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Pros and Cons of Acrylic Trophy Plaques

The term “acrylic” refers to a product that is made with a substance derived from acrylic acid or any related compound such as polymethyl methacrylate. It usually has a glass-like appearance and comes with many amazing properties that make acrylic a better alternative than glass in many scenarios. One of the common uses of acrylic can be seen in custom trophy plaques, as acrylic can easily be customized and personalized as per the needs of the customer.

Different Types of Acrylic

There are mainly two types of acrylic material – extruded and cast. Extruded acrylic is produced through a process wherein the manufacturers push liquid plastic through specialized rollers. The liquid plastic is pressed into sheets by the rollers as it cools. This creates a softer acrylic sheet, which can be designed and shaped as per the requirements of the manufacturer. Extrusion is also a relatively economical process, which makes the final product easy on the pocket. That is why this type of acrylic material is more commonly available in the market.

The main drawback of extruded acrylic sheets is that because they are softer, they can get scratched very easily. In some cases, extruded acrylic sheets might contain some impurities as well. On the other hand, cast acrylic is generally considered to be of superior quality when compared to extruded acrylic. Yet their better quality comes with a higher price tag as well. To make cast acrylic products, single sheets are first produced by pressing liquid plastic using a mold, which is usually made of glass. It then goes through a slow heating process, which produces a stronger acrylic sheet to be cut and shaped as per the needs of the manufacturer.

Pros and Cons of Opting for Acrylic Trophy Plaques

There are numerous consumer products these days, which are made from extruded or cast acrylic. The most common examples of acrylic products would be shower doors, windows, bath enclosures, skylights, aquariums, and trophy plaques. The main advantage of acrylic is that it is far much stronger than glass, which makes it more resistant to damages from impacts. Although it would still break or chip due to heavy impact, it would be more durable than using glass in the same environment. Besides, acrylic also insulates much better than glass, which means that installing acrylic windows at your home would help to save a lot on your monthly bills.

Acrylic also has incredible clarity and allows around 95% of visible light to pass through it easily. It does not carry any green tint either, which is usually seen in all kinds of glass products. However, the clarity of acrylic would be dependent on the final product, as acrylic sheets can also be colored in different hues intended for its use too. In any case, acrylic weathers decently, which keeps its clarity maintained over its long life without turning yellowish or breaking down due to exposure to sunlight for prolonged hours.

Another key benefit of opting for acrylic trophy plaques is that they would weigh half as much as glass awards and trophies of the same size and shape. This makes it easy to display acrylic trophies on the office desk or corner shelves. Besides, the lightweight nature of acrylic also makes it easy for trophy manufacturers to work with the material to create bigger designer projects where weight could pose a problem. Moreover, acrylic sheets having a thickness of over 1 inch could also be bullet resistant. This is why acrylic material is seen to be used for the presidential motorcade, teller enclosures at banks, the pope’s booth-vehicle, and many drive-through window enclosures. As it is a very durable material, acrylic is used in aircraft windows as well.

Even though acrylic features unmatched durability, it can still be shaped as per the needs of the user. Nonetheless, as extruded acrylic can crack or get chipped when it is machined, most of the top-quality acrylic products are made from cast acrylic material. At the same time, any type of acrylic products can be made without seams, because the chemical welding would melt the seams at the molecular level and make it a single piece of solid material. Even if there were any visible seams, they would be polished by the manufacturer to make it virtually invisible in the final product.

As for the disadvantages of acrylic, there are two prominent ones to note; the first one being its higher price when compared to glass and the other its vulnerability against extreme heat. Acrylic products would melt if exposed to direct flame and would release toxic fumes. That is why it is required to take adequate safety precautions when cutting or bending acrylic sheets. Note that some people presume that acrylic would become yellowish, brittle, or crack over time. However, these are just misconceptions and can only be true if you buy cheap forms of thermoplastic products. There would not be any such concern when you buy high-quality custom acrylic trophy plaques.

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A Dive Deep into the History of the Ashes Trophy

The Ashes is one of the most renowned competitions in international cricket. The Test match series is played between England and Australia every year for the prestigious Ashes trophy.

The first-ever Test match was played between the two teams in the year 1877, although the Ashes legend was born in the year 1882. That year, the Australian team played only a single Test match at The Oval, London. The wicket was difficult and it was a low-scoring match. Australia made just 63 runs in the first innings, while England scored 101 runs in theirs, taking a 38-run lead. In the second innings, Australia managed to get to 122 runs, so England just needed 85 runs to win the match.

It was almost assured that the Englishmen would dominate the second innings, but the Australian team was determined to turn things around because of an unsporting incident that happened in the previous innings. It was a moment of controversy when England champion William Gilbert Grace had run out Australian batsman Samuel Percy Jones even though he was not trying to complete a run. This infuriated the Australians, especially Fred Spofforth, who was their finest pace bowler at the time. “The Demon Bowler” Spofforth assured his teammates that, “this thing can be done”.

