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Restoring a Rare Find Using Free Form® Sculpting Epoxy Putty
For over 40 years, Tim Bennett's hobby has always been treasure hunting at garage and yard sales. He often acquires sculpture or 3-D art that needs minor repair, restores it and sells it for a profit. Tim recently came across a mirror with a fantasy themed frame featuring two highly detailed dragons. Purchase price; $10.00. Damage to the frame was mild to moderate with some sections missing entirely. Tim figured that he could make at least 10 times what he paid for the piece if it could be repaired and restored. He called the Smooth-On technical help line looking for options. Smooth-On had just introduced a new sculpt-able epoxy putty called Free Form® Earth. It is a sister product to Free Form® Air lightweight epoxy putty that Tim had used in the past for sculpture projects, to create lightweight masks, armatures and more. The new Free Form® Earth is more precise as a sculpting medium than the Free Form® Air and better suited for this type of project.
Mirror with damaged frame as it was purchased from yard sale. The broken parts are identified.

1 - Mirror with damaged frame as it was purchased from yard sale. The broken parts are identified.
 The missing wing will be recreated first.

2 - The missing wing will be recreated first.
 Cardboard is going to be used as an armature to support Free Form Earth® sculptable putty.

3 - Cardboard is going to be used as an armature to support Free Form Earth® sculptable putty.
A marker is used to trace the outline of the broken piece onto the cardboard.

4 - A marker is used to trace the outline of the broken piece onto the cardboard.
 Once the outline of the broken area is complete, the general shape of the wing is then sketched onto the cardboard.

5 - Once the outline of the broken area is complete, the general shape of the wing is then sketched onto the cardboard.
 The cardboard shape is cut out and test fitted onto the dragon.

6 - The cardboard shape is cut out and test fitted onto the dragon.
Super Instant® Epoxy is mixed and applied to the edge of the cardboard.

7 - Super Instant® Epoxy is mixed and applied to the edge of the cardboard.
 The cardboard armature is glued into place and held momentarily as the epoxy sets.

8 - The cardboard armature is glued into place and held momentarily as the epoxy sets.
 A piece of wooden dowel will be used as an armature for the missing dragon horn.

9 - A piece of wooden dowel will be used as an armature for the missing dragon horn.
As with the wing, the dowel is marked, fitted and cut to the desired length for the horn.

10 - As with the wing, the dowel is marked, fitted and cut to the desired length for the horn.
 Super Instant® Epoxy is used to glue the dowel into place for sculpting purposes.

11 - Super Instant® Epoxy is used to glue the dowel into place for sculpting purposes.
 The bottom gargoyle wing gets the same treatment as the dragon wing, and is glued in place.

12 - The bottom gargoyle wing gets the same treatment as the dragon wing, and is glued in place.
Finally, the broken end of the other dragon wing is fitted with a small cardboard armature.

13 - Finally, the broken end of the other dragon wing is fitted with a small cardboard armature.
 The armatures are all epoxied into place and ready for the application of Free Form Earth® Epoxy Putty.

14 - The armatures are all epoxied into place and ready for the application of Free Form Earth® Epoxy Putty.
 Free Form Earth® is a 1:1 epoxy putty that blends together easily when water is added to it.

15 - Free Form Earth® is a 1:1 epoxy putty that blends together easily when water is added to it.
Equal parts of putty are dispensed out of the containers.

16 - Equal parts of putty are dispensed out of the containers.
 Free Form Earth® is immersed in water prior to blending together to achieve maximum work-ability.

17 - Free Form Earth® is immersed in water prior to blending together to achieve maximum work-ability.
A and B are blended carefully together by hand.

18 - A and B are blended carefully together by hand.
Once a uniform color is achieved, Free Form Earth® is ready to be applied.

19 - Once a uniform color is achieved, Free Form Earth® is ready to be applied.
 Free Form Earth® is fitted onto the cardboard armature and blended into the existing piece.

20 - Free Form Earth® is fitted onto the cardboard armature and blended into the existing piece.
 Water is used to smooth out the Putty and ensures that nothing sticks to the sculpting tools.

