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Suggestions re-installing stud mounted acrylic lettering
- Thread starter petepaz
- Start date
Shred_signs
Lost Member
Just MAKE SURE you wear gloves when working with wires for stuff like this. Wire can cut like a knife in the right circumstances.
Shred_signs
Lost Member
One of my worst cuts was with a putty knife trying to remove letters. Putty knife slipped, and then my hand slipped, now there is a bit of me that will always be in in that room.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Ya don't hafta be italian to be musically inclined. Fishing line works, but not like piano wire. We have several wire removal kits, but the piano wire works by far the best. Piano wire is nothing more than a very strong steel known as music wire. It's tempered high carbon so it can take a lotta tension. You can even use guitar strings. Use a middle one like a D or a G.
JBurton
Signtologist
Hard for me as an Irishman to say for sure, but I think it's kinda badass to be slandered as a mafioso, better than being called a drunk, mick, spud, etc.
Scotchbrite
No comment
If the letters are taped, heat can help too.
MikePro
New Member
A "sharp" putty knife gets you behind the letter, and you can slice around the perimeter of the letter as you jam it/pry it to feel if there's a stud or not.
If its just tape&adhesive, you can just grab the letter at twist it off the surface after you've cut through the perimeter of adhesion.
If its studded, then you can pry it out of the hole after cutting through any perimeter adhesion.
...but i would always start there: slicing at the perimeter of the letter to make sure that the letter doesn't take out a chunk of wall with it when you go to pry it off.
If its just tape&adhesive, you can just grab the letter at twist it off the surface after you've cut through the perimeter of adhesion.
If its studded, then you can pry it out of the hole after cutting through any perimeter adhesion.
...but i would always start there: slicing at the perimeter of the letter to make sure that the letter doesn't take out a chunk of wall with it when you go to pry it off.
gnubler
Active Member
Cinder blocks tied to a chair?
petepaz
New Member
i was surprised to see this thread come up again. this job has been installed, billed and paid for a long time ago but here is how i solved my issue.
i laid cardboard on the table then rolled out craft paper on top, laid out my letters as they needed to be spaced. then traced each letter and pushed it in to the cardboard punching holes through the craft paper and presto stud template
i laid cardboard on the table then rolled out craft paper on top, laid out my letters as they needed to be spaced. then traced each letter and pushed it in to the cardboard punching holes through the craft paper and presto stud template
gnubler
Active Member
Update to this potential job. Customer asked if the sign letters can be removed from the interior wall and installed outside on a brick surface. Without knowing yet if these are tape or stud mounted, if they don't have studs how hard would it be to put some on? Pretty sure the letters are 1/4" aluminum, is that too thin for studs? Tap & die or welded on, or what? If it's not worth the work I'll just try to sell them on having new letters made with studs. A bit nervous about installing into brick, never done it before.
JBurton
Signtologist
If they don't have studs, then no go on brick. Yes you can glue some on, but you'll waste more time and money screwing around trying to make a pattern than if you just got new letters. If I was forced to do it, I'd get a piece of acm or acrylic, tape the letters to it, then mount that panel with standoffs or on a frame depending on size.
Installing in brick is easy, aluminum studs are very forgiving if your hammer drill wanders off the mark. Just do yourself a favor and get an SDS drill, corded if you don't already have a battery ecosystem in your shop. The 'hammer drills' that are just drills with a brrrrr to them are worthless. Ideally you get a rotary hammer that has a hammer only setting so you can hammer the mark on the pattern, indent the brick enough to keep it in place, then turn on the hammer + drill function and go to town. Also use your depth guide, it'll save you time and energy.
Installing in brick is easy, aluminum studs are very forgiving if your hammer drill wanders off the mark. Just do yourself a favor and get an SDS drill, corded if you don't already have a battery ecosystem in your shop. The 'hammer drills' that are just drills with a brrrrr to them are worthless. Ideally you get a rotary hammer that has a hammer only setting so you can hammer the mark on the pattern, indent the brick enough to keep it in place, then turn on the hammer + drill function and go to town. Also use your depth guide, it'll save you time and energy.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Some years ago, we had a job which involved many many holes being drilled into cement and then another wall of brick. Somewhere around 700 or 800 holes. Looked into the SDS drills and went with a makita electric. Makita is my 'go-to' brand of choice. Oh man, did the job in a fraction of my old dewalt corded hammer drill. That thing now has lotsa miles on it. Instead of using the depth guide, I just tape the bit. Been doing that on my drills for decades. So used to it now, it's just second nature.
DL Signs
Never go against the family
For removing taped on letters & panels.... Wire cutting kit for removing windshields. They're $20-30 for a kit with a spool of cutting wire & handles, replacement wires come on spools from 75'-300' in several different styles and thickness, some are smooth, some are braided or textured to cut better. You can even use the end of a roll and buy a different style so they can't match it to that "special customer" you need to take care of
