Installing a heavy 1/2" aluminum sign panel

[nolanola]

Hello forum.
We are about to produce a 24'' x 36'' aluminum sign but before we do that I want to ask for your opinions.
It's 1/2" aluminum and the brackets look too long and too narrow to hold the panel.
I was thinking about making brackets of 3/8 steel and the sign would slide in.

What do you think?

 

[TimToad]

You really shouldn't have aluminum and steel in direct contact with each other unless you can prime/paint or powdercoat the parts that could touch. They corrode when in contact with each other. It's called galvanic corrosion.

What gauge of stock are you using for the brackets? Can you redesign it and use aluminum? Those tabs look a little weak and the side to side action of the panel could snap the welds on the tabs to the other flat bar.

 

[nolanola]

The aluminum panel will be powder coated.
Yes, we can use wider tabs.
I don't know what gauge of stock we are using yet. I was thinking 3/8".

 

[henryz]

You should have it engineered, the bracket might hold it but what about the wall and what type of anchors need to be used. Be would through bolt something like this with some angles on the side maybe?

 

[Gino]

Yeah, you should probably use a large plate on the inside of that wall and all-thread. Most likely have guy wires on it, too.

 

[TimToad]

The aluminum panel will be powder coated.
Yes, we can use wider tabs.
I don't know what gauge of stock we are using yet. I was thinking 3/8".

I meant the ones that are being bolted to the wall.

 

[rossmosh]

Weld a piece of 1/2" aluminum perpendicular to the "legs". The whole panel is less than 40lbs. 4 good bolts should have absolutely no issue holding it up.

 

[Evan Gillette]

Roosmosh is right, simple calc says that the plate weighs 42 lbs without any material removed, I would be more concerned about wind loading and the spacing of anchors then the weight of the sign.

 

[Gino]

What's the worse thing that could happen ?? Good rain storm or down your way, some mighty heavy blowing winds left over from a hurricane and that thing drop on someone's head......... I'd say be safe and not sorry. Weight is not your main concern, it's Mother Nature and what it can throw at it. 42lbs..... 10 lbs. It's all heavy and can do some serious damage according to what it falls on.

 

[nolanola]

Thank you for your attention.
The sign panel will be powder coated.
Would it be more safe to use lighter substrate instead?
1/2" acrylic maybe.

 

[nolanola]

Is it where the it should be welded?
We can rout the shape.

 

[JTBoh]

Thank you for your attention.
The sign panel will be powder coated.
Would it be more safe to use lighter substrate instead?
1/2" acrylic maybe.

Instead of a crush injury, you'd have a dismemberment one.

I'd get it engineered, and keep it aluminum. Acrylic would break, especially with all the knockouts.

 

[MikePro]

does the mounting plate HAVE to be steel? you could just route match plates out of the 1/2" aluminum, weld them to the "legs" of your sign plate, and thru-bolt to the building. +1 NO to acrylic. it has no guaranteed structure and will certainly snap/crack/shatter in the elements & cut someone in half. You could make your artwork out of the acrylic, but you would have to frame it with aluminum/steel