I might need some help...

[Perry]

Hi folks.
It is with a saddened heart that I come this community for assistance. I am about to cut one of the most important and difficult pieces yet. An officer/husband/father of 2 young girls was gunned down, in the line of duty, in my home city of Windsor ON, Canada this week. This fine individual was also a woodworker whom I had the pleasure of working beside on some projects. (Check out the soapstone engravings on our blog site www.woodnmore.blogspot.com). I have coming to me shortly a photograph of John Atkinson and a photo of his badge. I am trying to come up with some sort of layout of a plaque to give to the grieving family. I thought about cutting both the badge and photo using PVC, much the same way that you have been cutting corian with the relief images. I have yet to try this method using PCW. Any suggestions on material(s). My original idea is to use oak, but maybe a corian light box would be better? Size? Finishing?
Any suggestions would be appreciated. The service is scheduled for this Thursday May 11, 2006. I would like it done by then but reality is that it may not happen. It is expected to have 10,000 people or more in attendance.

I am just a small operator of a partime woodworking shop, but I feel a need to do this.
Thanks for letting me "air".

[Paul Z]

You have mail

[BrianM]

Hi Perry,

That is an extremely sad story, and if there is anything Tony or I can do to assist we would be more than willing to help. Unfortunately both of us have more of an engineering background than artistic, so other people may be able to help you out more with a design. We could cut you a memorial plaque in brass with the equipment we have here, but with shipping from the U.K, I doubt we could get it to you in time for Thursday. If you send us the photo’s when you receive them we will have a look and send you some possible designs.

Regards

Brian.

[Perry]

Thanks Brian. I still have yet to receive the images I asked for, so I don't think that Thurs. is viable now. Regardless, I do intend on carving something (if only to serve as a means of closure for myself). This Constable was a hell of a guy. You can read some write-ups about him at www.windsorstar.com. He is the first officer to be killed in the line of duty here in the past 120 yrs. Windsors pop. is est. 240 000 people.
I feel the city has truly lost its innocence.

The service for this officer is expected to have in attendance of 10 000+ due to his ties with homeland security and such.

When I do get something layed out, I will bounce it off you folks to critique.
Thank you Everyone!

[dighsx]

Perry, if you need any thing feel free to ask. I'm 12 miles north of Detroit so we're pretty close.

Jay

[Perry]

Thanks for the support dighsx <sp?>

I just may take you up on that, being so close an all.

Went to viewing today. Stood in line for 90 minutes just to get up close to say goodbye. I got there within the first hour. Most people were at work.
Wreaths had arrived from all over Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Chicago, New York from various law enforcement agencies.

John's widow and uncle remembered me so that was kind of comforting.

Still no pictures, so I'm thinking to wait a bit and approach one of John's family about it.

Thanks again one and all. It is nice to have a place to socialize and express some of my thoughts (and frustrations).

[RoutnAbout]

Perry do you have any ideas how your wanting to lay it out.
You might toss out some ideas and maybe we can toss in our ideas to make this extra special.


Don

[Perry]

Hi Don. I did a rough drawing of what I was thinking. Please critique, modify, repost if you wish.
Thanks

[RoutnAbout]

Perry,

I think that you've done an excellent job laying this out.
Are you going to use PhotoVcarve for the portrait?
Maybe the department can give you a badge to place on the plaque.

I think if you carved all of this into a light colored marbled Corian, and paint the voids with black, Then place the badge next to the portrait would make a good combination.

Again it looks like a very good layout.


Don

Sorry for the delay in replying. Have been working double shift this past week. It seems our short on tools or breaking them. Imagine that.

[Perry]

Thanks Don.
Yes my idea was to attempt a "relief" carving of the badge , centered on the left square, and a "relief" of John on the right. I am having a hard time getting my hands on some corian. I thought maybe some white oak, and as you stated Don, use a dark/black fill for the vcarved text and fill the pocket around the text at the bottom with black.

I wasn't able to make the funeral today but I understand that multiple police forces, schools and businesses lined the streets to form a huge colour guard. Very fitting for this individual.

I shall give the family and friends a couple of days before I return for my quest for the images.
Thanks again for the reply.

[js11110]

If your looking for corian, you can get it all day long on eBay. Cheap too. Usually 6 sink cutouts for $15.00 or so.

Jason