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Outdoor acrylic sign for golf course

J

jdwilliams1

Premium Subscriber
Hello, been in the flatbed print business for a couple decades but we primarily make home goods and wall decor but are expanding into local sign work.

I have been approached by a local golf course to make an outdoor acrylic sign to provide inromation to the members. I have a load of questions being fairly new to this and have added the images of the sign and then the specs also. Listen this is a big ask as I know most of you are busy but it is worth a shot to get some questions answered.

I have JFX200 Mimaki but I am not thinking the outdoor life is goood enough on those. We also have a CNC macine to cut the acrylic and then I assume all the lettering will be vinyl. as requested and also done with a gloss laminant. We also have S-series Summa cutter and Epson 80600s Surecolor.

I am doing a deep dive here looking for pricing with and without installation, and if possible thoughts on how to handle the inserts.

I am a bit confused on what they mean painted acrylic. I am assuming just a white acrylic and then apply the vinyl and then add the laminate. Is there a system out there for the acrylic inserts?

Any help would be appreciated. I know if I am asking these questions then it might best be a job we pass on, but I want to see where are on this and if it is too much I will pass it on.

Any help on suppliers and material would be great we buy most of out material from Grimco.

Thanks
 

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pro-up

pro-up

New Member
This seems like they are shopping their current supplier. This probably has a 1/2" backer that is not acrylic and then a 1/4" white acrylic face (unusual material for a golf course). The TBD are the inserts. In this application the inserts might be magnetic with the insert area rousted through the 1/4" face. This is sun and chemical exposure all day long so you will need a very good paint system and premium vinyl. We always did these as aluminum. They either get hit by balls or clubs (golfers are grumpy and prone to violent outbursts, lol). I'm not sure I'm really being helpful.

You should go to the course and get a picture of a current sign (front, back, and side). Are you responsible for mounting? How / where is this being installed? This could lead to multiple repeat orders if you get this right. But, they are shopping around and will take whatever you provide to the guy down the street for competitive pricing.

Do not give them art before they pay or place the official order (whatever your in-house process may be). They will take it and never come back. Request their logo and the font they used (or inform them they will have to purchase the font if you do not have it readily available). Good luck!
 
J

jdwilliams1

Premium Subscriber
pro-up said:
This seems like they are shopping their current supplier. This probably has a 1/2" backer that is not acrylic and then a 1/4" white acrylic face (unusual material for a golf course). The TBD are the inserts. In this application the inserts might be magnetic with the insert area rousted through the 1/4" face. This is sun and chemical exposure all day long so you will need a very good paint system and premium vinyl. We always did these as aluminum. They either get hit by balls or clubs (golfers are grumpy and prone to violent outbursts, lol). I'm not sure I'm really being helpful.

You should go to the course and get a picture of a current sign (front, back, and side). Are you responsible for mounting? How / where is this being installed? This could lead to multiple repeat orders if you get this right. But, they are shopping around and will take whatever you provide to the guy down the street for competitive pricing.

Do not give them art before they pay or place the official order (whatever your in-house process may be). They will take it and never come back. Request their logo and the font they used (or inform them they will have to purchase the font if you do not have it readily available). Good luck!
Click to expand...
Hi Pro-up and thanks for getting back to me. So I have a friend that works in the proshop. They already got one bid but the pro said it was a non-starter and looking for more prices, so you are correct. Now my friend knows I am a golfer and this is a new private course so he did mention that if the price was right, I might get a few rounds of golf...lol. But I have nno interest in that.

Regarding install they want me to quote it both ways and I should mention, this place is 100% new, so it is not replacing an existing sign, but I might be able to get a photo of the area sent to me. I am more less trying to figure out if I have the equipment to make this given the speca and then where do I track down the material I guess.

Thanks for you help.
 
pro-up

pro-up

New Member
We made signs for multiple golf courses for years and we typically used aluminum and Matthews paint system. Everything else we used was so prone to damage, it wasn't worth the repeat trips to replace the signs or repair them. If you are not doing aluminum or thick wood, it may not be worth the initial savings in cheaper materials. Occasionally, and this was when they requested, we made thick pvc signs with aluminum backers (but they are likely to heat warp). The cheapest system we did for one client was 0.80 alum face or 1/2" pvc with 1/4" aluminum backer (these were in guest areas so in the danger zone).

