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We can create unique signage and gifts from practically any stone you can think of: granite, marble, slate, limestone, soapstone, travertine, engineered stone, porcelain or ceramic tiles!
Here are just some materials we've cut using waterjet technology to create our designs - with great success!
Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel was accidentally discovered in 1913 by English metallurgist Harry Brearly. While working on a project to improve rifle barrels he realised that adding chromium to low carbon steel gave it stain resistance!
The result is that stainless steel resists rust, or stains 'less' than other types of steel.
There are a variety of different grades of stainless steels which can be produced in a variety of finishes and textures and can even be tinted over a broad spectrum of colours.
We have used Stainless Steel quite extensively in our house signs and commercial signage as well as in our range of unique, customised gifts.
Top of pageGranite is a common and widely-occurring type igneous rock and formed from magma from deep within the Earth, and is usually a white or buff colour and medium to coarse grained. Granites can be pink to dark gray or even black, depending on their chemistry and mineralogy. Granite is nearly always massive, hard and tough, and it is for this reason it has gained widespread use as a construction stone.
Ancient Egyptians put Granite to good use building several of the world's most famous pyramids such as The Red Pyramid, third largest of the Egyptian pyramids, built in the 26th century BC. This certainly demonstrates the durability of this versatile material!
Nowadays Granite is used extensively as house and commercial signage as well as flooring tiles in public and commercial buildings and monuments. It has also begun to be used instead of Marble as a monument material, since it is much more durable.
Top of pageIn ancient times marble was a favourite medium for Greek and Roman sculptors and architects, and has become a cultural symbol of tradition and refined taste. Its extremely varied and colourful patterns make it a popular decorative material.
Top of pageThe word ceramic is derived from the Greek word keramikos, "having to do with pottery". Although ceramics can be difficult to work with, as they're hard, porous and brittle, waterjet cutting technology allows Poseidon Design to cut intricate designs in this material, creating mosaics for example. One such mosaic will shortly be on display at Dalwhinnie Distillery, near Newtonmore, Scotland - home of the famous Dalwhinnie single malt.
Top of pageIn its pure form glass is transparent, strong and hard-wearing. The colour of "natural glass" is green to bluish green. This colour is caused by naturally occurring iron impurities in the sand, which is one of the ingredients. Coloured glass can be made by adding metallic compounds and mineral oxides to produce brilliant hues of red, green, and blue.
We can cut or pierce delicate glass works using waterjet technology.
Top of pageTitanium was discovered in England by Reverend William Gregor in 1791. Titanium is a light, strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant metal with a white-silvery-metallic colour. It is as strong as steel, but 43% lighter. It's also 60% heavier than aluminium but twice as strong! Titanium very resistant to the usual kinds of metal fatigue.
Top of pageBrass is the term used for alloys of copper and zinc and has a yellow colour, rather similar to gold. Relatively resistant to tarnishing, it is often used as decoration.
Known to man since prehistoric times, Brass is a versatile manufacturing material because of its hardness and workability.
There are several different types of Brass but the one we prefer to use in our house and commercial signage is "Admiralty Brass" or "Naval Brass".
Top of pageThe term "Exotic alloy" covers a wide range of material types including alloys of aluminium, iron, nickel, copper, tin, lead - to name but a few! We can cut through with virtually any exotic alloy using waterjet cutting technology.
Top of pageSlate is a fine-grained, homogeneous, rock often made into roofing because it has two lines of breakability: cleavage and grain. We created a stunning house sign recently from some slate that was leftover from making a fireplace and combined it with stainless steel - you can see it in our Basswood House Sign page.
Top of pageTiles are often used to form wall and floor coverings, and can range from simple square tiles to complex mosaics. Tiles are most often made from ceramic, which is brittle and difficult to cut with conventional cutting tools. Not with waterjet cutting technology though!
We've just completed a mosaic for Dalwhinnie Distillery - take a look!
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