Dedicated to the creation of world class acrylic globes and spheres, highly skilled American artisans hand-fashion each Artline globe for unsurpassed quality. State-of-the art technology allows us to offer a lifetime guarantee of quality and craftsmanship.
Beginning with museum quality cast acrylic sheets, each is cut to size, checked for optical clarity, and prepared for hand application of the graphics. Each acrylic globe design begins with specially developed, hand-drawn polar azimuthal projection cartography. Once the cartographer has approved the projection, it is transferred from the original cartography to a photographic film master. This original film work is then transferred into a specialized silk-screen image. Each color applied to the sphere requires individual silk-screen. Depending on the sphere to be created, this process can require 8 to 18 separate hand operations. Each piece is then carefully inspected and passed on to the thermal process.
At this step, each piece must be heat soaked for several hours at high temperatures. Then, with the skilled eye of a highly trained craftsperson, each piece is fitted into a blowing tool which uses only air pressure to create the hemisphere. To assure optical clarity, the hemispheres are free-blown, similar to glass-blowing techniques. Literally, each acrylic globe is slightly different from any other. The hemispheres are then passed to the hands of the trimmer.
Here the two hemispheres are trimmed of any excess material, then carefully matched to creat a complete sphere. Next, the acrylic globe spheres are thoroughly cleaned and polished to remove any residue from the manufacturing process.
Then, the highly skilled acrylic globe maker makes the final fitting and bonds the two hemispheres, making a complete sphere. The globe maker then signs and dates a Certificate of Authenticity, personally certifying the quality and appearance of each acrylic globe. Finally, the product is individually packed and prepared for shipment.
Each Artline Globe reflects a standard of excellence not achievable with today's mass production techniques. From the multi-colored silk-screening tot he meticulous blowing, shaping, and finishing, each acrylic globe is proudly passed from the hands of the craftspeople to yours.
