PVC Pipe Sandwich Boards... any DIY experience?

[Doug Allan]

Several vendors carry these on-line, but on an order of 50 pcs, I hate to just ship all that in & struggle to squeak out a little profit. Maybe i can make some money throwing together some of these, but I don't recall ever reading about who here has done that.

I think I've seen them as low as $17 without the sign blanks, but shipping all that bulk out to Hawaii might easily double that figure, and that's before mark-up!! Now I know why I'm getting a call from a big realty firm for a big order, but they haven't called me in years... probably didn't like what their regular guy has to charge!

Oh yeah, he wants to attach riders too...

 

[Johnny Best]

Have you priced it out if you made them yourself getting the 3" pvc pipe and caps locally?

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

I've seen those before, they are made out of aluminum poles, Cheaply made.

 

[Gino]

What would keep them from blowing over ?? Or just falling if someone bumps into them. They aren't anchored in any fashion. Without the extra weight of metal stands, this doesn't make sense.

 

[equippaint]

What would keep them from blowing over ?? Or just falling if someone bumps into them. They aren't anchored in any fashion. Without the extra weight of metal stands, this doesn't make sense.

Fill the pipes with sand

 

[Billct2]

Yes, those could be fabricated in house fairly easily. I agree that they will blow over, but you'd probably need steel pipes to make them heavy enough.
Sand in the pipes is an interesting idea. Or some kind of folding base that could be weighted would help too, that's what we usually do. But of course these are for a realtor so
any extra cost will kill the job

 

[Johnny Best]

I have some "made in Canada by Smart Design Ltd. pvc hinges made for making sandwich boards. I do not know where I got them because I purchased a box of them years ago. You just cut 2 1/2" thick PVC boards or MDO. With cut out feet and attach these hinges to the top. Put a cross piece on the bottom between boards and use a sandbag for weight if there are high winds. Quick and not expensive.

 

[Gino]

If you go to all the trouble of filling them with water or sand, what's the sense of making them lightweight ?? The original idea behind these plastic contraptions is to make it so some girl can carry it in and out of the store everyday. Not a permanent means by no means.

 

[GB2]

Looks like those may have come from Arto Sign Co. in CA. and they are 1" PVC tube. If you try to use standard 1" plumbing pipe it will have undesirable markings all over it. They will not fall over or blow away if you have a rigid support of some type between the bottoms of each side, not a chain or anything loose, it needs to be rigid to prevent it from closing in addition to opening while standing, like the steel rod in Simpo A-frames. They don't need to be heavy, just need to be rigid. I don't know what you have available there but you could use square material too, maybe you can get inexpensive balusters from a supply store and use that. If you use a hollow material you will probably need a threaded rod to hold them together at the top but if it's solid you can screw them together. Maybe you can get some 1" Azek and rip it into appropriate size pieces or at Home Depot, on the mainland, they have 1"x1" solid square material.

 

[equippaint]

If you go to all the trouble of filling them with water or sand, what's the sense of making them lightweight ?? The original idea behind these plastic contraptions is to make it so some girl can carry it in and out of the store everyday. Not a permanent means by no means.

Really theres no sense in making a frame. Just do what johnnybest said. Its what everyone used to do before companies started making these overpriced aframes. Couple hinges, and hobby chain and its done. Dont leave it out on a windy day which really isnt your problem anyways, the buyer can figure out how to secure it.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

I have some "made in Canada by Smart Design Ltd. pvc hinges made for making sandwich boards. I do not know where I got them because I purchased a box of them years ago. You just cut 2 1/2" thick PVC boards or MDO. With cut out feet and attach these hinges to the top. Put a cross piece on the bottom between boards and use a sandbag for weight if there are high winds. Quick and not expensive.

Grimco sells them hinges, they come in white and are of different sizes I believe.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Grimco sells them hinges, they come in white and are of different sizes I believe.

We call them "hinge handles" up here

 

[Doug Allan]

wow, I'm so out of practice using this forum...

I thought I would get email notifications so i just came back to bump this thread in hopes of 1 reply

...anyway, this is a client I've never heard from, with a very specific request for what they already have decided on, for whatever reason.
I'm pretty sure they are super brand-conscious, & this form of a-frame is all they want.

...add to that i'm not the eager helper at all costs, that I used to be... so I have little incentive to offer free problem solving discussions, yet I love all the brainstorming here & would agree with many comments about better or cheaper or more functional options, so thank you ll for that.

I don't doubt that I could make them, and no... I haven't priced that out yet, as i figured someone might have already done that & made a killing, or suffered a nightmare so thought i'd ask here first.

 

[Chasez]

I have some "made in Canada by Smart Design Ltd. pvc hinges made for making sandwich boards. I do not know where I got them because I purchased a box of them years ago. You just cut 2 1/2" thick PVC boards or MDO. With cut out feet and attach these hinges to the top. Put a cross piece on the bottom between boards and use a sandbag for weight if there are high winds. Quick and not expensive.

I don't think Smart Design Ltd. is around anymore but the guy who created them is Emile Fournier and his new company is http://www.smartslitters.com/en/home.php4
I'm not sure if he still makes them or not but might be worth a shot to get in contact with him.

Chaz

 

[Marlene]

Good to see you on the site Doug and hope you do decide to offer up help as you always were one that could be counted on for great ideas.

 

[Doug Allan]

Good to see you on the site Doug and hope you do decide to offer up help as you always were one that could be counted on for great ideas.

oh, I realize how that came out...

when I wrote I'm somewhat less inclined to offer free help, but I love all the suggestions people were giving me here, I see how that totally sounded like "don't expect to see me helping out around here even though I like that ya'll are still doing that

...what i was trying to say is that I might give the guy a quote... but I don't think i'll take extra time to problem solve other ways,. or possible better ways they could hold their signs up.

For an old client i might, but for some brand new guy that only called me because perhaps his usual guy quoted more than he wanted to pay, he probably won't hear any of the many great ideas here... simply because that takes time & he may have no interest in considering anything beyond what he asked for...

...but totally still like helping my friends & my peers in the sign biz, so I'm, certainly willing to still do that when I can!