New Zealand Glass Artist Darren Burch
Custom made 21st key's **How far would you go to make your clients happy? I would go to great lengths. After numerous telephone conversations, they finally approved my 21st key concept, and price was not a concern. Glass with intricate cutouts could easily be achieved with a laser cutter (which uses high-pressure water). However, considering that 21st keys of this nature are handled extensively during celebrations, there's a risk of breakage. To address this, I opted for two layers of durable and lightweight plastic perspex: one in a mirrored finish and the other in clear. Both pieces were precision-cut using a laser cutter, although it took several attempts and file format exchanges to make it compatible with their cutting machine. The entire design was created by me using Corel Draw and, once approved, I proceeded to cut it out using my vinyl cutting machine. For the wooden base, I enlisted the expertise of a friend who did an outstanding job. We incorpor