Need advice on forming letters

[biggmann]

I was "thrown" into making the channel letters for our shop, I have the backs routed and using .040 (I believe) for he returns. Now I have no problems making the right angle letters "E", "T", "I" etc. Now the problem is rounding the curved letters like "R" "S", what is the trick to doing these? I have three different size pipes to form the aluminium around but not all letters are just a curve, the R I am working on curves then goes straight for a slight piece then curves again, I cannot for the life of me get this curve right. Is there a trick to this or just time to get it right. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I have also seen different types online that use acrylic for the returns or very thin aluminium instead of the thicker aluminium I am using now, are those kits any good?

 

[Moze]

I was "thrown" into making the channel letters for our shop, I have the backs routed and using .040 (I believe) for he returns. Now I have no problems making the right angle letters "E", "T", "I" etc. Now the problem is rounding the curved letters like "R" "S", what is the trick to doing these? I have three different size pipes to form the aluminium around but not all letters are just a curve, the R I am working on curves then goes straight for a slight piece then curves again, I cannot for the life of me get this curve right. Is there a trick to this or just time to get it right. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I have also seen different types online that use acrylic for the returns or very thin aluminium instead of the thicker aluminium I am using now, are those kits any good?

In my opinion, it's not really something you can learn on a forum. You really need to work alongside someone that can teach you the trade. Or just be prepared to go through a ton of trial and error until you get it right.

.040" isn't considered thick. Most competitive quality sign shops use at least .040" on returns, .063" for larger letters.

 

[MikePro]

rolling, not just bending, it over different-sized pvc pipes usually does the trick for me. kind-of like how you can't simply wind balloon ribbons around a pencil, to make them spring-y, but scraping a blade against it suggenly makes it want to curl like a fat-guy in the olympics.

we also have a few hand-crank steel rollers that start the curve, and the rest is tweaked by-hand.

tools&tricks, but ultimately a HUGE +1 to it being an experience that just comes with the trade....

 

[player]

Keep the curves absolutely vertical. If they angle things get out of whack.

 

[visual800]

You need to get you a finger brake and some skillz watching others do it

 

[biggmann]

I am trying to gt someone in here to show how to do these things, not much luck. It is going to be a lot of trial and error. Right now if I could afford it one of those auto benders you see at the sign show is looking pretty good.

 

[AceSignsOnline]

I am trying to gt someone in here to show how to do these things, not much luck. It is going to be a lot of trial and error. Right now if I could afford it one of those auto benders you see at the sign show is looking pretty good.

Sorry to hear you're having such a tough time. As for the auto-benders, they are great and all, but they pose a whole new set of problems. I know that if they were truly automated and actually did what they were advertised to do, our production would be at least triple what it is now.

Wish I had some profound wisdom to bestow upon you. Have you tried looking up some videos on YouTube? I know that even watching our automated bender has been invaluable in grasping the concept of how things would be done by hand.