Help with a sign

[Tony Rome]

I need to put a sign out that needs to have a contour cut.
The sign will slide into an existing slot in a shopping center (broken) light box.
The size is 6ft long by 18" the sign will be a rectangle for the most part but one corner will be about 25" it would be the top part of a contour cut gear.

My question is should I use sintra or aluminum....sintra is fine in this application what I am looking for is what is the easiest to contour cut...and how (razor?)

Pic attached of what final shape would look like.
Thanks!

 

[Gino]

Won't the constraints of the lip around the can stop you from sliding this thing in all the way ??

Also, unless the sign is totally disconnected, I don't think I'd be messing around with a box where the can doesn't fit the face perfectly.

 

[dfeicke]

I couldn't open your thumbnail, but from the looks of it, it's all straight cuts, right? If you're careful, sintra should cut OK. Just keep in mind that it will crack.

If there's any tricky little curves, you may have to use some finesse in the cutting.

This oddball shaped cabinet hopefully has moldings that come off, so you can just set the face in. Sounds like fun!

 

[Pat Whatley]

Sintra is going to crack.

Aluminum is easy enough to cut with a jigsaw, dibond is easier.
I'm with Gino, I don't get how you're planning on sliding it into the box but I figure you've got a plan for that. One thing you may want to consider is just doing a rectangular sign and then attaching a fully cut out gear to it, maybe on standoffs. It won't take very much longer and it's an easy way to add a little dimension (and money) to the job.

 

[Mike Paul]

PVC cracks easily and will bow. Use Dibond if the box doesn't light.

 

[Tony Rome]

thanks everyone.
The sign goes in the top slot and is the highest part of the sign so we made something to serve as stability for the top channel.

Pat, I was thinking about that too...a separate piece, would you go with something other than aluminum for separate piece?.
Is dibond very expensive?

Thanks Tony

 

[Letterbox Mike]

I agree with Dibond, around here it's cheaper than 0.063" aluminum and it's a lot easier to cut. It's more than PVC though, but it'll last a lot longer too. If you're planning on sliding this into a typical retainer you won't be able to use anything thicker than 3mm PVC, which I would not trust outside. If you can't find Dibond brand, there are others like Max Metal and Poly Metal. They're all basically the same, we use Poly Metal.

 

[Circleville Signs]

Holy crap...

I'd say no offense intended here, but maybe some offense should be intended.

Do you even know what Dibond is? Have you ever worked with an aluminum composite material before?

If you haven't ever even BOUGHT the stuff before, and don't know what it costs, how can you be ready to start production (because you couldn't even have quoted it correctly)?

The sign goes into the "top slot"? That "slot" has retainers. You aren't getting that cutout into those retainers. Stability isn't the issue.

Sounds like this job might be a bit outside your expertise and skill level to me.

 

[Sign_Boy]

If cost is an issue you could use "e-panel" is a few bucks less than dibond.

e-panel
Alcan Composites USA has recently introduced a new ACM product designed for flat sheet applications. With many of the same great features as Alcan's Dibond® product, the e-panel? can be saw cut, routed or punched. It is suitable for direct digital or screen print, and is ideal for mounted graphics. Masked both sides, the e-panel? has .008" aluminum polyester painted facers with a solid black polyethylene core.

Applications Include: Suited for flat sheet applications only, suitable to mount graphics and for both digital and screen printing. can be cut, routed or punched.

 

[Tony Rome]

Holy crap...

I'd say no offense intended here, but maybe some offense should be intended.

Do you even know what Dibond is? Have you ever worked with an aluminum composite material before?

If you haven't ever even BOUGHT the stuff before, and don't know what it costs, how can you be ready to start production (because you couldn't even have quoted it correctly)?

The sign goes into the "top slot"? That "slot" has retainers. You aren't getting that cutout into those retainers. Stability isn't the issue.

Sounds like this job might be a bit outside your expertise and skill level to me.

Well, thanks for your concern, but if you have nothing helpful to add please find another thread to waste your time on.
I am doing this for a friend if you must know.
I mostly do screen printing, banners and wraps, sorry I don't know everything about every type of material out there...that is why I came here...to a forum...to learn.
Please don't concern yourself about my expertise level.
Thanks for all the (other) helpful solutions!

 

[Dave Drane]

Well, thanks for your concern, but if you have nothing helpful to add please find another thread to waste your time on.
I am doing this for a friend if you must know.
I mostly do screen printing, banners and wraps, sorry I don't know everything about every type of material out there...that is why I came here...to a forum...to learn.
Please don't concern yourself about my expertise level.
Thanks for all the (other) helpful solutions!

And this is the type of response that deserves contempt. Helpful information is given freely and you come back with that sort of response. Maybe should listen more to what is offered and either read it or say nothing at all. I did not see anything at all that was being rough on you.

 

[Fatboy]

And this is the type of response that deserves contempt. Helpful information is given freely and you come back with that sort of response. Maybe should listen more to what is offered and either read it or say nothing at all. I did not see anything at all that was being rough on you.

Dave.....are you serious? All the guy asked for was some help from us on the forum and then Circleville started with him in quite an rude way.Now you are saying he deserved that? Come on Dave,be real....your comment is ridiculious to say the least!

 

[G-Artist]

I am a bit confused.

The panel is going to go into a lighted sign cabinet. I also get the impression the lights no longer work. As a tenant, I'd be bitching to the landlord on that. But that is another issue.

I know how to do this on a billboard. But in a cabinet where the one corner has to be 7" taller than the rest of the panel? Seems to me that there has to be some jury-rigging and my concern (for the other tenants and the landlord who owns the sign) is how to keep the cabinet weatherproof? Eventually, that sign is going to be re-lit and keeping water and scree out should be a primary issue.

Seems to me, that the only proper way to do this is to use the proper plastic for the 72" x 18" panel and then fabricate the additional extended piece from the same material (get a scrap or two from your supplier) and 'glue' it on at the proper place. The 'glue' in this instance should probably be UHB tape which should not be a worry as no illumination will be passing through since it is outside of the cabinet.

You can easily fabricate that additional piece from scrap via a hand-held saber saw. Just put a few layers of transfer or masking tape in the cut area and on both sides of the plastic before cutting.

 

[Pat Whatley]

Since the sign cabinet has channels that the panel slides into I'd really do just a rectangular panel and slide it in. Then cut your gear from dibond and attach it to the rectangular panel with VHB tape & rivets. It'll make it an easy job out of the project.

Dibond runs about $60 for a 4'x8' sheet. It's about $15 more than aluminum but MUCH, MUCH easier to work with due to the rigidity. If you cut the diameter of the gear down to 24" you can get the whole job done with half a sheet.

 

[Gino]

'G' has the direction you wanna go. In fact, I think some others have mentioned the same route earlier.

Tony, I've met you in person.... and you and your partner seem like very capable people in the screen printing field and as you span out into the sign arena.... when one asks questions as yours... it sends up RED FLAGS to many others that do this stuff on a routine basis. I have to agree with some of these other responses.

When you alter an electric sign face cabinet such as you’re telling us you're going to do and don't have the first clue as what to use.... you scare the living crap out of us. You're breaking all kinds of codes and possibly putting the sign owner, your customer and yourself in jeopardy if someone else works on the sign down the line and hooks the electric back up.... much in the same manner you're disassembling portions of your sign. Just because you can figure out a way to bastardize a sign…. doesn’t mean its legal or the best way.

It doesn’t matter who or what friend this is for…. you still have to do it correctly for longevity and the sake of safety. I’m not saying you are intentionally cutting corners, but if you can’t decide or know what materials to use…. then I have to expect, you haven’t checked or know the codes system in your area.

Have you given this person a quote ??

• Regardless of your answer, do you have the insurance to cover you going up to do this work ??
• Have you gotten the correct permits ??
• How did you get permits if you haven’t figured out what you doing yet ??
• If you’re not installing the sign and have side-stepped those hurdles…. are you making a sign that someone ELSE can put up legally ??

These are the questions…. or the lack of them, that makes others ask questions. Whether or not you want to tolerate them and tell mean ugly spirited posters to not post in your thread is your prerogative, but you aren’t going to learn anything by only accepting the answers you like or want to hear. Open your mind to all of the answers and maybe you’ll see some of the things you never thought of and maybe…. just maybe, some of these harsh sounding words might sink in and save your butt from problems down the road.

 

[signage]

'G' has the direction you wanna go. In fact, I think some others have mentioned the same route earlier.

Tony, I've met you in person.... and you and your partner seem like very capable people in the screen printing field and as you span out into the sign arena.... when one asks questions as yours... it sends up RED FLAGS to many others that do this stuff on a routine basis. I have to agree with some of these other responses.

When you alter an electric sign face cabinet such as you’re telling us you're going to do and don't have the first clue as what to use.... you scare the living crap out of us. You're breaking all kinds of codes and possibly putting the sign owner, your customer and yourself in jeopardy if someone else works on the sign down the line and hooks the electric back up.... much in the same manner you're disassembling portions of your sign. Just because you can figure out a way to bastardize a sign…. doesn’t mean its legal or the best way.

It doesn’t matter who or what friend this is for…. you still have to do it correctly for longevity and the sake of safety. I’m not saying you are intentionally cutting corners, but if you can’t decide or know what materials to use…. then I have to expect, you haven’t checked or know the codes system in your area.

Have you given this person a quote ??

• Regardless of your answer, do you have the insurance to cover you going up to do this work ??
• Have you gotten the correct permits ??
• How did you get permits if you haven’t figured out what you doing yet ??
• If you’re not installing the sign and have side-stepped those hurdles…. are you making a sign that someone ELSE can put up legally ??

These are the questions…. or the lack of them, that makes others ask questions. Whether or not you want to tolerate them and tell mean ugly spirited posters to not post in your thread is your prerogative, but you aren’t going to learn anything by only accepting the answers you like or want to hear. Open your mind to all of the answers and maybe you’ll see some of the things you never thought of and maybe…. just maybe, some of these harsh sounding words might sink in and save your butt from problems down the road.

This may save you a lot down the road! You asked the questions and people answered and then you tell them not to post in you post because you didn't like their answer, well that is not the correct way for you to respond!

 

[Fatboy]

No Signage...with all due respect...it is not only what you say,but also how you say things that is important.The guy just ask for some advice...that is all.Go and read and see how he was answered in the particular reply he is referring to.That is all he means. Some people have so much more to offer than this agresive responses. This is a fantastic forum(I will battle to run my business without it). Give and you will get....good or bad.

 

[skyhigh]

with all due respect....

Yes, with all due respect....
Lets keep in mind, this is a PROFESSIONAL signmakers forum. When the OP has, most all of us, scratching our heads as to what in the blue blazes he's trying to do, and why he knows absolutely nothing about the materials of our trade, and their intended uses..... well, what do you expect.

As outragious as his post seemed to be......I felt the response he got was rather mild.

not looking for a battle, just calling it as I see it.

 

[Tony Rome]

Well thanks everyone for the help.
I am going to use an external piece and just keep it in the slot like some of you said.
Thank you so much to all who contributed.
To the others that did not offer any help and just critisism of my question, I guess I just say I am glad you are outnumbered by the helpful ones.
And thank you Fatboy, maybe we were just raised differently.
Gino, I understand thanks for communicating in a mature professional manner.
Have a great week everyone!

 

[Signguyno1]

I totaly agree with Gino, in every way.