Sign Cabinet w/ Rounded corners

[jtinker]

I'm in need of a sign cabinet with rounded corners. I was thinking I could just fabricate it myself out of steel and aluminium but if anyone's got any better ideas feel free on letting me know. We get some pretty nasty hurricanes down here so it would need to be sturdy enough to take up to 100mph winds atleast. Know of a company that makes them or any design plans to suggest?

 

[FS-Keith]

most of the extrusion companies out there, signcomp,excellart ect have their own cast round corners that you weld in. or if you are making a skin and bones cabinet you can get curfed angle and bend to your radius

 

[jtinker]

Heres what I was thinking. Its a 8'x2.5'x18" cabinet. Not entirely sure about my mounting options. Its going on two steel poles so i was thinking plate mounts. Any suggestions?

 

[Justin]

Humm.. What do these plate mounts look like?

 

[jtinker]

Heres what I was thinking with the plates. The poles each have plates on the top and a second inside the cabinet itself welded in place above the saddle weld. They would have been bolted in place, one in each corner. I was also planning to use the poles as makeshift raceways so i plan to put a small hole would go in the top of the plate to feed the led wires down the pole and to a waterproof box with a switch. For the wrap i was thinking about welding or riveting down a sheet of aluminum and welding the seam.

 

[Rick]

Heres what I was thinking with the plates. The poles each have plates on the top and a second inside the cabinet itself welded in place above the saddle weld. They would have been bolted in place, one in each corner.

When I design pole sign like this, I run the post through the whole sign. Bolt the post top and bottom through tabs or angles welded on the frame. We had some heavy winds this year, we had about 10 signs fail because there was no top support.

On the radius, all the shops I worked at would make their own radius using relief cuts on square tubing, or the made their own.

 

[Justin]

Heres what I was thinking with the plates. The poles each have plates on the top and a second inside the cabinet itself welded in place above the saddle weld. They would have been bolted in place, one in each corner. I was also planning to use the poles as makeshift raceways so i plan to put a small hole would go in the top of the plate to feed the led wires down the pole and to a waterproof box with a switch. For the wrap i was thinking about welding or riveting down a sheet of aluminum and welding the seam.

I see what you mean now.. I personally would think that would work, but again I'm no expert, and I'd love it if you could document with pictures, etc.. as you to through building this.

 

[jtinker]

Bolt the post top and bottom through tabs or angles welded on the frame. We had some heavy winds this year, we had about 10 signs fail because there was no top support.
.

Something like this?
Yeah those winds can be a real pain. After a hurricane the work just comes pouring in though, so i guess i cant complain
With those two there, i guess i could remove that center beam and rework my led configuration.

edit: updated picture. The green bits are welded on to the frame and the pole runs through the entire sign and has a plate that sits on the bottom bolting the frame and pole together. As well as bolts going through the side of the pole and the top/bottom welds.

 

[Rick]

Looked a little over engineered. I would simplify it. There is a book:

http://www.amazon.com/Sign-Structures-Foundations-Designers-Estimators/dp/0911380655/ref=pd_sim_b_3

Below is what I would send to engineering (please note not to scale or proportion)... basically angles, support plates inside, let the post slide in and bolt it down

 

[jtinker]

right on, this book came out a couple months before i was born lol. Definetly buying it.

 

[Kottwitz-Graphics]

Looked a little over engineered. I would simplify it. There is a book:

http://www.amazon.com/Sign-Structures-Foundations-Designers-Estimators/dp/0911380655/ref=pd_sim_b_3

Below is what I would send to engineering (please note not to scale or proportion)... basically angles, support plates inside, let the post slide in and bolt it down

I agree that I think your over thinking the top of the sign. Make sure that you engineer the foundation to withstand.

Also check out this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Engineering-S...on-Analysis/dp/0944094309/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

I have both, but I use the spreadsheet, located http://signweb.com/content/spreadsheet-download-engineering-sign-structures and the book that I linked to has a step by step on what you need to enter in the spreadsheet.

 

[SignManiac]

Still way to complicated. Very simple to engineer and build using 10 mil coroplast, duct tape, and a hot melt glue gun. Trust me, I'm a expert!

 

[Moze]

Looked a little over engineered. I would simplify it. There is a book:

http://www.amazon.com/Sign-Structures-Foundations-Designers-Estimators/dp/0911380655/ref=pd_sim_b_3

Below is what I would send to engineering (please note not to scale or proportion)... basically angles, support plates inside, let the post slide in and bolt it down

Rick has the right idea. In areas with high windloads, it's better to extend the support(s) completely to the top of the cabinet. Bolt and weld the supports to steel framing. This eliminates the suport-to-sign connection becoming the weak point(s). Your faces will be the first to go, followed by the filler in extreme circumstances.

Running your supports to the top makes lighting a bit more of a challenge, but it's more important that the cabinet withstand the local conditions.

Your original idea was using what are referred to as matchplates. They would probably be just fine and may meet local engineering requirements, but in an area like yours it's better to over-engineer and go with the supports all the way to the top as Rick mentioned.

Forgot to mention: Check out ABC Sign Products. They can provide exactly what you need. (link)

 

[jtinker]

Thanks for all the help guys. You probably saved a few lives just now.