It sounds like there may be a learning curve, but it could be worth the education to get you on their repeat vendor call list. They always needs signs. Change in donors, events, and replacement signs are in constant demand with golf courses.
 
J

jdwilliams1

Premium Subscriber
OK I do have some updates and more questions

This will actually be flush mounted on the brick wall seen here but it will be getting plenty of sun exposure. It will not be close to any golf activity. I believe they are flexible as to the material we use.

I have a coupe questions. In the mockup they send there is a green boarder around the edge of the sign and the text is golden and then the green inserts. Would be interested in know how you experts would get this look. Do you.

1. Just print every thing on vinyl with my Epson Surecolor then laminate it then put it n the substrate and trim off the excess vinyl at the perimeter of the maxmetal or acrylic? Could the trimming and shape cutting be done all at the end with an acrylic bit with our cnc essnetially cutting the shape in the acrylic or max metal?

2. would you make one panel that is green and thena second panel that is white so essentially you would have two layers of acrylic or maxmetal.

I assume the only way to hit their colors is to digital print everything otherwise you are limited to the vinyl colors available?

Sorry I know at some point if you have to ask so many questions you might be better off not doing it, and I am still sorting that out but I do want to learn regardless.
 

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J

jdwilliams1

Premium Subscriber
pro-up said:
We made signs for multiple golf courses for years and we typically used aluminum and Matthews paint system. Everything else we used was so prone to damage, it wasn't worth the repeat trips to replace the signs or repair them. If you are not doing aluminum or thick wood, it may not be worth the initial savings in cheaper materials. Occasionally, and this was when they requested, we made thick pvc signs with aluminum backers (but they are likely to heat warp). The cheapest system we did for one client was 0.80 alum face or 1/2" pvc with 1/4" aluminum backer (these were in guest areas so in the danger zone).

It sounds like there may be a learning curve, but it could be worth the education to get you on their repeat vendor call list. They always needs signs. Change in donors, events, and replacement signs are in constant demand with golf courses.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply Pro up. I added an image of where this will be on the brick wall. I was thinking that Maxmetal might be a good option as well.
 
pro-up

pro-up

New Member
jdwilliams1 said:
OK I do have some updates and more questions

This will actually be flush mounted on the brick wall seen here but it will be getting plenty of sun exposure. It will not be close to any golf activity. I believe they are flexible as to the material we use.

I have a coupe questions. In the mockup they send there is a green boarder around the edge of the sign and the text is golden and then the green inserts. Would be interested in know how you experts would get this look. Do you.

1. Just print every thing on vinyl with my Epson Surecolor then laminate it then put it n the substrate and trim off the excess vinyl at the perimeter of the maxmetal or acrylic? Could the trimming and shape cutting be done all at the end with an acrylic bit with our cnc essnetially cutting the shape in the acrylic or max metal?

2. would you make one panel that is green and thena second panel that is white so essentially you would have two layers of acrylic or maxmetal.

I assume the only way to hit their colors is to digital print everything otherwise you are limited to the vinyl colors available?

Sorry I know at some point if you have to ask so many questions you might be better off not doing it, and I am still sorting that out but I do want to learn regardless.
Click to expand...
Full transparency, we have not manufactured for several years and materials and technologies might have improved. We were wholesale fabricators and installers before selling off that arm of the business and focusing on digital / software exclusively. My recommendation is to give Graphic Components a call. They are very reliable and can help you come up with a creative solution (especially if you explain it's for a golf course with the potential for repeat business).

You need to decide how you are making those inserts. This will determine where to go with the overall sign. Golf courses like premium and would more than likely prefer the stacked layers. You might want to talk with maxmetal suppliers / manufacturers. My experience is the maxmetal can delaminate and warp when left in direct sun. There is the additional consideration of mounting. Will you do hidden fasteners, cleats, through mounts?
 
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