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Most cabinets are not strong enough One problem with a retrofit is that most cabinets are not strong enough to support a flexible face. The returns will tend to "concave inward," on the long dimensions especially. If the cabinet is made with angle iron and a metal skin, the odds are better this...

I call this style of design "Retro Corny." And the cartoon looks suspiciously like pieces of clipart that have been forced to mate. Printed in a single color, this may be next to illegible because of the red with the black shade (a historical favorite color combo of clients). And is it one word...

A retrofitted flex face. Cool.

He may be tight. But fasteners work best.

There is a Pantone 12-0737 in their color system for fabrics. It's a pastel yellow. Or maybe you've already figured out the answer. https://www.pantone.com/color-finder/12-0737-TCX Brad in Kansas City

Burying vinyl under automotive clear coat is nothing new. This was done to vinyl striping long before computers. The only question might be whether varnish, such as the brush-on varnish many people use on wood boats, will adhere to vinyl graphics. A clear coat needs an aggressive solvent to get...

This is what I would do too. Staggering the seams will keep it together and add strength.

The recommended contrast between letters and background is 70%. I think that solid backgrounds are not required as long as there is sufficient contrast. We make hundreds of these every year for local schools, hospitals and office buildings. We are not a supplier for the sign industry at large...

This is a good method, but not easy to visualize if you've never done it. Someone should post a picture. And, of course, pounce patterns work. But it's messy. Clean up is possible with a heavy-duty commercial grade feather duster. A background of gloss latex that is not fully cured may try to...

Looks flat enough to me Even though 0.50" is significantly thinner than 0.80" aluminum, this panel construction looks good, with no apparent waving. Obviously, building a sign like this is more costly than simply screwing a flat panel to the facia. But many clients, when they see the difference...

Glantz may have stopped selling them, but I also used their version in the past. Lightweight, but work fine, especially for single panels smaller than 4x8s. I have also bought plastic corner connectors from Outwater Plastics that fit into standard wall 1x1 alum tube. It's sturdier than the...

Yes, .040" will be wavy, even without hot sun. .063" would appear flatter, but still have some waves. I don't care for Alumalite for signs like this. I've seen it delaminate at the five-year mark and I consider it a semi-temporary material. I also don't like the way it dimples from fasteners...

I agree. Big phone number—big mistake Phone numbers are rarely useful or remembered from sign work. They are only essential in the wishful minds of our clients, who almost always have unrealistic expectations about what a sign can do. I believe most people do what I do when looking at a...

Acrylic cutout letters should be mounted with studs and glue blocks. That has been the industry "best practice" for a long time. This job has the added problem—really the main problem—of dissimilar materials—acrylic and metal cladding. Dissimilar material is often a cause of adhesive failure...

Does anyone know a source giving PMS numbers for Polymetal colors? Brad (still alive) in Kansas City

In current usage, kerning simply refers to spacing between pairs of letters. In digital typesetting, graphic artists routinely adjust the spacing between letters to improve their visual appeal, as well as to improve (or sometimes to compromise) legibility. Originally, however, in the days of...

Chet, No, I haven't. I do use a bigger spray tip, though, compared to the size for other Matthews products. We have a primer gun with a 2.0 tip that works well. Brad

That's how you do it. Be wary of using someone else's rate. Your expenses, overhead and profit are uniquely yours. An accountant's advice is worth the money. Brad in Kansas City

Thanks, everyone.

We need a quart or a gallon only. Glantz has a 4-gallon minimum for the color match we need. We're looking for someone with a mixing station that can make a smaller quantity. We will, of course, pay for shipping and handling and hazmat fee in addition to your charge for the color. Or, maybe...