Cleaning:
Use warm water and a mild detergent (washing-up liquid or shampoo are ideal). Immerse the item in the warm water and wipe gently with a clean cloth before rinsing thoroughly. Then carefully dry the item with a lint-free tea-towel/cloth. Do not use paper towels.
If rubbed too harshly any dirt left on the surface may cause scratches.
DO NOT USE ammonia based products, solvents, window cleaners, thinners, acetones, petrol, or kitchen scourers.
With Mirror Acrylic, extra care is needed to protect the backing. Any scratches to this will remove the mirrored finish.
Polishing
Micro-fibre cloths are perfect for polishing acrylic, and car-interior polish works very well.
Do not use furniture or window polish, and make sure the product is suitable for use on plastic.
Removing surface scratches
For light scratches, use a buffing compound such as car wax, or a good fine-grit product such as Novus 2 and 3, and lightly buff the item until the scratches disappear.
This method can also be applied to the front surface of Mirror Acrylic, but care is needed to avoid damaging the back (the mirrored surface)whilst buffing the front.
If looked after, Acrylic will continue to look as good as new for many years.
Acrylic can break if dropped, but otherwise is quite resilient, with the added benefit that it won't shatter like glass.
However, it is important to KEEP ALL ACRYLIC ITEMS AWAY FROM HEAT. In extreme cases, Acrylic can go floppy if left too near a heat source.
http://www.designacrylics.co.uk/
Sunday, 11 July 2010
Careful attention should be given to wedding cake stands. The wedding cake always plays one of the most interesting and special parts of the wedding reception. The wedding cake should be placed in a prominent and focal position for all to see as the bride and groom cut the cake . Therefor, a good and stable wedding cake stand should be used
Most important is to know your cake sizes and that it will fit the stands. Also that the stand is able to take the weight.
Types of Wedding Cake Stands
One of the most popular styles is the three-tiered wedding cake, it will require a stand capable to hold this style of cake, this normally a square or round stand. As most wedding cakes are three-tier, wedding cake stands are often either a) an unraised cake plate; b) a plateau stand (flat or raised uniformly off the table); or c) a pedestal (raised in the center by some sort of pillar) stand. Glass, acrylic, ceramic, china, metal and even single-use Styrofoam cake stands can be used. To accommodate the wide variations of the traditional wedding cake, there are many styles of wedding cake stands available
Grouped Arrangements of Wedding Cakes
Wedding cake stands come in all sorts and types and are also available for grouped arrangements of wedding cakes. This allows each cake to be displayed individually on its own stand, and the stands are usually staggered in various heights for a beautiful presentation. This type of cake stand allows cakes to be displayed in a variety of ways: in stair-step format, in a rounded appearance (symmetrically with tallest in back and shortest stands in front), in a cascading appearance, or in an asymmetrical grouping. The design options are ample to satisfy all requirements.
Separate wedding cake stands arranged in these types of groupings create a wonderful effect and work well with intricate and individually decorated cakes. Shapes that are non-traditional also work well in this format because they can be displayed individually. Keep in mind if you choose a cake stand of this nature you will need a cake table with ample room to display the cakes.
If in doubt to what stand to use ,your cake maker of local bakery will offer useful advice.
http://www.designacrylics.co.uk/
Most important is to know your cake sizes and that it will fit the stands. Also that the stand is able to take the weight.
Types of Wedding Cake Stands
One of the most popular styles is the three-tiered wedding cake, it will require a stand capable to hold this style of cake, this normally a square or round stand. As most wedding cakes are three-tier, wedding cake stands are often either a) an unraised cake plate; b) a plateau stand (flat or raised uniformly off the table); or c) a pedestal (raised in the center by some sort of pillar) stand. Glass, acrylic, ceramic, china, metal and even single-use Styrofoam cake stands can be used. To accommodate the wide variations of the traditional wedding cake, there are many styles of wedding cake stands available
Grouped Arrangements of Wedding Cakes
Wedding cake stands come in all sorts and types and are also available for grouped arrangements of wedding cakes. This allows each cake to be displayed individually on its own stand, and the stands are usually staggered in various heights for a beautiful presentation. This type of cake stand allows cakes to be displayed in a variety of ways: in stair-step format, in a rounded appearance (symmetrically with tallest in back and shortest stands in front), in a cascading appearance, or in an asymmetrical grouping. The design options are ample to satisfy all requirements.
Separate wedding cake stands arranged in these types of groupings create a wonderful effect and work well with intricate and individually decorated cakes. Shapes that are non-traditional also work well in this format because they can be displayed individually. Keep in mind if you choose a cake stand of this nature you will need a cake table with ample room to display the cakes.
