Glueing up a big HDU sign

[signmeup]

Well... big for me. Here are a few pics of the glue up of a 54" x 96" double sider. I glued and screwed the spacer foam and let it cure up then the front face was glued on. This cut the workload during glue-up and made all those parts sit still instead of squirming all over with wet glue on them. I've never used this approach before with the screws but it works a treat. The top (face) was clamped around the edges and I piled lots of weight in the middle to press it all down. The urethane glue can push the faces apart as it cures so you need lots of weight.

I'll post pics of the finished sign once it's installed.

Added a detail of the gilded lettering. The larger ones are about 18" tall. Took 4 books of gold.

 

[signmeup]

A bog sign eh? How do you edit typos in titles?

 

[SignManiac]

Great tip and time saver Adrian. What if any structural components are you using inside for strength?

 

[signmeup]

The long black things are 1" square steel tubes. The sign is 3.5" thick which is pretty strong in itself.

 

[SignManiac]

No need, I knew right away what a bog sign was

 

[SignManiac]

Ok now I see them. In the pic they appeared to me as shadows in spaces..

 

[rushworks graphics]

thats a great looking sign....very nice, good job.

 

[signmeup]

Thanks Rush.... and thanks to whoever fixed my title typo!

 

[iSign]

Nice sign!

3-1/2" thick? Is the spacer foam 1" like the steel?

Do you start with 5x8 sheets to avoid a seam in the face, or did you have a glue-up there too?

I want to visit your shop someday... Seems like it would be similar to time travel!

 

[HulkSmash]

Very nice sign.

 

[signmeup]

Nice sign!

3-1/2" thick? Is the spacer foam 1" like the steel?

Do you start with 5x8 sheets to avoid a seam in the face, or did you have a glue-up there too?

I want to visit your shop someday... Seems like it would be similar to time travel!

The spacer foam is 1" scraps from the cutting out of the sign panels. The front face is 1.5" and the back face is 1". I used to route grooves for the steel frame but this is a lot easier and faster... Stronger too.

Yes I had to glue the panels up to get the 54" width.

Time travel? You mean my primitive methods I presume. I do have a lot of experience with archaic technology. You'd love my wooden scroll saw... (you can just make it out in the third pic.)

 

[Salmoneye]

Archaic? Foot powered or power? I saw some guys doing stone inlay with foot powered saws, it was awesome wort too. Do you use anything else to bond the steel to the foam for the address portion? How are you carving your letters, it doesn't look like you have a router? Very nice sign. I just did a couple of 3'x12' and laid them up to mdo, way too much work.

 

[signmeup]

Archaic? Foot powered or power? I saw some guys doing stone inlay with foot powered saws, it was awesome wort too. Do you use anything else to bond the steel to the foam for the address portion? How are you carving your letters, it doesn't look like you have a router? Very nice sign. I just did a couple of 3'x12' and laid them up to mdo, way too much work.

My scroll saw is based on a foot powered one but uses an old 1/4 hp washing machine motor. I made the saw about 30 years ago out of oak and odds and ends. The arms pivot on an old rocker shaft from an MG.

The small oval sign is trapped by the angle of the square tubes embedded in it. It does not require glue to hold it in, although, urethane glue sticks to steel very well.

The lettering was carved with chisels and a box cutter.

 

[skyhigh]

I like that...alot.

Looking forward to seeing the finished product.