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I've never done an in-store sign system before, so i'm fishing for ideas and suggestions.
my new customer has a greeting card shop, and he wants about 35 signs for each of the card categories -- birthday, anniversary, valentines, etc -- to mark the racks and aisles. the store uses a slatwall system, and the walls are butter yellow with black trim and brushed chrome for the hardware.
i need to make something easy (fast and cheap) that will work against the visual competition of all the cards. is there a slatwall display piece that everybody uses for something like this?
my thought was to use black Sintra -- 4" x 18" -- with either yellow or brushed aluminum lettering. do i just cut strips of Sintra on a table saw? do i need to round the corners or bevel the edges?
-------------------- :: Scooter Marriner :: :: Coyote Signs :: :: Oakland, CA :: :: still a beginner :: :: Posts: 1356 | From: Oakland (and San Francisco) | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Hiya Scooter, PVC is a great choice for interior signage because of it's low glare surface. Your lettering should be low glare too. I like Arlon's Cal-Plus or Avery's A6 for this type of work. If your saw blade is sharp, there really shouldn't be any need for additional finishing after you cut the pvc. Rounded corners are optional and you should charge more for them. You should be able to buy hangers for the slat wall, but I've made my own. I get my slatwall & gridwall supplies from naythonsdisplay.com
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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I'd use sintra too! There is a plastic cutting blade you can use to cut sintra (it has teeth about every 1/8) so you might want to look at one. The other side is that you can use a straight edge and knife and score it a couple of times and it will snap in two. I'd probably use 3 mm myself. Good luck and show us some pictures when you're done.
-------------------- Brian Diver PDQ Signs Everett, Wa
I think the decision should be based on the images you produce as much as the materials you use to work on.
A piece of coroplast with a really good design on it (something colorful and classy) can be hung on a wall and be as effective as any other substrate for in house signage.
Signgold starter kits have POP displays so you can show customers the material, paint companies and vinyl manufacturers have color charts readily available, and sign suppliers have a multitude of sample peices of substrates that can all be shown to customers, but in the end (despite what the Sprite advertising may say) image is everything.
Just a few thoughts... Rapid
[ February 03, 2004, 07:30 AM: Message edited by: Ray Rheaume ]
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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Black sintra would look good. So would plexiglass. When it come cutting either. I would get my plastic supply company to cut this quantity on their saws. The cuts are perfect everytime. They would typically charge only 10.00 for this service. With PVC I would then round the corners.
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Scooter, Another thing to consider is the ability for your customer to re-position the signs easily and accurately. If every time they want to move sections they are calling you to re-install, it would get expense for them and probably a pain in he a** for you! A system with permenent clips and changable panels would cost more initially, but save time and preserve the looks over the long haul. I've used Clarke System's http://www.clarkesystems.com/ "Slatz" line in situations like this for years. They are extruded Aluminum panels that can be vinyl lettered, painted, paper inserts, slide-out panels, projecting, wall mounted... VERY versitile. I use the Allentown PA branch. Great customer service!
-------------------- Tom & Sharon Giampia Creative Image Design Port Chester, NY Posts: 285 | From: Port Chester | Registered: Mar 2001
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