HandCrafted HDU sign

[John_Smith]

well, here it is. the follow up from an earlier post.

using the photo I found on the web, I made this "prototype" model after it.
using some 10 year old HDU I have been carrying around for years after I retired,
I wanted to hone my skills and this was a good Covid Project for me.
he HandCrafted panel is just that - individually carved letters glued to the textured panel.
the ribbon is 1/8" PVC sheet heat formed to shape with a sheet of 3/8" HDU carved letters stuck to it
to resemble one solid piece.
the name panel is also hand carved with gold paint.
the thin gold colored border is 3/16" wooden dowels recessed into the panel.
brown paint is Valspar latex (with a black spray paint embellishment that will be painted over soon).
the gold colored graphics is 1Shot gold lettering enamel
(any questions, please feel free to holler up).

 

[signage]

Looks Good

 

[Boudica]

 

[TashaB]

Very nice!!

 

[Z SIGNS]

Very nicely done. There is a lot of satisfaction to be had from this kind of work.

 

[White Haus]

Looks amazing! Quick question: What did you use to glue the letters on? Was that done bare surface to bare surface or paint to paint?

I've been wanting to play around with some HDU projects but I've still got a lot to learn in terms of what you can and can't do.

I did have a chat with someone at SignFoam and they were super helpful. Now I just have to order a sheet and play around with it!

 

[jimbug72]

Nice job!

 

[Josh Martinez]

well, here it is. the follow up from an earlier post.

using the photo I found on the web, I made this "prototype" model after it.
using some 10 year old HDU I have been carrying around for years after I retired,
I wanted to hone my skills and this was a good Covid Project for me.
he HandCrafted panel is just that - individually carved letters glued to the textured panel.
the ribbon is 1/8" PVC sheet heat formed to shape with a sheet of 3/8" HDU carved letters stuck to it
to resemble one solid piece.
the name panel is also hand carved with gold paint.
the thin gold colored border is 3/16" wooden dowels recessed into the panel.
brown paint is Valspar latex (with a black spray paint embellishment that will be painted over soon).
the gold colored graphics is 1Shot gold lettering enamel
(any questions, please feel free to holler up).
View attachment 150555
View attachment 150556

WOW, This came out great!!! Good job.

 

[John_Smith]

thanks for all the flowers !!

I made some videos on the steps from beginning to end - but after I watched them a few times,
I seem like a dork fumbling around in the dark. but, they may be beneficial to some folks.
(I will post the YouTube link when I get it downloaded).
I glued the letters on with Gorilla Glue (urethane - that expands when wet). very small amounts
with some weight to hold them in place - too much glue and you have a lot of clean up to do.
after all the carving was done on the letters, I gave then a light spray of automotive gray primer
just so I can see any areas that need more attention. after looking at the same color for hours and hours
on end, you get "snow blind" to the project. so having contrasting colors helps me quite a bit.
but any kind of adhesive (other than PVA wood glue) will work. (depending on your project).
oh - I forgot to mention: when I lived in South Georgia, I got my HDU at a sign supply place
in Jacksonville, FL. I drove by their dumpster on the way out from picking up some HDU
and saw several sheets of HDU in the dumpster. I looked closely and it was 1/4" - 3/8" thick.
I asked the guys in the warehouse why they threw it away . . . they said it was only packing material
on the tops and bottoms of HDU when it is shipped and they just toss it.
WHHOOOOAAAAA DUDE !!! over the next few years, I was in and out of their dumpster
many times !!!! so that is how I have the thin HDU that is perfect for carving letters and graphics.
but, of course, you can also re-saw a slab on your bandsaw if you need thin pieces.

 

[MJ-507]

That's a beautiful sign. I so wish I had the skills to carve and whatnot, but I don't. It's okay tho because I'm very content - and my creative genes are fulfilled - by being the designer so gentlemen like yourself can do what I'm not able to.
What is the overall size?

 

[John_Smith]

thanks MJ - oh yeah, I forgot the size . . . .
40" tall, 33" wide and 3/4" thick with a 3/4" skirt to give it the illusion of 1.5" thick.
the applied raised graphics and ribbon give it more "bulk".
this is only a prototype to rekindle my skills and enthusiasm in the craft. (Covid Project #27).

.