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The job looks fine, nolanola. I am curious which of the Graco True Coat model guns you used. Has anyone used the cordless? If anyone is curious, I worked at a shop for about a year back in the 80s that regularly installed large Gatorfoam letters outside, simply gluing them to walls. They...

Thanks, Fred. I owe you a gin & tonic.

I don't.

I agree. Many clients are willing to tell you what went into their decision if you ask. I have done this many times. Once I was told I didn't get the job because my price was too low—he figured I was too inexperienced and would not do a professional job. It would be nice to see a picture of...

A scissor lift is ideal for a job like this. It easily carries two workers and equipment for painting. The surface of the parking lot appears to be hard and flat in the photo. And you can rent scissor lifts practically anywhere. Bucket truck, scaffolding, even pick-and-ladders will work, too...

3/16-inch masonry bit is the standard for a 10-24 threaded stud. A number 10 stud is actually the same diameter as a 3/16 bit, but a masonry bit will always make the hole slightly oversize through the hammering action of the drill. A carefully drilled pattern will circumvent most fit problems...

Fresh, If someone told you this they were misinformed. They were probably confusing copyright protection with trademark protection, which is easy to do. .............. CAN YOU LOSE COPYRIGHT PROTECTION? Copyright protection (in the US) lasts for a set period of time and then expires...

Jesse, Are you new to Kansas City or just the sign industry? I've lived here almost fifteen years. I sometimes ride the bike trails that are not too far from your shop. I try to ride 40-50 miles a week. Kansas City is not a super friendly bicycle town like Copenhagen, or even Seattle. But it's...

A triangular installation like this is very stable even without concrete, assuming 36-inch holes. Adding a horizontal stringer in back per Gino's suggestion makes it even more stable. I have installed signs as large as 8x10 in this manner without concrete. Of course, soil varies with the...

GM, like many other large franchise operations, strictly controls everything connected with brand image, even interior decor and furniture. Dealers are given options to choose from, but they are not unlimited. It's hard to believe that a dealer would not be familiar with the rules regarding sign...

You nailed it.

LAYOUT ANEMIA I believe ddarlak correctly identified what may have been the main weakness in the original layout. Too much white space. But it was not that there was too much white space surrounding the block of copy. Rather, there was too much white space within the letters and between lines...

Note that the advisory does not specifically say that "characters" should not have sharp or abrasive edges. It says "signs" should not have them. Obviously, the characters should not be capable of cutting skin, but I've never seen any that were. The company I work for does hundreds of ADA signs...

Cool, Rick.

Thanks, Linda. I will try that, too.

It's true that the metallics are trickier to spray than the solid colors. Uneven color and gloss, and the dreaded "tiger stripes" are problems that occur more often with metallics than with solids. SPRAYING METALLICS The goal is to lay down the paint (and the suspended metal flakes) as evenly...

The advice you were given does not sound like it came from a Matthews techie. As StarSign stated, the mixing ratio is 3:1:1. The catalyst amount is more critical than the reducer amount. Matthews is not like some auto paints where you can add extra catalyst to speed dry time. Adding too much...

I want to add to Johnny Best's comment about the oily feel of mill finish aluminum. CLEANING MILL FINISH ALUMINUM Years ago I worked at a large electric sign company for a while and noticed the painter always washed the raw aluminum before sanding, and then washed it again after sanding and...

This would be a good question to find an answer to. When it comes to painting aluminum, an anodized finish can adversely affect the adhesion of a painted film. The Matthews Painting Manual, in its substrate preparation section, specifies that an anodized coating must be sanded off before...

what the: I have done a number of signs over the years using the Dryvit system (or a similar system). It is a synthetic stucco applied to foam insulation board. In every case I hired pros to do the actual work. I have worked as a helper on some of the jobs, mainly to learn how it was done. Even...