posted
A client wants her 10'x20'' redwood sign to "hang from a chain" from the crossbeam between two big posts. What type of hardware would you use to secure it to the sign. I've made some pretty big signs, but never designed one quite this large to hang this way. How would you do it?
------------------ Wayne Webb Webb Sign Studio,Inc. Blastin' "woodesigns" in Chipley, FL "autograph your work with excellence" webbsignstudio@digitalexp.com
Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
| IP: Logged |
John51
unregistered
posted
Wayne, I recently had the same thing: a 10'x2'. Obtain 1/2"x10" HOT DIPPED galvanized lag screw eye bolts. Drill 5/8" holes and fill with West Epoxy. After a few mins, insert bolts. Do not use "lag screw" eye bolts directly into the wood without this treatment as they will surely fail over time. If you can't use the same method for the support beam, drill all the way thru and use threaded eye bolts with large washers and nuts with lock-tite. Try to find hot dipped galv. chain and s/s "S" hooks.
------------------ John Smith Kings Bay Signs Kingsland, GA ICQ# 5165335 John@FineWoodSigns.com >>> inovator extraordinar <<<
posted
John Smith's method is good, and he's right about using the glue. This greatly increases the holding power of the screw, especially as the wood ages (It eliminates movement of the screw).
When people ask for a chain, I just use stainless 'S' hooks, three eighths or five sixteenths. I like a hanging sign snugged up under the crossbeam, rather than dangling far down below it.
Stainless 'S' hooks are not only rust-free, but easier to squeeze, since stainless is softer steel. I sure wish they made something similar to a nose-ring pliers that would squeeze 'S' hooks. Sometimes it seems to take every bowel muscle in my body to close them with channel locks.
Brad in Arkansas
------------------ Brad Ferguson 4782 West Highway 22 Paris AR 72855 501-963-2642 signbrad@cswnet.com
Posts: 1230 | From: Kansas City, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
If you've got plenty of weight due to the thickness of the redwood you may want to use some sort of strap on the back of the sign that would come up to the top and kick over to the center with the eye to make it hang straight.
posted
I like to drill holes thru the edge of the sign. I run threaded rod all the way thru with a large washer and lock nut on the bottom, and a washer and coupling nut at the top. (a coupling nut is a long hex nut that you can connect 2 bolts together) An eye bolt is attached to the coupling nut and I use 2 standard hex nuts to lock the coupling nut. This way the sign is supported from the bottom.
I stay away from S hooks when I saw the wind straighten them right out. I sold a sign to a beauty shop where the customer hung it himself. He used my quicklinks (thank goodness) but his chain supporting the pipe was fastened with S hooks. A gust of wind straightened the S hooks, pipe and sign swung into the building, splitting the sign down the middle. Since the sign was supported from the bottom with threaded rod, everything stayed up on the building. Without bottom support the lower half of the sign would have fallen.
Instead of S hooks try quicklinks. They look like a link from a chain but they have a long hex nut on them that when backed off reveals a gap to slip onto an eyebolt or chain. Tighten the nut closed and you have a continuous loop of steel. I sleep better at night because of them.
------------------ Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 ICQ: 21604027 sherwood@up.net
Posts: 5396 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
they used to make a pair of automotive pliers called "water pump pliers" and they where made for the old chrysler type hose clamps....(which where big hog rings...) if you can find em.... old paint joe
------------------ joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 6050 mobile hwy pensacola, fl 32526 850-944-5060
Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks, everyone, for answering my question! I really feel uneasy about hanging free-swinging signs of this size, but you have been a big help.
------------------ Wayne Webb Webb Sign Studio,Inc. Blastin' "woodesigns" in Chipley, FL "autograph your work with excellence" webbsignstudio@digitalexp.com
Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Using strap Iron up the back side and hanging the sign from them is a really good plan.If you use "eye bolts all the way thru the beam get the ones that are threaded all the way up (or do it yourself) then "nut it from both sides of the beam,this way as the wood shrinks they can tighten the two nuts against one another and keep everything tight.
If the wind blows there like it does here I would put a short "buffer chain" off each bottom corner (also attached to the strap)this will keep the `sign from oscillating in the wind and keep it from self distructing by limiting its swing plane.
"Werks fer me ,it'll werk fer you"
------------------ Monte Jumper SIGNLanguage/Norman.Okla.
Printer-friendly view of this topic