SignManiac
New Member
This is one of the most challenging projects I've taken on in all my years of sign making. Design, engineering and build. Fourteen signs total all weighing close to 1,000 lbs. each.
Started with the concrete pedestal bases. Built a dimensional mold and poured 800 lbs. of concrete in each one. Broke the mold apart after 24 hours of cure time and then started on the next one. Afterwards, I shot them all with acrylic stucco for the texture and then painted them all. Just moving these around in the shop was a challenge, lucky we have a forklift.
The internal frame is C channel extrusion, and wrapped with polymetal on four sides. All of the various directional signs are v-carved 1/2" PVC shot with single stage automotive urethane. The topper is dimensional with the top of the crest built with .040 aluminum and the university logo on both sides. The white panel on top is 1/8" plate steel that I had powder coated so they can place temporary magnetic signs on when the have special events that need directional arrows placed to direct traffic for the one day event.
All of the concrete casting sit atop another 400 lbs. of concrete footer with 2" galvanized pipe stub that goes 6" up into the pedestal. Had to use an excavator to lift them into position on site.
This one did test my stress levels as a lot of it was all new methods I had never used before. I know the next time something like this comes up will be a lot easier now that I've figured out some of the bugs.
Started with the concrete pedestal bases. Built a dimensional mold and poured 800 lbs. of concrete in each one. Broke the mold apart after 24 hours of cure time and then started on the next one. Afterwards, I shot them all with acrylic stucco for the texture and then painted them all. Just moving these around in the shop was a challenge, lucky we have a forklift.
The internal frame is C channel extrusion, and wrapped with polymetal on four sides. All of the various directional signs are v-carved 1/2" PVC shot with single stage automotive urethane. The topper is dimensional with the top of the crest built with .040 aluminum and the university logo on both sides. The white panel on top is 1/8" plate steel that I had powder coated so they can place temporary magnetic signs on when the have special events that need directional arrows placed to direct traffic for the one day event.
All of the concrete casting sit atop another 400 lbs. of concrete footer with 2" galvanized pipe stub that goes 6" up into the pedestal. Had to use an excavator to lift them into position on site.
This one did test my stress levels as a lot of it was all new methods I had never used before. I know the next time something like this comes up will be a lot easier now that I've figured out some of the bugs.
I hope some of the newbies just getting started can appreciate that after 38 years full time in this business, I'm constantly learning many new things every single day. A doctor completes his/her education in ten years, we in the sign business never stop learning until the day we die...