This prop has been in service around Portland for almost forty years. It had been recovered in a various materials over that time, and remnants of each iteration were inches thick in some places.
During the process of removing the top tier I discovered that it has been surreptitiously signed by various inhabitants over the years. The earliest mark I could find reads 1980.
- Replaced rotted, broken, and saggy frame components.
- Replaced broken casters. Increased number of wheels to 10 and moved them closer to the edges for better stability.
- Replaced top of first tier with 1/2″ plywood.
- Fabricated new split top and installed with hinges.
- Fabricated latch plates and installed red-handled lever latches in place of screw-and-hook gate hardware.
- Covered cake in 1/2″ EVA foam “frosting” with lavender decorations.
I used EVA foam floor mats to form the base layer of frosting. Then caulk and an auto-body filler spreader create the frostingy texture.
