The Letterville BullBoard: Water Engineering on a Monument Sign

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Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :

I have just received an unusual request from a client.
The client wants some sort of stone or marble main signage that incorporates water flowing over the surface.
anyone out there have any ideas or companies(or their websites) that do what i would call "Water Engineering"?

any help would be much appreciated.

mark

Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :

i seen one of them in sarasota...CASCADE REALTY...they got a lighted sign on top and under it is piece of plexi with water flowing down it...pretty neat...aslo we got a billboard here with a BUSCH can tilled a bit and every minute or so it spews water outa the top like whe you open a can.

Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :

Mark, try checking out some sources for fountain companies.

edit----------

I just found this site.. they have some really neat looking stuff!!
http://www.waterworks-fountains.com

end edit---------

I know what you are talking about though, I've seen alot of that kinda thing and I've even seen one in a shopping mall where I saw how they set it up to flow like that.

Basically they had a basin at the top of the monument, in this case it (the monument) was about 20 feet tall with a mezzanine floor around it. The basin was shallow and it had a low side where the water flowed over the edge and down the face of the stone.

The tricky part is having enough waterflow that the stone face is completely covered with a sheet of water, but not too much waterflow which would cause the water to flow more like a waterfall, seperating from the surface of the stone.

Rounding over the corner of the stone where the water flows from the basin will help keep the water "attached" to the stone. Having a hard edge up there would break the surface tension in the water, as would the water having too much volume or velocity.. Kinda like when you pour something from a glass at a trickle and it just runs down the side of the glass.

Either way, a fountain company would know how to help you.

[ October 17, 2001: Message edited by: Mike Pipes ]

Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on :

Mark

If you use a professional fountain company I believe you would find them to be pretty expensive. Or your client would anyway.

This is pretty simple really.

I would have a pool company do the pool. They ALWAYS leak if you do it yourself You don't want that responsibility.

Have a base built into the pool and incorporate the sump for the pump into the base. Drill the slab of marble and pump the water up through it to the top where you can have a slot or trough milled into it to distribute the water.

I would build a model out of something cheaper to start with to prove the system out. You will also have to experiment with the size of pump and the GPM gallons per minute it puts out. You can throttle it down with a valve however with no harm to the pump.

One concern I would have is if your water is hard in your area, the water will leave a white deposit
on the surface of the sign. They would also need to clorinate the pool to stop green slime from happening. They could add this by hand from time to time. But it would be a big commintment for the client to own this type of sign.

Good luck!!

And if you do it have fun... You will learn lots guaranteed!

-dan

Posted by Linda Silver Eagle (Member # 274) on :

I'm curious, couldn't one use distilled water in a project like this?

Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :

It's easier to put a filter on the supply line. =)

Posted by Bruce Bowers (Member # 892) on :

Mark,

Check out a company called "Aquascapes". They make waterfall kits for gardens and such. their address is http://www.aquascapedesigns.com/aqua/articleSplash/

There isn't going to be an inexpensive way around this. you might as well go for quality. Just my thoughts on it.

Have a great one!

Posted by David Fisher (Member # 107) on :

Or you could try looking in the yellow pages under hydraulic consultants or
http://www.asse-plumbing.org/
or
American Society of Plumbing Engineers - May be a chapter near you.
HTH,
David

Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :

thanks everyone for the helpful tips.
this is going to be an expensive project and the client knows this going in.
a lot of research is in order on my part.

wish me luck.

thanks again,

mark

Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :

Private Fair.....I have used "Mazeppa Rain" in a number of waterfalls including some unusual photo projects for Bob Guicione...it works great! Mark, tell our viewers at home what the Mazeppa Rain web site is again.....and Johnny, tell em what they've won!!!!...Rice-a-Roni the San Francisco Treat! and a Years supply of Mazeppa Rain!

Posted by jon peterman (Member # 528) on :

contact david and robin mcdonald at www.avilasigndesign.com as they did a sign similar to this a couple a years ago for a fish store
jon

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