Attaching Letter Track to Polymetal

[Sublimefly]

So does anyone have any ideas for attaching letter track to a polymetal panel? I mean we could use screws but when it expands and contracts the letters may not stay in place so well. So if anyone has any ideas I'm open to suggestion.

Thanks in advance everyone!

 

[wes70]

If using screws, elongate your holes and just lightly snug your screws, to allow for expansion.

 

[Gino]

Is your track metal or plastic ??

Make sure you get the right products for the job. Putting plastic down is just going about it all wrong.

 

[Sublimefly]

Are you suggesting a metal letter track? Where would I even find metal letter track? Is it much more expensive than plastic and how would I then attach them to the painted material?

 

[Gino]

Yes, metal track. Then you only have to screw it down. Paint has no bearing at all on this kind of installation. As for where to get it.... this is the 'General' section, you can't expect us to give away the farm....... You need to do some things on your own.

 

[Sublimefly]

Just out of curiosity what makes metal letter track better than plastic for this type of install? Is it anything to do with their expansion and contraction? Also is the fact that its not solid metal going to make a difference in that?

I'll try calling some more of my suppliers, but so far they are telling me they've all never heard of metal letter tracks. That said I swear I've seen metal tracks somewhere so I'll keep on it, thanks for all the help.

 

[Carl Crabtree]

We do quite a few of these using plastic track. We use 3m VHB tape and also use aluminum rivets every 6".

 

[showcase 66]

Have used both in the past. Out here, most of the suppliers I had talked to about them said that there is no warranty on the plastic tracks out here. They said the High temps can cause the tracks to crack easier. I am assuming it would be the same thing for the cold winters.

 

[FS-Keith]

I have never seen plastic tracks fail with a proper install. they are used more than anything by everyone. For polymetal I would install them with alum rivets every 6-8" and a small bead of silicone on the bacl

 

[GAC05]

Gemini has a nice track system with both acrylic and lexan options.
We just finished an install of 20 message board sets(lexan) to metal backers using stainless screws.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[sghobbies]

+1 on Gemini. Nice stuff.

 

[Sublimefly]

Man you guys are awesome! I'm going to take as much of this advice as I can. I'm very interested in Gemini's options. I have talked to the customer and they are very much against metal letter tracks so I think that may be out of the question now. I have not tried rivets on Polymetal but I can't see how that could go wrong either. I think I'm going to try 6" spaced rivets and a combo of VHB tape and silicone. I really don't want to have this fail haha.

 

[threeputt]

Gemini offers a plastic rivet to go along with their track. Track is available is clear, white or black.

Rivets are perfect. We use them all the time to create non-illuminated message boards on DiBond.

Space your rivets about every 8". No nearer than 2" in from the ends.

The rivets used to come in various lengths, but I think they've gone to just one length now.