Calling anyone who uses angle to hang sign panels

[jtiii]

A couple of months ago I found a thread about attaching an ACM box sign to a wall, and somebody shared some mockups of this system they use where they make something like what I've attached -
the part that mounts to the wall is a single frame that perfectly fits between two angles on the panel. I believe they lorded the angle to the acm, screwed the wall angles to the sign angles, and then lorded some flat pieces between the top and bottom wall angles so when unscrewed the frame held shape and could easily be applied to the wall.

Anyways I was like "I'm totally doing that! That looks awesome!" and now two months later I gotta get this thing fabbed and for the life of me I can't find the thread this time!
For those of you who use this setup, do I have it right? Any tips? Anything to beware? It's a 4'x80" panel with 2" returns. It's right at eye level so no one will see the top and bottom. I was just gonna rout and fold the sides and lord them to 2" angle.

Thanks in advance everybody!

 

[Moze]

Advice from an installation standpoint: make the frame the full dimensions of the pan panel (HxW). That way, when it's being installed, there's no guessing about where it's going to land.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I like to make the wall frame 1/2" smaller than the actual sign box.. that way it's easy to get on and you can run some 1.5" self tappers and they are long enough to grab the bottom frame.

If you flip those angles around where they are flush with the sign face, and paint them.. you have a pan face that looks cleaner and not like a thin sheet floating off the wall. Might not be the look you're going for but just a thought.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Make a pan out of aluminum and a full frame the same size. Slip it over and screw it down. It's a pita when the frame isn't the same size as the sign and you have to shim it. Any nitwit should be able to make them the same size without screwing it up.

 

[johnnysigns]

I've mounted old subway signs in my house using a similar method, although I just used 2x2 lumber instead of the angle aluminum.

 

[2B]

I like to make the wall frame 1/2" smaller than the actual sign box.. that way it's easy to get on and you can run some 1.5" self tappers and they are long enough to grab the bottom frame.

If you flip those angles around where they are flush with the sign face, and paint them.. you have a pan face that looks cleaner and not like a thin sheet floating off the wall. Might not be the look you're going for but just a thought.

Agreed, also by doing the "pan face" you can help keep birds and debris from getting behind the sign

 

[jtiii]

SO to incorporate some suggestions and to clarify some vagueness, here's an updated diagram. I am planning on having returns on the sides (the sign top is 7' off the ground so not returning top and bottom, just sides) -

 

[MJ-507]

Where I'm currently employed, we would glue 2" x 2" angle (sprayed white or whatever color matches the face) on the back of the ACM panel right at the edge. Then there is no need to go thru the labor of routing/breaking the returns AND you can get the face from a 4' x 8' sheet of ACM instead of paying more for a 5'x 8'. Tapcon the mounting structure to the wall, slip the pan over it, and tek screw the pan to the structure.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Why not have a machine shop make a pan with 1.5" legs for you and tig up the corners. Then weld up a 1.25" angle frame legs out with a center support leg down. Wrap the vinyl around the face. Then you arent relying on adhesives to hold something up in the air and you wont have any fasteners through the face.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

SO to incorporate some suggestions and to clarify some vagueness, here's an updated diagram. I am planning on having returns on the sides (the sign top is 7' off the ground so not returning top and bottom, just sides) -
View attachment 158056

You got the top part right... I would do the same on the bottom.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

SO to incorporate some suggestions and to clarify some vagueness, here's an updated diagram. I am planning on having returns on the sides (the sign top is 7' off the ground so not returning top and bottom, just sides) -
View attachment 158056

Don't leave a gap, it needs to be screwed together. With that gap, when you screw it in its going to suck in the angle and it will either look ugly or break the bond of the adhesive. If you don't pull it up tight then the screw will likely back out over time causing a safety issue. As Tex said, flip the bottom angle.

 

[brdesign]

Where I'm currently employed, we would glue 2" x 2" angle (sprayed white or whatever color matches the face) on the back of the ACM panel right at the edge. Then there is no need to go thru the labor of routing/breaking the returns AND you can get the face from a 4' x 8' sheet of ACM instead of paying more for a 5'x 8'. Tapcon the mounting structure to the wall, slip the pan over it, and tek screw the pan to the structure.



View attachment 158058

What adhesive do you use to glue the ACM to the angle brackets?

 

[MJ-507]

What adhesive do you use to glue the ACM to the angle brackets?

Loctite or Versalok. I don't know the product numbers off the top of my head, sorry. I can go out in the shop & get them from one of the fab guys if you're interested.

 

[Moze]

Where I'm currently employed, we would glue 2" x 2" angle (sprayed white or whatever color matches the face) on the back of the ACM panel right at the edge. Then there is no need to go thru the labor of routing/breaking the returns AND you can get the face from a 4' x 8' sheet of ACM instead of paying more for a 5'x 8'. Tapcon the mounting structure to the wall, slip the pan over it, and tek screw the pan to the structure.



View attachment 158058

"This is the way."

 

[brdesign]

Loctite or Versalok. I don't know the product numbers off the top of my head, sorry. I can go out in the shop & get them from one of the fab guys if you're interested.

yes that would be great to know, there are so many to choose from it gets confusing

 

[Scotchbrite]

I remember when they first brought Lord glue by our shop 20 years ago and we were very skeptical of the whole idea. Since then we've used it a lot and never had a problem.