KING Color Core: large sign butt joint

[M ramachandran]

I have a fairly large sign 240x30 that I am splitting into three sections. During install can I butt the 3 pieces next to each other. An expansion joint will make the sign horrible. It is half inch thick. Any thoughts anyone?

 

[Scotchbrite]

Somewhere I found an expansion/contraction worksheet for that material. You input the size, temperature at fabrication, highest temperature the sign will be exposed to, and the lowest temperature it will be exposed to. That will give you the amount of expansion or contraction the sign will have based on the fabrication temperature.

Using the temperatures of 70° at fabrication and 100° being the highest temperature the sign will be exposed to, you need to accommodate 0.432" of expansion. Or 0.144" for each piece. I'm not sure how you would accomplish that and keep all 3 pieces tight together. You would need some sort of floating system.

We've made lots of King ColorCore signs, but we haven't tried butting 2 pieces together so I don't have any personal experience doing something like that.

 

[signbrad]

I have a fairly large sign 240x30 that I am splitting into three sections. During install can I butt the 3 pieces next to each other. An expansion joint will make the sign horrible. It is half inch thick. Any thoughts anyone?

"Field seams" are not difficult to create and work well if done right.

Glue a vertical strip of plastic to the backside of one of the faces, allowing half the srtip's width to extend beyond the edge of the face. The next face slides loose against the edge of the first face in front of the added strip so that the strip covers the seam from behind. If you are using white acrylic, use clear acrylic for the seam piece, the thinner the better. I like 1/16th or 1/8th for the plastic. The thicker the seam strip is, the more visible it will be. Add a strip of white translucent vinyl to the front of the seam strip, and even if the crack tries to open a little, the strip covers it to prevent a light leak.
You may need to cut the seam strip at its top and bottom to make sure it clears retainers. And if both, or all three faces are suspended from hanging bars, they will hang flat and usually stay together. On the other hand, if the faces rest on the bottom retainer for support, there is more chance for a light leak as the faces try to sag. Even large channel letters can be fabricated with seams this way.

One shop I worked at when I was younger had a standing rule that any face over eight feet in length was to have a vertical field seam—always. This allowed one worker to safely service the sign without help.

Brad in Kansas City

 

[Johnny Best]

King color core does not really have an adhesive to use for glue to fasten things to it. If using a "strip like Signbrad suggest would have to be attached using fasteners. If making a joint you will have to allow for expansion a rabbit joint with 3M 5200. it won't bond the pieces really well but will allow for expansion
Since you are joining .5" think pieces use stringers running horizonally and attach with stainless steel countersink screws short enough not to go through to face and 5200. I would use Japanese joints for pieces that "lock" together where you won't need adhesive. But you need a good table saw and router and a plan.

 

[signbrad]

Now I know what King ColorCore® is.
https://www.kingplastic.com/

I need to get out more.

Brad in Kansas City

 

[Johnny Best]

Now I know what King ColorCore® is.
https://www.kingplastic.com/

I need to get out more.

Brad in Kansas City

When your ready to "get out" Signbrad, we need take a trip to Vegas with LSD and professional women.

 

[Boudica]

When your ready to "get out" Signbrad, we need take a trip to Vegas with LSD and professional women.

You and your Vegas trips on LSD. Who are you, Hunter S. Thompson?

 

[Johnny Best]

Hunter died years ago.