Gemini/Acrylic Cut Lettering on Composte Aluminium?

[AylmerSigns]

Good morning fellows,

I'm working on my own shop sign, and wanted to push some Gemini/Acrylic lettering, but am not exactly sure how to proceed, for installation of my letters.

I was originally going to use black composite aluminum panels, and apply vinyl lettering over, but I would like to this a little more classy, and push sales on Gemini products also.

I already have my composite aluminum panels cut (1/8"). My sign will be made of 3 panels of roughly 30" x 72" (each panel). The panels will be installed over an existing sign, and is made to fit inside the current frame (not sitting in the frame, but over the current plywood sign, aligning with the "border" of the frame). I do not have decent space in the back, due to frame thickness, to drill holes in the composite aluminum panels, to "bolt" the sign's stud over the back of the composite panels.

What would my options be, in terms of installation of the letters on the panels? I did not order the letters, so they can be stud, or pad mounted, as would be best for this job. I was thinking about using PL Premium (exterior) to glue the pads to the aluminum, but I am not sure if this could "tear apart" the aluminum sheeting from the core? What would be, in best of your knowledge, the best way for me to get this project done?

Thanks guys!

 

[thmooch]

Vhb

 

[Billct2]

What's the existing sign made of? If it's something with some thickness like plywood I'd use a combo mount.

 

[Mosh]

++VHB pad mount, or stud mount and counter sink bolts for the studs on the back of the panel.

 

[AylmerSigns]

++VHB pad mount, or stud mount and counter sink bolts for the studs on the back of the panel.

Meaning I would order the letters with pad mount, and use VHB to apply it to the composite aluminum ? Wouldn't that risk of "tearing" the aluminum from the core ?

 

[John Butto]

You use that term "tearing" twice pertaining to aluminum composite. What brand are you using. Letters pad mount with vhb will not "tear" it.

 

[J Hill Designs]

use correct length 10-24 machine screws and screw em on from behind

 

[AylmerSigns]

You use that term "tearing" twice pertaining to aluminum composite. What brand are you using. Letters pad mount with vhb will not "tear" it.

I'm using NUDO PolyMetal, 1/8". I was using tearing apart, because I have no idea on how strong the bond between the core and the aluminum is. I'm just not wanting the sign to fall on someones head - it would damage my sign. Haha.

 

[Marlene]

is this a single sided sign? is it some kind of wooden posts with a wood frame with a plywood sign that you are re-facing? how are you re-using the frame? butting the new panels up to the edges? if this is how the existing sign/frame is made, I would start over and make an aluminum pan, stud mount the letters to it, nut them from the back, put up a piece of angle on the plywood and mount the new aluminum pan to that. for what you have I would put 1" thick painted 1" x 1" on the face of the existing plywood, top, bottom and both sides. I would then still stud and nut the letters to the flat pieces and then I would mount tht to the 1" x 1" so it still looked like shallow pan. the reason I would do either of the above is the stud mounted with nuts means nothing will fall off, no tape failure, no glue issues. the other reason is when re-using an existing stucture, I think it always looks better to make it look like it was built for you and this was your plan all along rther than look like a panel screwed in over an existing old sign

 

[AylmerSigns]

is this a single sided sign? is it some kind of wooden posts with a wood frame with a plywood sign that you are re-facing? how are you re-using the frame? butting the new panels up to the edges? if this is how the existing sign/frame is made, I would start over and make an aluminum pan, stud mount the letters to it, nut them from the back, put up a piece of angle on the plywood and mount the new aluminum pan to that. for what you have I would put 1" thick painted 1" x 1" on the face of the existing plywood, top, bottom and both sides. I would then still stud and nut the letters to the flat pieces and then I would mount tht to the 1" x 1" so it still looked like shallow pan. the reason I would do either of the above is the stud mounted with nuts means nothing will fall off, no tape failure, no glue issues. the other reason is when re-using an existing stucture, I think it always looks better to make it look like it was built for you and this was your plan all along rther than look like a panel screwed in over an existing old sign

Thanks for the great explanation. Very much appreciated.

The existing sign is a one piece back light Lexan panel (~30" x ~216" visible, roughly 1.5" frame overlap).

I wanted originally to remove the current plastic, and insert my composite aluminum panels, but for some reason, my employee ordered the panels to fit the 30" x 216" visible area. His idea was to install a "new" frame/channel over the current frame, in which these panels would sit [I have no idea why put so much effort for such a simple task, to be honest - but I now have the whole panels (2 signs, 6 x 72" panels total)].

I don't have enough clearance in the back to mount the studs through, bolting them on the back of the panel. I was planing, due to the current material we have in stock, to install it flat, over the current lexan piece...

Any ideas on this one?

 

[J Hill Designs]

you have enough clearance for screw heads, though. screw from behind, using the correct lenght 10-24 machine screws.

 

[Marlene]

the lexan is flat? is so, just mount 1" x 1" to the retainer to build it out from the sign cabinet and when you mount the flat panels to it, it will look like a pan. it's 216" long? you could run 1" x 1" up and down where the seams meet and that would also help make the seam more stable.

 

[Billct2]

You were going to take out the existing face, so take it out and thru bolt the dibond and letters to it, then put it back in. I usually leave an offset between the letters and the background so you don't end up with nasty looking dirt steaks

 

[Moze]

Good morning fellows,

I'm working on my own shop sign, and wanted to push some Gemini/Acrylic lettering, but am not exactly sure how to proceed, for installation of my letters.

I was originally going to use black composite aluminum panels, and apply vinyl lettering over, but I would like to this a little more classy, and push sales on Gemini products also.

I already have my composite aluminum panels cut (1/8"). My sign will be made of 3 panels of roughly 30" x 72" (each panel). The panels will be installed over an existing sign, and is made to fit inside the current frame (not sitting in the frame, but over the current plywood sign, aligning with the "border" of the frame). I do not have decent space in the back, due to frame thickness, to drill holes in the composite aluminum panels, to "bolt" the sign's stud over the back of the composite panels.

What would my options be, in terms of installation of the letters on the panels? I did not order the letters, so they can be stud, or pad mounted, as would be best for this job. I was thinking about using PL Premium (exterior) to glue the pads to the aluminum, but I am not sure if this could "tear apart" the aluminum sheeting from the core? What would be, in best of your knowledge, the best way for me to get this project done?

Thanks guys!

VHB tape and silicone for solid, dimensional letters. Silicone for pad-mounted letters. No need for mechanical fasteners.

It's not going to 'tear' or cause the facing to come off the panels.