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It's a Greenlee punch. Most sign supplies carry them in the appropriate size for the typical lampholders for HO lamps. Works with a wrench. And there are fancy ones, too, actuated by a hydraulic tool. And there are also kits with multiple size dies. But most sign shops just use the one size to...

Both, Johnny. I was hoping someone would say, "Oh, that's a No.6 nylon snap-together thingy. They use them on sailboats all the time." I am also curious if anybody has done this before, that is, mount an aluminum cutout in front of a flex face on studs that poke through the face, and then...

The white area is a flexible fabric face with holes in it to allow studs to pass through. Some type of grommet appears to be glued together on either side of the fabric to protect the edges of the fabric from the metal parts. The aluminum cutout graphic appears to have aluminum tube welded to...

We plan to replicate the sign shown in the first three pictures. The flat cutout aluminum graphic is mounted in front of the flexible face, studs passing from the back of the cabinet through holes cut in the face. We are trying to figure out what the grommet-looking things are that the...

Derby, I would recommend working with as many different people as possible and keeping an open mind. Everyone has different techniques and methods. I have learned valuable tips and insights from every sign painter I have worked with. I don't believe there is a single correct way to mix paint...

Johnny & Grace, The Lord adhesive we use for aluminum fabrication is 406/19. On reflection, Lord adhesive may be overkill for patches for the PK housing holes on your rooftop sign. Clear silicone, or better yet, Lexel, is probably sufficient and far less expensive. Brad in Kansas City

No. I think it is called 403 or 406. I'll check tomorrow. I honestly have not paid attention to the label when using it myself and our fabricator does the ordering. He uses it in building aluminum cabinets. And it does require an application gun. And I am sure there are other adhesives that...

I was hoping someone would suggest a brushable epoxy they have used. I have never used a brushable epoxy and this is something I would like to try to see how it covers and lays down. Being old school, I lean heavily toward solvent based primers for metal, as opposed to water base. But the...

Paint Grip is a galvanized steel product. It also has an enamel receptive finish that is supposed to accept paint without the need for any etching. I have painted tons of it—literally tons—it makes heavy sign cabinets. On your piece, the Paint Grip finish has surely been compromised by sanding...

Part of this USA Today Sports story reads, "An employee at a [local] memorabilia store said: '(Arizona is) 2000 miles away. What do they care for a little farm community and a very small school?' ” Her argument is that it's okay for a school to infringe a trademark as long as they are small and...

It looks fine. It does not look "computer-generated," and I think that is a plus for a graphic design firm. Keep in mind that the thin face letters will look even skinnier on a light background. Dark letters on a light background tend to shrink a little visually, while light letters on a dark...

Matt, When do you know if your company is ready? No one on this forum can answer that for you. No one knows your circumstances, and they are different for all of us. The most important person to ask this question of, in my opinion, is your accountant. And by accountant, I mean someone who is...

We subscribe to imageclub10 and Adobe Stock. Between the two I can get well over 200 images a month—more than I need, actually. One thing to keep in mind. When you "buy" clipart—you are not actually buying ownership of the images, but you are buying a license to use (or rent) them. There will...

I would at least consider the possibility of using an enclosed trailer. Here are some advantages: No more daily loading of lamps and ballasts. Simply transfer the boxes of lamps from your supplier's truck or warehouse directly into the trailer, without even taking them into the shop. For many...

Keep in mind that a sign cabinet with faces this large will not be easy to service. I have serviced signs that size, and larger, that were almost impossible to open up. I occasionally resorted to putting a clamp on an edge of the face so I could tie it off to my bucket lift and use the rotation...

Stevealex, Don't be surprised when a supplier suggests that we use caution when coating prepainted aluminum sheets. Painting methods and paint technology for prepainted aluminum and steel sheet have changed considerably since I started in signs long ago. In our shop we use acrylic polyurethane...

This is true. Cast acrylics are more forgiving when machined. They tolerate the heat of a cutter better and tend to create sawdust rather than melt behind a blade. In Plexiglas, for example, Plexiglas G is cell-cast while Plexiglas MC is calendered (extruded). Of course, there's a difference in...

Sometimes, when a stud mount fails to hold, the problem is with the method of applying the glue rather than the glue itself. If you are simply trying to squirt glue into the hole you will end up with a number of studs not actually bonded. What happens is the stud can simply push the wad further...

True, Tim. Interactive drinking is always better than drinking alone.

Johnny, I am starting to re-use my bottles. At least my growler size. Of course, I miss out on enjoying the cool labels and creative names (Arrogant B****rd Ale & Wicked Truth Stout, for examples). And sometimes I forget what's in the bottle, which can be troubling. But I am saving money and...