Marines and Vaseline

March 17, 2009 by Taylor Studios in General

A couple weeks ago, three of our fabricators journeyed to Virginia to mold several active duty Marines selected for a project at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. The Marines selected for this project were chosen because they have been in similar situations and their physical characteristics resemble the WWI Marines they portray. Our scope of work included sculpting 12 full-body life-cast figures in various poses.

Marc, Shawn, and Curt worked long hours in a building with little power and even less heat to complete the molding process. They went through nine vats of Vaseline, 12 boxes of latex gloves, a mile’s worth of bandages, and many gallons of their slush mixture from which the molds were made. To top it off, they experienced the area’s worst snow storm of the year and at one point, had to push a car out of the snow so they could get back to their hotel.

All in all it was a fun and productive trip our guys won’t soon forget. I’m sure the Marines they worked with feel the same as they were the ones covered in rubber goop sitting in the same position for long periods of time.

Thanks to the Museum for giving us the opportunity and thanks to the Marines for their cooperation, patience, and the job they do every day.

To see progress photos from their trip, check out the following link:

To learn more about one of the Marines involved in the process, check out his blog: