| Walt Degroot has been making molds and castings
for over ten years. He grew up with three-dimensional art. His father
is a talented sculptor who created many designs for nationally prominent
statuary manufacturers. Walter made molds for many of his father's pieces.
Walt's sister Ermalindas works with him at The Mold Shop. She has produced
pottery and has the same family appreciation for three-dimensional art.
Walt has produced many latex molds for the concrete
and plaster statuary trade. Recently, however, his business has begun
to expand into the architectural field where the castings are of a resin-
or polymer-reinforced cement. These materials require more dimensionally
stable molds that use polyurethane or silicone elastomers.
Brush-on molds are Walt's specialty. "With large
architectural molds, a brush-on mold is the most economical way to produce
the mold, both from material required and time needed to complete the
job," Walt said.
The Mold Shop will bid on complete jobs that
involve limited production of the finished piece as well. They do resin
fiberglass castings and produce parts in a proprietary exterior durable
GFRC (glass fiber reinforced cement). Walt will consult on a fee basis
in cases where actual moldmaking or production may not be required.
"Basket-case restoration is our specialty," said
Walt. He will tackle anything that is three dimensional. He works with
architects and display companies and has done jobs from as far away as
Florida and Oregon.
The Mold Shop has complete machine shop capability
with most woodworking machines that may be needed, including a bandsaw,
planer, jointer, router, shaper, sander, carving machine, and lathe. He
can turn objects as large as an 8-foot-diameter bowl or a 30-foot-long
column. The shop is also equipped with a rotocasting machine.
The Mold Shop can be reached by phone at (908)
284-2540 or by mail at 712 Pittstown Road, Frenchtown, NJ 08825 |
