6" high, 1/4" thick acrylic letters on aluminum cladding

[White Haus]

Quoting a small simple project for a new customer.

6" tall, 1/4" thick acrylic letters, overall length around 126".

I'm either going with Gemini or just routing in-house depending on when if/when we get the order.

For something like that, would you guys feel comfortable going with anything other than mechanical fasteners (studs)?

I'm tempted to just do VHB / adhesive but every Gemini job we've done, we've always gone with studs w/ silicone etc.

It's 8' off the ground so could make for a nice easy install w/o studs, but obviously want to do it properly.

Thank you, sign gods!

 

[Gino]

That wouldn't be a very heavy letter. Is it all upper case or mixed ?? Reason being, some letters in lower case might not have enough area for tape to work properly. You might need schmooze. Can you use 1/8" ??

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

What is the wall surface material?

 

[Billct2]

You say aluminum cladidng, so is it ribbed? If it is you could consider rail mounting. If it's smooth I'd be fine w/VHB & lexel.

 

[Moze]

You say aluminum cladidng, so is it ribbed? If it is you could consider rail mounting. If it's smooth I'd be fine w/VHB & lexel.

This.

 

[White Haus]

Hey guys, thanks for the tips.

Sorry, I completely forgot to include the part that it is an exterior install. All upper case letters.

Would be mounted flat to aluminum cladding no no ribs/corrugations to worry about.

Pic attached of install location. (Previous letters and cladding has been replaced already)

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

That looks rough

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

At 6" tall, tape would be ideal, depending on exterior or interior and of course, ribbed vs acm cladding (which I'd assume it is). You could go either VHB or laminate 467mp then route, skipping tape.
We recently did a whole mess of work, 5 buildings, 10 interior sets, it was a whole clusterfck from the get go as we had to pick signs up from another company who cancelled install. In any case, the company that fabbed the signs and sold the job, did not put any vhb tape on the 10 interior sets. My guys racked up $1,500 in extras just adding tape and cutting patterns over the course of a week for this out of town install. Each set had 31 4" tall letters, minimum of 2 pieces of tape each, applied by guys who can't stick vinyl to save their lives. So to anybody reading this, cut your own damn patterns and apply your own damn vhb tape.

Weeeaaallllll... why did the other install company cancel the job?

 

[White Haus]

That looks rough

The area, or the install surface? lol

 

[White Haus]

At 6" tall, tape would be ideal, depending on exterior or interior and of course, ribbed vs acm cladding (which I'd assume it is). You could go either VHB or laminate 467mp then route, skipping tape.
We recently did a whole mess of work, 5 buildings, 10 interior sets, it was a whole clusterfck from the get go as we had to pick signs up from another company who cancelled install. In any case, the company that fabbed the signs and sold the job, did not put any vhb tape on the 10 interior sets. My guys racked up $1,500 in extras just adding tape and cutting patterns over the course of a week for this out of town install. Each set had 31 4" tall letters, minimum of 2 pieces of tape each, applied by guys who can't stick vinyl to save their lives. So to anybody reading this, cut your own damn patterns and apply your own damn vhb tape.

That sounds brutal. I would have just ordered w/ letters and patterns!

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Is it smooth and clean?

 

[White Haus]

Is it smooth and clean?

Ish. I think I'll base the Gemini & labor on using studs just in case, and if we can get away with just VHB/lexel maybe we can save a couple of bucks.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Never got a clear answer, but I think it was a scheduling conflict on a job that didn't get a firm install date until it was too late. We just happened to have the availability. It was awful, some of the letters on the smallest exterior sign were 30" tall 3/8" painted clear acrylic with studs threaded into them. That part was all just fine, but the background was 1/8" aluminum, no frame, so they cut holes for the studs, put silicone on the letter, pressed them to the panel, and flush cut the studs. This may have worked, shy of the fact that the silicone never touched the background in places and letters fell off in the damned crate!

Shaped like a pan? I had one similar but the company that sent it to me had me install the letters for fear of them getting damaged in transit.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Ish. I think I'll base the Gemini & labor on using studs just in case, and if we can get away with just VHB/lexel maybe we can save a couple of bucks.

I don't think it would save more time doing that VS drilling. You still have to setup the pattern and peel all the liner off the letters. I like the security of studs on outdoor signs. Studs and Lexal are my prescription.

 

[White Haus]

I don't think it would save more time doing that VS drilling. You still have to setup the pattern and peel all the liner off the letters. I like the security of studs on outdoor signs. Studs and Lexal are my prescription.

Fair enough, that's a good point. Some of those VHB liners are a real b*tch to peel too.

 

[White Haus]

Just cut the letters backwards, make 1/16" deep dimples for stud locations, get pads and some channelbond and just drop the pads on the glue covered dimples.

Thanks, will definitely be playing around with this soon. Summa/router will be up and running next week and will do some trial runs.

Any tips for making your own patterns?

I think for this one I'll just base it on Gemini and see if we get the job.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Thanks, will definitely be playing around with this soon. Summa/router will be up and running next week and will do some trial runs.

Any tips for making your own patterns?

I think for this one I'll just base it on Gemini and see if we get the job.

Put it on Tyvek paper. I got a roll from Uline and that stuff is great in the field.

 

[White Haus]

Put it on Tyvek paper. I got a roll from Uline and that stuff is great in the field.

Interesting. Can you pen plot to that stuff? What about marking the hole locations?

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Interesting. Can you pen plot to that stuff? What about marking the hole locations?

I don't make letters in house but I've had to re-pattern existing letters. Yes, the pen will plot on tyvek. I plotted the outline of the letters and then put the letters on the pattern faced up with very short studs. The pattern was sitting on coroplast and I pushed the letters down into the pattern to make an indention. Then I just marked the indention with a sharpie.

 

[White Haus]

I don't make letters in house but I've had to re-pattern existing letters. Yes, the pen will plot on tyvek. I plotted the outline of the letters and then put the letters on the pattern faced up with very short studs. The pattern was sitting on coroplast and I pushed the letters down into the pattern to make an indention. Then I just marked the indention with a sharpie.

Sounds like a good method. Will have to give it a shot! Thanks for the tips.