• I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...

Search results

  1. Suggestions Vendor to print 3.5pt font on silver matte polyester? Rush job, customer willing to pay...

    I have a customer who stepped in it big time (ran out of cert. labels and can't ship product) and needs a bunch of 2.175in x 0.55in labels with 3.5pt font made. A bunch is a few hundred, TBD exactly. They use FLEXcon DigiPRO DGMS silver matte polyester and seem pretty adamant on sticking with...
  2. Need Help Looking for vendor - 3in x 2in industrial decals, small font, sold by the sheet

    I'm looking for a vendor to make some 2in x 3in decals by the sheet for industrial applications. The customer is looking for very aggressive adhesive, durable, and conformable material (in that order of priority) to stick to pumps, motors, casings, housings, etc. Probably cast material, more...
  3. Question How do you lift large signs into place >10ft high?

    Thanks a lot for the feedback, awesome pictures too. Installs like this have kept me up at night thinking through prep, safety, equipment, contingencies and all that. I'm getting more experience but it's kind of like leaving a chuck in a drill press - you screw up once and that might be all for...
  4. Question How do you lift large signs into place >10ft high?

    I've been getting more requests for larger signs with installation over 10ft high. I've installed some smaller signs (3ftx5ft, 4ftx4ft, etc) off a scissor lift and that's about the largest I can safely do by myself (depending on weight) lifting them out of the scissor-lift cage and onto the...
  5. Need Help Please suggest a white vinyl to cover text

    Thanks for the input, would Orafol 3641 work OK? I'm not into printing yet so print film varieties are new to me
  6. Need Help Please suggest a white vinyl to cover text

    I need to cover some phone numbers and names on a real estate sign - what white vinyl will block out the text from showing through with one layer? Text is dark blue on white, so it's a pain. Inexpensive would be best as I doubt I'll use it for anything else. I've found it takes three layers of...
  7. Suggestions Printable material for industrial equipment labels?

    I'm new to printing so bear with me please. I'm looking for suggestions for a durable, flexible, printable material (preferably latex printable) for labels on a variety of industrial equipment. These will be going on everything from CNC machines, oil and hydraulic pumps, frak equipment...
  8. Clean edges on cnc routed dibond

    Besides trying sharp bits with different flute counts and rpms, hand held deburring tool with swappable bits: (McMaster-Carr) mcmaster-carr pn 4289A11 Depending on the thickness, these bits (L) will debur both sides at once (mcmaster-carr pn 4289A86) This is from metal machining background...
  9. Need Help Sign install questions

    Got it, makes sense. I almost always use single sided BeBond and wasn't sure if I was missing some cool sign pro trick. I've been working with the flu the last few days so everything has been confusing to me.
  10. Need Help Sign install questions

    Is that double sided BeBond or is there a reason you put the masked face to the inside of the sign? Maybe I've been using it wrong the whole time, but I always peel the BeBond graphic off the face I want to use, at least for single sided BeBond.
  11. MDO or ACM? When to use what?

    I like MDO when structure is required, visible edges need to look good, or when signs will be abused. In areas around here, sign posts don't go very deep so can't be counted on to stay solid and ACM isn't very sturdy. MDO and posts makes for a solid assembly even in thin soil. I also have a...
  12. What sign software does everyone use?

    Ooo... I'll have to look into that. I haven't really investigated any extensions for Inkscape yet, which I guess is the whole point of running open source software. It would have to have some of the functionality of Winplot though, like simulating output and turning on/off flex cut, but I'll...
  13. What sign software does everyone use?

    Inkscape - but mostly because I'm cheap (it's free, open source). I've never used AI or Corel so I probably don't know what, if anything, I'm missing. Also my design skills are definitely more vector oriented so I don't do much raster or photo editing, just make stuff from scratch. It is NOT...
  14. What kind of work vehicle do you use?

    I'm serious. I get a lot of work done with this thing - I polyurethaned a few cardboard vinyl tubes to make them waterproof, graphics get slid into the tube (or straight edges, squeegees, etc) and ends capped, and the tubes are almost permanently strapped to the passenger seat in front of the...
  15. Question Are you a bitter, cranky old sign guy?

    I've only been in business a year and half and I'm already bitter old and cranky.
  16. Accidentally designing "offensive" logos...?

    Have any of you accidentally designed a logo or graphic element that looks like something it wasn't intended to be? I was recently working on a design for a customer when someone happened to glance at my screen and said "That looks a lot like the KKK logo". Well, not knowing what that logo...
  17. Question Dumbest Thing in Your Shop

    Dumbest thing was my very first order - I only had a plotter and a computer at the time and a friend of a friend needed 70 promotional decals EMERGENCY overnight. I knew none of the other places in town would be interested in doing it on time, and I thought "YES! here's my chance to be the quick...
  18. Client wants to Puchase a (re)design

    I have a disclaimer on all my estimates and invoices that says something like "I (my company) retain all rights and ownership to originally created artwork unless specifically stipulated via line item as "artworks rights release". I usually make sure to verbally or in writing explain what this...
  19. Question I Was Just Asked To Make A Wooden Sign. Help?

    I've done a small bit of wood burning, but only for interior stuff. Unfortunately, the kind of woods that burn best are softwoods with medium to open grains, whereas most wood signs are rot resistant woods with tighter grains. Not sure how maple burns, but if you're looking for a lot of burnt...
  20. Question Should I Put An Edge Cap On This?

    Thanks a lot for the feedback, definitely makes me feel a bit better about being on the right track. I just started my business recently so I'm laser focused on doing the best quality work I can (which is pretty modest right now). I've been learning by practicing, doing R&D, and offering free...
Top