If in doubt to what stand to use ,your cake maker of local bakery will offer useful advice.
http://www.designacrylics.co.uk/
Stacked Wedding Cake Construction - Our guide
Unlike wedding cakes with tiers that are separated by plates and pillars, the tiers on a stacked wedding cake appear to rest directly on top of one another. This is just an illusion since the cakes actually rest on a system of hidden pillars and plates. To stack a multi-tiered cake without plates and pillars is a very risky proposition with the weight of each cake.
Stacked cakes of more than 4 layers need some sort of support in the form of plates, spikes and/or dowels to keep the upper layers from sinking into the lower layers.
So whether your wedding cake will be stacked Victorian style (graduating round tiers) or à la chic with fondant covered gift-box style tiers, here are the basics:
To create a perfectly constructed tower rather than an experiment on the effects of gravity on cake and icing, you can either use a purchased set of cake plates and spikes, or you can build your own system using cardboard cake plates and dowels.
To build your own system, pick up some 3-4 mm round acrylic cake dowels (or other food safe dowels) and a hammer (yes, even if you failed high school Woodshop) and follow these tips:
1. Plan the dowels' placement by centering a cake plate the size of the next cake to be placed on top of the bottom cake, and then marking the spot by pressing down gently on the plate.
2. Within the boundaries of these markings, insert four evenly spaced dowels. Insert the first dowel straight down through to the bottom of the cake and mark the dowel even with the top of the cake. Pull out the dowel and, using wire cutters, cut off at the mark. Cut three more the same height. Then push the dowels straight down into the cake in the places you marked so that they form a square inside the circle. (Be sure the dowels are perfectly even with the top of the cake for the best support.)
3. Place your next smaller tier on a round cake board of the same size, and then place it on top of the bottom tier. The dowels will prevent the top tier from sinking into the bottom tier.
4. Measure the next set of dowels from the bottom of the bottom cake to the top of the top cake. Cut the dowel at an angle to taper the end and cut it so that it is just slightly shorter than the height of the two bottom cakes. Insert the dowels tapered end first straight down through the cake. When the dowel stops at the first cake board, give it a firm tap with the hammer to break through the board down to the bottom of the cake. To prevent the hammer from landing in the icing, place another small section of dowel end to end with the measured dowel to hammer it into position.
5. Finally, ice over the little blemish to hide the tip of the dowel, and your tower construction is finished! You can rest easy knowing that your wedding cake is stable enough to withstand the forces of gravity. No more nightmares!
http://www.designacrylics.co.uk
Stacked cakes of more than 4 layers need some sort of support in the form of plates, spikes and/or dowels to keep the upper layers from sinking into the lower layers.
So whether your wedding cake will be stacked Victorian style (graduating round tiers) or à la chic with fondant covered gift-box style tiers, here are the basics:
To create a perfectly constructed tower rather than an experiment on the effects of gravity on cake and icing, you can either use a purchased set of cake plates and spikes, or you can build your own system using cardboard cake plates and dowels.
To build your own system, pick up some 3-4 mm round acrylic cake dowels (or other food safe dowels) and a hammer (yes, even if you failed high school Woodshop) and follow these tips:
1. Plan the dowels' placement by centering a cake plate the size of the next cake to be placed on top of the bottom cake, and then marking the spot by pressing down gently on the plate.
2. Within the boundaries of these markings, insert four evenly spaced dowels. Insert the first dowel straight down through to the bottom of the cake and mark the dowel even with the top of the cake. Pull out the dowel and, using wire cutters, cut off at the mark. Cut three more the same height. Then push the dowels straight down into the cake in the places you marked so that they form a square inside the circle. (Be sure the dowels are perfectly even with the top of the cake for the best support.)
3. Place your next smaller tier on a round cake board of the same size, and then place it on top of the bottom tier. The dowels will prevent the top tier from sinking into the bottom tier.
4. Measure the next set of dowels from the bottom of the bottom cake to the top of the top cake. Cut the dowel at an angle to taper the end and cut it so that it is just slightly shorter than the height of the two bottom cakes. Insert the dowels tapered end first straight down through the cake. When the dowel stops at the first cake board, give it a firm tap with the hammer to break through the board down to the bottom of the cake. To prevent the hammer from landing in the icing, place another small section of dowel end to end with the measured dowel to hammer it into position.
5. Finally, ice over the little blemish to hide the tip of the dowel, and your tower construction is finished! You can rest easy knowing that your wedding cake is stable enough to withstand the forces of gravity. No more nightmares!
http://www.designacrylics.co.uk
Saturday, 3 July 2010
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