Acrylic Domes

As well as our standard stock range of clear acrylic hemispheres, we have a custom make service where we can make specials in non stock sizes and colours. Our clients requested opal acrylic dishes 1200mm diameter so that graphics could be applied in the flat and then using special techniques developed in-house, the dishes are blown with the graphics stretching to the desired shape. A very cost effective method of decorating dished diffusers.

James Designs, a Fluid Dynamicist, required a 800mm diameter sphere in 20mm clear acrylic to allow him to create an interactive water centrifuge. The weight of water was calculated to be approx 275kg and the water was spinning creating extra forces on the joint. The centrifuge reacted via motion sensors to the activities of people going in and out of a London office reception. The busier the office, the more calming the water display and visa versa.

An interesting display wall at an exhibition utilising clear acrylic domes and capsules to create an eye catching visually powerful wall of light, shapes and colour for an otherwise difficult product to advertise.

Pharmaceutical company Astellas approached exhibition designers Photosound for something unusual for their stand. We produced an offset acrylic dish blown in 8 segments in opal PETG. Each segment required separate tooling to be constructed for each shape and then these shapes were free blown within a frame and trimmed to fit.

To coincide with the smoking ban in England on July 1st and the Faculty of Public Health annual conference, we were commissioned to produce a large ashtray constructed from a large and small dome cemented together. Another example of clever usage of our standard stock Teedy domes.

Our domes are often used as display cases but it is slightly rarer that one encloses a 24ct gold, perfectly-detailed sculpture of the Statue of Liberty, hand-carved within the eye of a needle. This is one of a collection of breathtaking microscopic statues which are the work of internationally-renowned 'micro-artist' Willard Wigan who uses the specially-commissioned domes as an integral part of his art. To see images of the artist's incredible and unique work go to www.willard-wigan.com

The domes are used as housings for the microscopes necessary to see the sculptures that are virtually invisible to the naked eye. These unique vitrines are crafted by Wigan's long-standing design partner, Jerry Elford who uses specially designed optics in order to allow the viewer the to see the work. He describes Talbot's domes as making a "necessary and valuable contribution to the work".