Thursday, January 5, 2017

Humans of Downey - Vincent

Vincent Rose Float 2016

"Rose Float construction always has its challenges. One year the challenge was we had to make panthers. To make them, we had to screen them and I had never screened before. First, it's wire frame welded out. Then you have to put glue on it. Then you have to put screen on it. It has a mesh the size of a window screen. Then you have to put glue on it again which is a very sticky glue, not your ordinary glue. And it only goes on the metal. Then you use cardboard to smooth it out and wait for it to go while the glue is sticking to your hands. All the while, the little metal pieces are pocking into your hands throughout the process. Then you have to spray on a cocooning material and then you can paint it after that dries. But it kept bending and moving and I'm breaking and not working. You don't know what's right or wrong, what works or doesn't work. It was quite a challenge. Then they come by and tell you how great it is and all of a sudden you're the expert and then I'm in charge. So, I went from a little help to being in charge of the panthers.

"They said, 'You did such a good job could you do it over here? Oh, and could you do it faster? Because now we have to attach the head to the body.' There were three iron bars sticking out of the body and the head was made out of foam, so you had to push the head onto the iron bars. Then you had to screen the neck area where the two forms met. When the construction was all done, then the painters made me look great."
~ Vincent

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