Making Ice for the Curling Club Part 3

 After painting, we add water to seal the paint in before topping off the ice. We are still adding water to cover the hack plates. These are sealed in the ice so that we can add removable hacks-this allows us to scrape the ice without having to go around anything.

We install the "button" which is a small plastic piece centered in each house so that when it's unclear which rock is outscoring another we can put the measuring device into it and use a tool like a compass to measure pressure against each rock to see which is closer.  

We also take down the protective plastic barriers around the ice.

Then we get started painting the houses.  We use that button to put the end of our stick compass tool in to paint lines. 

  

Then we use a horsehair broom to paint between the lines made by the tool.

The far end houses are a standard blue 12 foot circle and a red 4 foot circle.  Some advertisers on the glass end houses get a color that matches the advertising.

Then we put in the advertising houses.  If the advertiser is new, we cut the plastic mesh it's printed on.

Then we tack it down by spraying some water on it.  The large houses are 2 peices that are lined up using registry lines at the edge of the centers. After lining up we sprinkle water down and smooth with a paint roller.

We use the same method to add the rectangular advertising in the ice.  Advertising in the ice is a huge fundraiser. Approx $20,000 was raised with this advertising.  Advertisers pay a one-time set up fee to get printed, then a renewal fee each year.

After the houses are in, we lay down yarn for sheet dividers (black) center lines (red) and the hog line (red) and back lines (black)  They are measured and attached to eyelets and then tacked down with water.

After the yarn is laid for the hogline, it's hand painted with a brush.

Then we put on this sprayer with about 4-5 gallons of water and a 5-10 pound motor in it.  So it weighs 40-50 pounds. And we spray the yarn lines, advertising and paint so that when we flood and scrape we don't hit anything with the scraper.  Since I'm the low woman on the totem pole I did this for about 4 hours straight. Next year I'll download a book to listen to.

Then by hand and with a wet mop, all the end and side boards are cleaned to remove any leftover paint on them.

Then we flood several times with more water to build up the surface over all our markings to protect it all when we make the ice.

After flooding we pebble, then scrape over and over until we are satisfied we have a level sheet of ice to work with.

Now it's time for open house and leagues to start!!!