OK, Looking over the post I am really confused as to what is recommended to use external. I am painting a sign, want it to be fairly light weight (3'x3') and will hang outside from a bracket. Anyway, what substrate would be recommended? I want this to be a great sign, first in the town we are doing.
What is the best primer also and where do I get it?
Thanks in advance
Tom
Posted by John Arnott (Member # 215) on :
Are you new to this business? Sky is the limit.
Posted by Bobbie Rochow (Member # 3341) on :
Hanging froma bracket, if it has a fancy cut out shape, I like to use MDO signboard, because you can take a belt sander & perfect the curves & the cut edge.
A sandblasted or routered hanging one would also look nice, maybe out of HDU.
Posted by Denis de Leon (Member # 5844) on :
As said, there are many types of material you can use.
I just used MDO for a simliar project as yours because it blended in with the painted signs and vinyl signs that the other businesses were using.
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
As much as I hate using it cuz it ain't what it used to be (like the paints) I'd lean toward MDO also. It's got the weight you need to keep it from blowing in the wind too much and the thickness looks better than Alumalite or Dibond.
HDU would be nice too but it requires some "different" construction methods so you'd need to bone up on the proper techniques.
If you go with MDO, and you're going to use One Shot, I prime with Ronan Fast Dry Block Out White, front & back get two coats, edges get 3. Many here like sealing the edges with Titebond exterior glue first. One very knowledgable sign painter I met thins the first coat of block out white about 25% to make it really soak into the paper face. (He also sands the face lightly first) then a straight from the can coat. Round over your edges slightly. Paint will creep away from a sharp edge. For longer life and higher gloss, add some hardner to the paint, about 5% to 9%. I seem to get a smoother finish with One Shot with hardner in it. Midwest sign carries Ronan block out as well as many other suppliers.
Do a search and you'll find a lot of previous posts on how to prep MDO.
[ August 28, 2006, 07:41 PM: Message edited by: Dave Sherby ]
Posted by TomDavis (Member # 6133) on :
well the information is flowing and I thank you for that. This is the first exterior painted sign that I have had to do from scratch, most are a redo or I have done in vinyl. I mostly work on glass and etching, that is a product that I know very well. As for the exterior, I figured that I would come to the experts and try to get some really good information on what to use. I hear many conflicting stories from some of the vendors, so you all are the real deal... and are full of information that has worked in the field.
Thank you all for the infromation.
Tom D
Posted by Jeff Wisdom (Member # 6193) on :
It depends on the look of the sign you want. I have been using Lusterboard recently (hardwood plywood with aluminum face) It is 1/2" thick, can be cut out, edges sanded and primed. The difference is it has a very nice factory enamel white finish (or can be painted) Very nice look and very stout. Laminators Inc is the company that makes it.
Posted by Lotti Prokott (Member # 2684) on :
Tom, for a hanging sign you don't want it too light weight, it swings too much in the wind.
I think Jeff's suggestion is the best. If this is your first sign and you want to make a great impression, you might as well do it right and get the best material. A crappy sign that will warp and/or peel in a year will put you out of business before you really got into it. In the Letterville Book Shop (see link on the left) you can find a great book called Commercial Sign Techniques that contains step-by-step information on making different kinds of signs.
Posted by Jill Marie Welsh (Member # 1912) on :
Whatever you do, be sure to hang it right. I have had both alumalite and plywood have "eye-bolt" failures. In time, the hardware just rips right out. Any suggestions on preventing this? love....jill
Posted by Kelly Thorson (Member # 2958) on :
quote: I mostly work on glass and etching
Can you adapt what you do to be incorporated into the sign? For example glass faces with a decorative etched border and a dimensional sign sandwiched in between in a shadow box type frame? Does that kind of idea fit with your hopes of where to take this?
If you were to post an idea as far as the design goes, you will probably get some excellent feedback in both tweaking the design as well as the best substrates to use. It sounds like a fun exercise for all of us and if you are open to suggestion I'm betting you will end up with a quality design and plan. After that it is up to you to execute it.
Posted by Kelly Thorson (Member # 2958) on :
Okay, rereading your original post, maybe I am overdoing things.
If you are hanging it from a bracket you may want to secure the bottom or hang it in such a way that it is rigid. Those free swinging signs always make me nervous. Then again most don't need to deal with the winds we do.
Posted by Jeff Wisdom (Member # 6193) on :
Signmart 800-533-9099 offers a steel bracket that clamps over the face on both sides the through bolts through the panel $1.25 ea.
Posted by Ken Henry (Member # 598) on :
Regarding hanging, and also those eye-bolt failures that Jill referred to. There are special "sign hanger" fastners which are essentially flat bar stock which has been bent over against itself and re-bent to accept either 1/2" or 3/4" thicknesses. These are available from Canadian Signcrafters Supply ( Merchants here) and possibly from others too. These facillitate proper hanging by firstly bolting the hanger onto the sign by drilling through the sign, and a hole has been conveniently provided through which the sign can be hung using a closed link fastner.
Check the merchant's link to illustrate what I'm referring to:
Well worth the cost and you won't hane to worry about an eye-bolt letting go on a windy day.
[ August 29, 2006, 01:47 PM: Message edited by: Ken Henry ]
Posted by Bobbie Rochow (Member # 3341) on :
Yea Jill, I had a friend of mine's sign pull right off the eye bolts in the wind at Conneaut Lake up here! Oh my, how awful! Lucky for me, no one got hit with it! Lol!
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