21 - Water is used to smooth out the Putty and ensures that nothing sticks to the sculpting tools.
Sculpting tools are dipped into water prior to using them to sculpt Free Form Earth®. Water helps smooth the Free Form Earth® as well as sculpt fine detail.

22 - Sculpting tools are dipped into water prior to using them to sculpt Free Form Earth®. Water helps smooth the Free Form Earth® as well as sculpt fine detail.
 The wet tool works easily to sculpt the Putty.

23 - The wet tool works easily to sculpt the Putty.
 The smooth, consistent nature of the Free Form Earth® allows detail to be sculpted on the surface easily and efficiently.

24 - The smooth, consistent nature of the Free Form Earth® allows detail to be sculpted on the surface easily and efficiently.
A long potlife coupled with ease of workablity, makes quick work of an otherwise tedious process.

25 - A long potlife coupled with ease of workablity, makes quick work of an otherwise tedious process.
 The dragon horn is quickly restored with a couple spritzes of water and a few touches of the sculpting tool against the Free Form Earth®.

26 - The dragon horn is quickly restored with a couple spritzes of water and a few touches of the sculpting tool against the Free Form Earth®.
 More Free Form Earth® is applied to the broken wing bottom.

27 - More Free Form Earth® is applied to the broken wing bottom.
The gargoyle wing is repaired using the same technique.

28 - The gargoyle wing is repaired using the same technique.
 Once sculpting is finished, tools, hands. and surfaces can easily and safely be cleaned up using Smooth-On E-POX-EE KLEEN-ER®.

29 - Once sculpting is finished, tools, hands. and surfaces can easily and safely be cleaned up using Smooth-On E-POX-EE KLEEN-ER®.
 A small amount of KLEEN-ER® is dispensed in a disposable cup.

30 - A small amount of KLEEN-ER® is dispensed in a disposable cup.
A chip brushed dipped into the E-POX-EE KLEEN-ER® is brushed onto the tool or any surface that may contain uncured Free Form Earth®.

31 - A chip brushed dipped into the E-POX-EE KLEEN-ER® is brushed onto the tool or any surface that may contain uncured Free Form Earth®.
 After an overnight cure, the Free Form Earth® is strong enough to be shaped with a grinding wheel if necessary.

32 - After an overnight cure, the Free Form Earth® is strong enough to be shaped with a grinding wheel if necessary.
 The piece is cured, strong and ready for primer.

33 - The piece is cured, strong and ready for primer.
Masking tape is applied in areas to protect the piece from primer over spray.

34 - Masking tape is applied in areas to protect the piece from primer over spray.
Once all areas are masked, a plastic primer is applied to Free Form Earth®.

35 - Once all areas are masked, a plastic primer is applied to Free Form Earth®.
A thorough coat of primer will enable paint to stick to the Free Form Earth®.

36 - A thorough coat of primer will enable paint to stick to the Free Form Earth®.
Once the primer has fully dried, tape can be safely removed for painting.

37 - Once the primer has fully dried, tape can be safely removed for painting.
 How to paint the primered Free Form Earth® is up to the end user; for this piece, a combination of airbrush and paint brush will give us the desired finished effects.

38 - How to paint the primered Free Form Earth® is up to the end user; for this piece, a combination of airbrush and paint brush will give us the desired finished effects.
 A base coat of paint is applied to the wing, closely matching and blending to match the original paint.

39 - A base coat of paint is applied to the wing, closely matching and blending to match the original paint.
Other areas of similar color are also sprayed.

40 - Other areas of similar color are also sprayed.
 More paint is mixed and color matched to the existing piece.

41 - More paint is mixed and color matched to the existing piece.
 All remaining areas are paint finished.

42 - All remaining areas are paint finished.
A combination of dry brush and paint brush techniques are used to finish the painting process.

43 - A combination of dry brush and paint brush techniques are used to finish the painting process.
 The mirror frame is fully restored.

44 - The mirror frame is fully restored.
 Tim Bennett sold this mirror on ebay for $225.00. A net profit of about $175 after factoring in repair material costs.

45 - Tim Bennett sold this mirror on ebay for $225.00. A net profit of about $175 after factoring in repair material costs.

             
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