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The angled material attached to the backs of the letters is a good idea. It can control letter spacing making the installation easier for a non-sign person. And remember, the angle does not need to be permanent. The installers can simply clamp the angle to the top of the beam temporarily. The...

I worked 20 years before I bought a panel saw and a bucket truck. I should have bought them at the beginning. Even before I bought my first computer.

Once you buy a panel saw you will wonder how you ever got along without it. It was easily the most useful tool I owned. My blade was carbide tipped, either 80 or 100 teeth. A Safety Speedcut uses an 8-inch blade. The foam board is a good idea, too. For many years I bought blue foam...

Good points. There is great variation in the adhesives used for vinyl film. And there are many combinations of vinyl and adhesive being marketed, both in cast and calendered. I know one house brand of cast vinyl that is made by a major manufacturer and is marketed right alongside one of the...

Thanks for the heads up on using polyester primer as a filler. So far we have only used it this way for small imperfections. "Regular filler first?" By this you mean a Bondo-like product? What do you use, specifically, for urethane primer? Sounds like your autobody experience is much greater...

Since we use Matthews paints almost exclusively, we use the product that Matthews developed for HDU. It's called 6001 Polyester Primer Surfacer and it smells just like Bondo autobody filler. It can be rolled, brushed or sprayed. It dries quickly, sands well, and accepts all Matthews top coats...

Texas_Signmaker, I believe this layout is a nice improvement over the original. The word 'Oaks' nicely dominates. You have made it the "entry point" of the composition. This is what the viewer should see first. For viewers who are driving by, rather than walking or standing, it may be the...

Just looked at the One Shot web page again and realized that Chromaflo and linseed oil, as well as Smith's Cream, are also listed as additives for One Shot enamels. Brad

Back in the day many sign painters used various additives in lettering colors. Kerosene, linseed oil, as well as commercial preparations like Penetrol and Chromaflo were all used. I believe the conventional wisdom now is to not to use any of them in the lettering colors as they are formulated...

I agree, Johnny. My guess is that the crew that paints the tanks is already in place for painting the graphics. So the customer may believe it to be the cheaper option to have them do the work. And they may want the long-term durability offered by an automotive grade paint. Most sign companies...

Since you are not doing the actual masking job, it makes sense to simply give them what they want, once you determine which vinyl to use as a mask. Ship it and move on to the next job. If your client is experienced at applying a large mask, they are already familiar with the problems associated...

If polyurethane paints are to be used, I always prefer to roll on a liquid mask, such as Sign Strip, and hand cut it, using a pounce pattern to transfer the design. It may be possible to do much of the rolling from the ground out of a five-gallon bucket with an extension handle on the roller. If...

We do a lot of this type of sign work. We commonly use 12mm PVC or half inch acrylic face-laminated with Brushed Silver Chemetal or a similar laminate. Use contact cement, water or solvent based for laminating. Use a sharp fine-tooth carbide blade for cutting the panel or use the router table...

It may also be that the logo was not based on any typestyle when it was designed, but drawn from scratch. The Volvo logo, for example, was produced this way. The five letters in the Volvo logo were the only letters in that style. Brad

I, too, think this design has potential. The letters show remarkable restraint for their lack of embellishment—no outlines, shades, etc—a good thing, in my opinion. The letters are already funky/cartoony. So, keep them clean and undistracted. Note, too, that the colors share similar intensity...

LiteBriteLauren, I appreciate that you posted your design for constructive criticism. There are a number of talented and knowledgeable people on this forum. The only danger may be that you could be discouraged by the feedback. But if your skin is a little tough you will certainly benefit. Rick...

This thread has a nice range of opinions and I tend to agree with all of them, depending on the client and the circumstances. I have given away design work before for different reasons. To hold on to a client or make him feel appreciated. Or when I knew another part of the job would more than...

Did you happen to learn what brand and what line of wall paint the contractor used? This would be good to know. The coatings industry has been experiencing lots of innovation the past few years. Some new coatings are very resistant to adhesives. Waterborne coatings have advanced far beyond the...

I assume you saw his 57-point game against the Wizards. I expect he'll be breaking some more records before he's done. Brad

Ha! 2B found the video before I posted. I type too slow.