After an hour of the final innings, England were still the favorites to win the match, needing just 34 runs with 7 wickets in hand. Grace was still at the crease and it seemed certain to go their way. However, things took an interesting turn when Grace’s wicket fell, which led to the collapse of the rest of the batsmen. Eventually, the English team fell short of the target by just 7 runs. This was one of the most infamous defeats of the English team, which eventually led to one of the biggest rivalries in cricketing history.

The Obituary

After seeing how the Australian team emerged as champions on English soil for the first time, a young London journalist named Reginald Shirley Brooks wrote a mock obituary in the Sporting Times. It said, “In affectionate remembrance of English cricket which died at The Oval, 29th August 1882. Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances, RIP. NB The body will be cremated and the Ashes were taken to Australia.” This sparked the initial flame to have a bilateral Test series, although it is said that arrangements were already made for the English team to play in Australia, even before the historic defeat at The Oval.

Led by Hon. Ivo Bligh, 8th Earl of Darnley, the England team came back with a bang after losing the first match in Australia. As they won the Test series, it became generally accepted that the Englishmen brought the Ashes back home. This led to the inception of the highly esteemed Ashes trophy.

The Urn

For a long time, it was believed that the Ashes trophy, a small urn that contained the ashes of a bail that was used in the final match between England and Australia in Melbourne, was presented to Ivo Bligh after they won the series. However, recent reports suggest that the urn was gifted to him even before the Test series had begun. Australian socialite and philanthropist, Lady Clarke, presented the small urn containing ashes to Bligh after the conclusion of a social match that he played at Sir William Clarke’s Rupertswood estate in Sunbury, Victoria.

There have been several theories regarding what was burned to create the ashes in the urn – a stump, a bail, a ball’s cover, and even the Lady’s veil. No matter what it was, the modest gift became one of the most iconic cricketing trophies ever created. The Ashes urn was in Ivo Bligh’s possession until his death in the year 1927. After his demise, his wife Florence Morphy donated it to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).

The Legend

The Ashes urn, although not officially recognized as a cricket trophy, is one of the most celebrated artifacts in sports. The original urn is kept at the Lord’s Cricket Ground, which attracts more than 50,000 visitors each year to the MCC museum. The text on the Ashes urn reads, “When Ivo goes back with the urn, the urn; Studds, Steel, Read and Tylecote return, return; The welkin will ring loud, The great crowd will feel proud, Seeing Barlow and Bates with the urn, the urn; And the rest coming home with the urn.”

Although it initially started as a joke by the media and involved opposing players, the Ashes legend eventually became one of the most renowned icons of cricketing history. A replica of the urn was made in the year 1998-99 in order to preserve the original Ashes urn. It now serves as the Ashes trophy, which is given to the winning team of the cricket Test series between Australia and England.

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Common FAQs on Engraving Crystal Trophies

Engraving on crystal trophies is one of the simplest ways to add a personal touch and create a personalized custom award. Aside from text, you can also engrave logos and images on crystal awards to make it more special to the recipient. Below are some of the most common FAQs regarding engraving on crystal trophies.

How Much Text Can I Engrave on Personalized Trophies?

This depends upon the size of the crystal trophy plaques. As each award is customized differently, there is no standard limit on text and characters that can be engraved on the trophy. However, it would be better to stick to the template and design offered by the custom trophy maker to get the best results. Trophy makers would have created the template based on the size and shape of the trophy and would have enough spacing on each side for whatever text or image you would like to place within reason.

What are the Best Colors to Use on Crystal Trophy Plaques?

You can engrave text and characters on personalized trophies in any desired color. As crystal trophies do not have a tint of green hue as that seen in glass trophy plaques, you can decide on any color that fits your personal preferences on the award. Generally, custom trophy manufacturers offer engraving in red, yellow, green, orange, blue, purple, brown, as well as gold and metallic silver. You can even have the company logo engraved on the crystal trophy in its native colors.

Is it Possible to Engrave on Both Sides of Trophy Plaques?

You can engrave on multiple sides of trophies as per your needs. This, in fact, makes the award even more personalized. Yet again, it would be better to consult with the custom trophy maker to understand to what extent you can engrave on both sides of crystal awards. That is because crystal trophy plaques are optically more transparent and not as favorable to multiple side engraving as the awards made from wood or metal are.

What are the Best Fonts to Use on Personalized Trophies?

It is better to use sans-serif fonts on crystal trophies to get a clearer result. Yet again, it is not mandatory and you can choose any font you like. Most of the trophy manufacturers recommend going with 12-point font size, but that too would depend upon the engraving area as well as the amount of text to be added on the trophy. You can refer to the proof of your design and make any changes required before the award is engraved.

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Most Popular Corporate Awards For The End Of The Year

The end of the year is the time when you would generally start planning for the next year’s goals. However, it should also be the time to look back on past achievements of the current year and take a moment to recognize and appreciate those who played a part in reaching those milestones. Giving employee awards at the end of the year can be a boost for the top performers to dedicate themselves a bit more toward the future of the company. So make sure to hand out the below employee awards to the deserving candidates before transitioning into the new year.

