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Just today a jewelry store here in Kansas City ordered two signs from us: "TEMPORARILY CLOSED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS" and "KEEP CALM AND STAY HOME." True story.

Like Lasermike, I always bought my solvents from a chemical supply. I could get 5-gallon and 10-gallon jugs of lacquer thinner for $7 per gal and VM&P for $4. I don't remember the cost for isopropanol but it was far cheaper than buying pints and quarts of rubbing alcohol. Once I had the jugs, I...

This is an important distinction. There is a difference between trademark protection and copyright protection. They are not just two "levels" of the same thing. The purposes of the two types of protection are completely different and the standards for infringement differ. Copyright Infringement...

Oven cleaner does work. But it's hard on the paint. It dulls it and can discolor a dark finish. But you can often bring it back with compound on a polishing bonnet. For that matter, I have frequently removed lettering with compound only. On a slower speed. You just need to go carefully to avoid...

Chet, I usually don’t rely on a single spraying of the 6001 primer. Even if I am spraying it heavily I let it dry and sand it down and spray again. Using 400 or 320 grit paper on a DA sander it should sand well if it’s dry. It should powder nicely and not ball up. I have Applied as many as...

I know the subject of type managers has been discussed before. But now that we all have got Windows 10 at our shop, I'm looking for something that might be better than what I had before. I'm looking specifically to print a booklet showing groupings of categories. What do you like and why...

We use Matthews Polyurethane topcoats on the Polyester primer. We use Matthews topcoats for pretty much everything except wood posts and other raw wood components. It's good to know that One Shot does not react well to this primer. I wonder if latex has a problem with it, too. Does One Shot try...

When Coastal Enterprises first made FSC88 it was solvent based. You could wet sand it with a mix of water and mineral spirits. The wet sanding created a slick slurry of the FSC88 that filled in all the pinholes. If I did this twice on a piece the primered surface was like glass. It would then...

I almost always used hanger bar that I bought from a supplier. It was smooth and in the neighborhood of half-inch, as I recall. Not having a cut edge—I assume it was extruded—it allowed faces to slide easily. Most of the lighted signs built in the shops when I was coming up were scratch built...

I agree with Moze and unclebun. Use silicone and a stud mount. Lord will get too hard and may cause a problem with materials having such differing expansion rates. A soft glue and oversize holes are called for. Brad in Kansas City

If any of you have done subcontracting work for large general contractors, you probably were required to sign insurance liability agreements. Further, some of these GCs have you sign additional agreements covering such things as "prevailing wage," "nondiscriminatory practices," and other things...

I like epoxy primers, too. Actually, I prefer Matthews epoxy primer over Matthews PT Filler acid wash primer for priming aluminum and steel. But bossman insists on the much faster drying PT Filler. The Matthews epoxy primer comes in white and black. I usually order a gallon of both. I often make...

I enjoy lettering fabric awnings, too. especially if it's on location and I get out of the shop. That way I don't have to look at or listen to my boss. A valance flapping in the breeze can be a problem, but if you clamp a piece of wood or aluminum behind the fabric it is not a problem. The...

Our process for raw aluminum: Clean with water. Then solvent wash. Sand thoroughly with a DA sander. We use 150 grit paper. Then solvent wash again. Tack wipe. Spray acid wash primer. (Matthews is 74 760SP PT Filler). Add the "activator" to the PT Filler just before spraying. The activator is...

I agree.

Matthews Polyurethane color can be mixed with any of their clears to achieve this. Matthews even has a primer/adhesion promoter that is clear, designed to not obscure whatever pattern is in the metal. Testing is necessary to get exactly what you want, of course. It might be tricky to...

This makes sense. It does not look like P-95 in the picture, which is an acrylic by Acrylite that has a matte finish (not frosted) on one side. And 5/16", mentioned in the original post, did not seem a legitimate thickness. Quarter-inch sounds right, and is a good choice for this type of sign...

There are always differences. There are always reasons why something is cheaper. Some of these will not be apparent by just looking at the stuff. And it is not always easy to research the reasons for the variation in price. Always assume lower quality whe the price is low. Never assume the...

For example, on the signs that read "In Case of Fire Use Stairs," I have seen a half dozen different designs for the image of the man descending the stairs. Is there a US government site listing "correct" images? Brad in Kansas City

Gemini formed letters are not PVC, they are CAB, cellulose acetate butyrate, also known as butyrate. Very durable, easy to mold, and resistant to ultraviolet. Gemini used to have an ad showing a truck driving over a letter to indicate its durability. My first choice on a job like this would be...