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Removal of 10 ft panels up on lift

gnubler

Active Member
Any tips on removing 10 ft wide Lexan panels high up on a directory pylon sign? Replacing four of the panels with new ones and moving two existing ones to a different position on the sign. When pulling out the old ones, do you remove them in one piece, or cut them down with a saw as they're being pulled out? All the old ones are trash. We'll be up on a boom lift ranging from 15-25 ft high for this one.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
It's too dangerous to be cutting things that large up in the air. I highly doubt your insurance would cover you if a cut-off got away and decapitated someone. If you wanna be sure, take a second bucket along and have ample man & lift-power up there and work together.
 

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
I have two square tube "forks" on the bottom of the basket that we slide faces out and rest them on the forks. 10' is nothing, even in the wind... especially with two people. I refaced an entire multi-tenant sign yesterday, 26 panels in total, half were 12'... in the pouring rain. Took about 6 hours total because some of them didn't fit correctly.
 

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
Yea, once they get that big I use two trucks because those big faces always get hung up somewhere and you can't reach. I have one bucket and the other one acting as a crane operated from the ground. I did a 20' flat face with one bucket once and that was hell.
 

Hero Signs

If they let me make it, they will come
There are methods to do it with 1 truck but you need a material handler preferred, or 2 man bucket. FYI removals are easy you can drill holes. installation we have made our own carriers, preferred or use a series for needle nose vice grips. Oh ya we install lots.
 

2B

Active Member
There are methods to do it with 1 truck but you need a material handler preferred, or 2 man bucket. FYI removals are easy you can drill holes. installation we have made our own carriers, preferred or use a series for needle nose vice grips. Oh ya we install lots.

to add to this, we find that vacuum suction panel grips a VERY useful
 

2B

Active Member
Yeah, but lexan faces have a great deal more flex than granite, at least in my experience with these trying to move stuff in the cnc room with cheap suction cups. I don't know how I'd feel about this in the air. Do you use these to actually bare the weight, or just to push/pull?
True, this is primary for pushing / pulling and for alignment into the trim cap channels

If it weight-bearing, it is for short distances and always close to the ground or some form of physical support
 

Rocco G

New Member
I also use c-clamps (only the older USA made Vice-Grip ones with the swivel pads) and clamp them around the tubes on my basket. 6 x 8 faces are not problem this way for one person and even larger with two people. The OP doesn't mention the height of the panels. I'm guessing these are in a multi-tenant sign so they can't get all that tall. Also, a pair of "duck-bill" vice-grips are very helpful in pulling the face towards you. irwin 8R IIRC.

J Burton, I'm going to investigate those kant-twist thingies.
 

gnubler

Active Member
Thanks for the input, everyone. I shared this with my installer and he really liked the c-clamp idea for this one.
 

WB

New Member
I'm sorry it's late and reading makes me sleepy..
I used to have a set of "Forks or fingers" I attached to the bottom of bucket or lifts. , could be C-Clamped on the front and ratchet strapped around and then I'd have straps and ropes to hold and wrap around whatever sign face your taking down. This was years ago.. I'm sure the legal restrictions have changed ,,lol
 

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
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GAC05

Quit buggin' me
Tex what happened to your green lift - you trade it in for a yellow DeWalt model to one-up Mose?
 
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