Employee of the Year

The “Employee of the Year” award is a great way to motivate everyone in your company to perform better. Give this to the employee who never compromised on the quality of his/her work and brought great results for your company. When choosing the award, make sure that it has good quality, features your company logo, and mentions the achievement of the employee. You can make it even more special by including the name of the employee and a simple thank you or motivational quote on the trophy plaque.

Best Customer Service

No company can survive in today’s competitive world without offering good customer service. If your company does not have polite and friendly customer service representatives it can easily ruin the reputation of your business and might even lead to potential revenue losses. So select the best customer service employee in your company and appreciate their contribution toward the success of your business with the “Best Customer Service” award.

Top Salesperson of the Year

The “Top Salesperson of the Year” or “Top Marketer of the Year” award would honor the time and effort put forth by the employee to reach more customers and promote your business. Recognizing the best salesman/saleswoman in your company for his/her skills would surely inspire others to go that extra mile and perform better in the upcoming days. You can choose glass or acrylic trophy plaques for this award.

Team Impact Award

If your company were in the services industry, then you would surely have a team of employees to take care of specific tasks. Find the team that played a big role in the overall success of your company this year and give them the “Team Impact Award” to recognize their contribution. This award can also be given to your employees for the completion of a special project, on reaching a specific target, or for any other particular team accomplishment.

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Different Types of Personalized Trophies Made from Wood

Trophies and awards can be given a unique touch with personalization which is why most people prefer buying custom trophies online these days. While you can get personalized trophies in all the common materials that are used to make trophies and awards there is a timeless appeal when it comes to using wood. Wooden trophies and plaques are easy to engrave using traditional engraving or modern laser engraving methods, allowing you to add almost anything onto the trophy and add to both its character and worth. What’s more, you can get many types of personalized trophies made from wood as well which makes it all the much easier to choose one that’s perfect either for use in a corporate setting or for your loved one.  Below are some of the different applications of wooden trophies and awards today.

Wooden Trophies for Employees

Wooden trophies are one of the easiest ways to portray your appreciation for an employee’s achievement in the company. In a corporate environment, wooden trophies not only stand tall as one of the best recognition awards but they also promote the concept of an eco-friendly lifestyle among the staff members. No matter whether it is an award for an accomplishment or a retirement gift, custom wooden trophies add great meaning for the one receiving it. You can easily engrave a personal congratulations or a farewell message onto wooden trophy plaques as well to make it an even more cherished momento to the recipient.

Wooden Trophies for Personal Use

Wooden trophies also make the best gifts that you can give to your loved ones on any occasion. Personalized trophy plaques can also be a unique gift idea for a wedding reception while giving them as a birthday gift can make the recipient feel more valued. You can also give custom wooden trophies and awards as a graduation gift, a retirement gift, or a small token of love to your family members to celebrate the festive season. Wooden trophies can also be designed in funny styles, making them a perfect gift for anniversaries as well.

Wooden Trophies for Students

Wooden trophies can be the most simple and wonderful way of admiring a student for his/her accomplishment. Be it in academics or sports, custom-designed wooden trophies and awards can serve the purpose of celebrating the achievement of the student in the best way. Besides, it also works to motivate other students to try hard and receive the trophy the following year. You can easily add the school name, logo, the sports or academic achievement of the student, and an inspirational quote on wooden trophy plaques.

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Interesting Facts About The US Open Trophy

The US Open Trophy is one of the most coveted awards in golf and is given to the winner of the United States Open Championship golf tournament. It is the second oldest trophy of all professional major golf championships which makes the prestige of earning this coveted trophy even more of an achievement. Below are some interesting facts about the US Open trophy.

The Name

Most of the trophies in popular sports tournaments are known by their names, such as the Stanley Cup for NHL and Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy for NBA. While many of the major golf championship trophies are also known by their names, such as the Claret Jug for British Open, and the Wanamaker Trophy for PGA Championship, the US Open Trophy was never named. It just stands for the tournament, the US Open Championship.

The Size and Shape 

The US Open Trophy is made of sterling silver, featuring two handles on the sides and a solid base. It is 18 inches tall and six inches in diameter, and it weighs around 8.5 lbs. It has “United States Golf Association Open Championship” engraved on one side, with a laurel wreath engraved beneath that surrounds a scene depicting four golfers. There is a winged, female figure on top of the trophy cup’s lid representing Victoria the Goddess of Victory.

The current US Open trophy dates back to the year 1947 where it was first awarded to Lew Worsham by the United States Golf Association. It is a replica of the original US Open trophy, which was designed by the Gorham Company in the year 1895, for the first-ever US Open golf championship. The original US Open trophy was destroyed in a fire accident in 1946.

The Winners

The names of US Open Golf Championship winners are engraved around the base of the trophy. The name of the winner is usually engraved right after the end of the tournament. The new champion can also watch the engraving process and specify how their name should be engraved on the trophy. If there was no longer any room for engraving the name of the new winner on the trophy’s base, it would be replaced by another sterling silver base.

The winner of the US Open tournament is allowed to take the personalized trophy home and display it as part of their trophies and awards collection for one year. They are then required to return the championship trophy to the USGA before the start of the next year’s US Open golf tournament. Aside from the trophy the winner also gets the Jack Nicklaus Gold Medal which they get to keep for life.