern on the side of a box, in his spare time.     

It's not known what tools he used but they must have been rudimentary - a pen knife maybe, so the result is doubly impressive. 

The following is the short article we found...

Found amongst my father's possessions. The box is 30 x 20 x 7.5 cm, with carved sides. On the base of the box is scratched "PoW 110. Peter Peterson. FELTHAM 1916".



It makes me think about the first world war, the boredom of the life of a prisoner of war. I find myself wondering whether PoWs were allowed to make craft objects that were then put up for sale, or whether it was just a personal possession.

I wonder about Peter Peterson himself. Since we have his PoW number, could he be traced?