Aluminum Channel Letters Help!

[Gus]

Hello didn't know where to post this...
i got a customer that has a big job coming up, he has to make new channel letter signs for a big company here in Vegas, well the thing is that the customers wants them made out of aluminum but he only makes them out of paint lock steel and has never used aluminum.
the question is how do you attach the back to the coil? since he is using paint lock steel it just gets spot welded... does anybody know any trick to it?
he has some options he thought about...
pop rivets?
glued?

 

[J Hill Designs]

rivet, yes. or there is a machine that punches it, making a rivet like connection, but no actual rivet (dont know what its called, sry)

 

[Gus]

is there another way besides those 2?
i told him that rivets is an option but he kinda doesn't like the idea of drilling holes then putting rivets.... any other suggestions?

 

[MikePro]

1/8" pop rivots are the only way to go, and lots of em.
we have the rivot-stamp machine, and its AWESOME, but if this is a one-off job... its hardly worth the cost of new equipment.

channel letter coil is too thin to be welded properly.

 

[Gus]

1/8" pop rivots are the only way to go, and lots of em.
we have the rivot-stamp machine, and its AWESOME, but if this is a one-off job... its hardly worth the cost of new equipment.

channel letter coil is too thin to be welded properly.

ok ill tell him that is the only option. no he actually wants to change to aluminum channel letters... do you know where to buy that machine? (rivot-stamp machine)
thank you guys.. you've been great help

 

[John L]

How big are the letters? Not a job for a beginner but our aluminum spool gun spot welds for .040" and thicker all the time.

Poprivets, Also.. Bostitch Stapler, Accupunch, CLN LetterLok, etc etc etc Lots of choices already apprioved by UL.

BTW.. I've seen these new china made punches being sold but they are not approved by UL.

 

[Gus]

How big are the letters? Not a job for a beginner but our aluminum spool gun spot welds for .040" and thicker all the time.

Poprivets, Also.. Bostitch Stapler, Accupunch, CLN LetterLok, etc etc etc Lots of choices already apprioved by UL.

BTW.. I've seen these new china made punches being sold but they are not approved by UL.

the letters are 18" and some 24"s and 040 coil...
can you weld the baked enamel coil with that spot gun?

 

[J Hill Designs]

I wouldnt

 

[John L]

No. The thinner the aluminum, the more important that it be clean to spot weld. We paint afterwards. Prefinished materials are punched on our letterlok or riveted together. 18-24" is ok for .040 riveted material.