If you’ve even been to the seaside and bought a stick of rock, you may have seen a ring of letters at the end, spelling out the name of the resort...
And have you ever wondered how they get the ring of letters to run the whole length of the rock, so no matter where you break the rock, the lettering is always there and the words are always legible?
And have you ever wondered how they get the ring of letters to run the whole length of the rock, so no matter where you break the rock, the lettering is always there and the words are always legible?
Blackpool Lettering Rock
It takes a great deal of skill to form the lettering, as each letter has to be constructed individually and drawn into long lengths. The letters are then put together in a warm, pliable sugar mass, to form the words of the resort and the long rounded shape of the rock.
We're often asked a similar question about the mitred joints we use to construct our custom made, wooden boxes.
Mitred Side Panels Being Assembled
All our mitred joints have a small wooden ‘tongue’ inserted lengthways (just like the lettering in Blackpool rock) and at 90 degrees to the mitre. The question we’re often asked is...'How do you do that?'
The wooden tongue is designed to strengthen the joint and the whole process, like the application of lettering in rock, takes a lot of effort and skill!
Mitred Side Panels Being Carefully Tapped Together
First, the four side panels are mitred at 45 degrees at each end, to form the four corners of the wood boxes. Small, narrow grooves are then machined along the full length of each of the mitred ends. The grooves are cut to the full thickness and half the width of the ‘tongues’
A length of ‘tongue’ is then glued and tapped into one groove at each corner. This is repeated on the three remaining corners and any excess ‘tongue’ removed and sanded off flush.
Wooden Box Carcass In Press
The four mitred panels are then all glued and carefully tapped together, using a small hammer, taking care that the loose ends of the ‘tongues’ are inserted into the corresponding open grooves.
The whole box assembly is then placed in a special steel press for 24 hours. Once the glue has dried the mitred box 'carcass' is removed, perfectly square and ready for the application of the lid and base.
A fellow took my photograph, it cost one and three.
I said when it was done, 'Is that supposed to be me?'
'You've properly mucked it up - the only thing I can see
Is my little stick of Blackpool Rock.'
With My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock: George Formby
I said when it was done, 'Is that supposed to be me?'
'You've properly mucked it up - the only thing I can see
Is my little stick of Blackpool Rock.'
With My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock: George Formby
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