ACM for parking signs

[CanuckSigns]

What is the general consensus for using 3mm thick ACM to make 12"x18" parking signs? I usually have extra space when I'm routing sheets and I thought it would be nice to use some of the sheet up.

Would 3mm ACM be strong enough?

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

They will dent easily if someone hits them.. the edges will be sharp. I prefer 080 with radius corners. That said, I've made some out of ACM before in a pinch. You can get 080 painted w/ rounded corners pre-made at Grimco https://www.grimco.com/Catalog/Products/080PaintedBlanksRadiusCorners

 

[White Haus]

We use 3mm acm for parking signs all day long.

Not worth the extra cost/hassle of using aluminum. .080 definitely makes a rock solid parking sign but overkill in my opinion.

I'd probably be more inclined to use aluminum if we could cut in house, I just don't like having to outsource blanks for something we make regularly.

 

[CanuckSigns]

I need to make 10 of them for a.client, I only have 8 precut 0.061" aluminum blanks in stock, plus my workflow would be much easier if I could print then route them to shape on our summa flatbed.

 

[gnubler]

I've made them out of ACM for local businesses when they're being installed on a wall. I round the corners with my corner press.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

I make them out of 3mm acm all of the time.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

They will dent easily if someone hits them.. the edges will be sharp. I prefer 080 with radius corners. That said, I've made some out of ACM before in a pinch. You can get 080 painted w/ rounded corners pre-made at Grimco https://www.grimco.com/Catalog/Products/080PaintedBlanksRadiusCorners

So will a car or building. You're not supposed to hit them. Tex, you need to get a bigger phone book, I know they are skinnier now than they used to be. Maybe a milk crate?

 

[Boudica]

For a 12x18 parking sign, here's the difference for me:
ACM
1. cut it down to size. I won't run cut ACM through our flatbed because it's never perfectly flat, the corners tend to lift and our heads are like $5K.
2. print on vinyl,
3. laminate
4. mount to the ACM
5. round the corners.

.080" blanks
1. Print on the flat bed and I'm done.

 

[CanuckSigns]

For a 12x18 parking sign, here's the difference for me:
ACM
1. cut it down to size. I won't run cut ACM through our flatbed because it's never perfectly flat, the corners tend to lift and our heads are like $5K.
2. print on vinyl,
3. laminate
4. mount to the ACM
5. round the corners.

.080" blanks
1. Print on the flat bed and I'm done.

I have a summa flatbed, so I print, laminate, apply then router them out and I can nest it with other jobs on the same material to make it even more efficient.

I was worried about them bending or getting damaged, but after reading a few comments I realized that they won't get damaged unless someone tries to damage them, and if that's the case it would be the same if I use aluminum. I've seen some people use 0.030" thick aluminum for these types of signs and they bend in a strong breeze, I think the ACM will work fine.

 

[Boudica]

I have a summa flatbed, so I print, laminate, apply then router them out and I can nest it with other jobs on the same material to make it even more efficient.

I was worried about them bending or getting damaged, but after reading a few comments I realized that they won't get damaged unless someone tries to damage them, and if that's the case it would be the same if I use aluminum. I've seen some people use 0.030" thick aluminum for these types of signs and they bend in a strong breeze, I think the ACM will work fine.

It will. It just depends on your production set-up, and since you have the flat bed cutter - it should be fine.

 

[2B]

Depends on the project specs. BUT we will bid using 3mm ACM and .080 Alum
95% of the time the ACM is selected for the better price

unless someone intentionally vandalizes the sign, 3mm ACM (we like the.30mm skin) will hold up longer than the graphics

 

[Johnny Best]

I like 6mm ACM because of the thickness, deburr edges and rounded corners. You don't get the good "dents" like the solid aluminum because the bullet goes right thru on the ACM.

 

[gnubler]

So will a car or building. You're not supposed to hit them. Tex, you need to get a bigger phone book, I know they are skinnier now than they used to be. Maybe a milk crate?

Here's Tex, showing off one of his 18x12" road signs. Such a wee man!

 

[ikarasu]

We work with a parking lot company here. They have a monopoly on 90% of the parking / tow away lots... So we print thousands upon thousands of parking signs a year.

75% of them are ACM - they pay for reflective anti graffiti, which is expensive ... ... Then use ACM instead of aluminum, when the price difference isn't that much.... So ACM must work pretty well for them.

ACM for parking signs is pretty standard around here - the only time they go aluminum is if it's somewhere like the hospital, or a super rich complex.

 

[Boudica]

Here's Tex, showing off one of his 18x12" road signs. Such a wee man!

View attachment 160832

Tex won't have anything to do with that puny size of sign. Or Oregon... Too many trees.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Customers feel ACM and think it's something special. Just like thick calandared vinyl. Perception is reality.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

For a 12x18 parking sign, here's the difference for me:
ACM
1. cut it down to size. I won't run cut ACM through our flatbed because it's never perfectly flat, the corners tend to lift and our heads are like $5K.
2. print on vinyl,
3. laminate
4. mount to the ACM
5. round the corners.

.080" blanks
1. Print on the flat bed and I'm done.

Most of the thicker aluminum we get has a bow in it. Like it's the end of a coil.

 

[Boudica]

Most of the thicker aluminum we get has a bow in it. Like it's the end of a coil.

The blanks we get are perfectly flat. I will say though... I've gotten blanks from grimco, where the finish is marred to the point of unacceptable. And I have to skin it anyway.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

The blanks we get are perfectly flat. I will say though... I've gotten blanks from grimco, where the finish is marred to the point of unacceptable. And I have to skin it anyway.

I get it from Eastern Metals. The quality of grimcos material seemed better the few times I got forced into buying it there but their pricing on it is insane. We used to buy ACM at eastern and that stuff curled up like a wet piece of paper. I think the loaders and delivery guys do the most damage to the material. Like the idiots that set the edge of ACM on the back of their truck as the rotate it to grab it. Or set a corner down first.

 

[Boudica]

I get it from Eastern Metals. The quality of grimcos material seemed better the few times I got forced into buying it there but their pricing on it is insane. We used to buy ACM at eastern and that stuff curled up like a wet piece of paper. I think the loaders and delivery guys do the most damage to the material. Like the idiots that set the edge of ACM on the back of their truck as the rotate it to grab it. Or set a corner down first.

We normally get them from our local supplier. There have been times we have recently been forced to get them from other sources...