retainer trim recommendation?

[tulsagraphics]

While replacing some sign faces I discovered this really old retainer trim. Much of the trim is beat up pretty bad. Missing pieces, twisted from sign face blowouts, etc. Not sure why they used a double track profile, but it's certainly not needed.

I think these cabinets are at least 40 years old.. It looks like the previous shop built a very basic steel cabinet and installed retainer trim pieces to the face -- no fancy kits.

The client wants me to replace all the trim for (2) different (stacked) cabinets. 1 sign is about 96" x 60", and the smaller one (pictured) is 96" x 30". Current trim depth is 1".

What type of trim would you recommend as a replacement? A simple "h" profile with a 1' depth? Reece / GSG recommend Excellart for profiles, but I didn't find what I was looking for... so I need to find a supplier too.

Thanks.

 

[Ryze Signs]

I usually just cut strips of aluminum and bend them with the brake. If you don't have one you can just buy aluminum angle and cut it with a miter saw.

 

[tulsagraphics]

I usually just cut strips of aluminum and bend them with the brake. If you don't have one you can just buy aluminum angle and cut it with a miter saw.

Yeah, I would probably do that for a single cabinet if I could access all 4 sides, but this sign has several sections stacked on top of each other so I need trim that attaches to the front. It's a funky build.

 

[JBurton]

You could get away with some Z clip as long as the inside of the frame has somewhere for the face to rest against. Your first picture looks like it does.
That I beam has seem quite a few signs come and go over the years it would seem!

 

[tulsagraphics]

You could get away with some Z clip as long as the inside of the frame has somewhere for the face to rest against. Your first picture looks like it does.
That I beam has seem quite a few signs come and go over the years it would seem!

Yeah, this sign has been beat to death over the decades. And whoever fabricated these cabinets... it seems like they built everything using scrap from their cabinet bone yard because all 4 cabinets are different thicknesses. lol. I don't have to do anything with the top 2 cabinets, however, since those were retrofitted with other systems over the years.
Where's a good place to get Z clips for .177" polycarb? Reece has this, but it only has a 5/32" gap. https://www.reecesupply.com/2314766/Product/Excellart-1280151

 

[JBurton]

Yeah, this sign has been beat to death over the decades. And whoever fabricated these cabinets... it seems like they built everything using scrap from their cabinet bone yard because all 4 cabinets are different thicknesses. lol. I don't have to do anything with the top 2 cabinets, however, since those were retrofitted with other systems over the years.
Where's a good place to get Z clips for .177" polycarb? Reece has this, but it only has a 5/32" gap. https://www.reecesupply.com/2314766/Product/Excellart-1280151

Eastern Metal Supply should have some. I usually just ask Ken to figure what I need, but it looks like the first one on this page may do it well:

https://www.easternmetal.com/Product/aluminum-zee/12-61-250

1-3/4" X 1-3/4" X 3/16" ALUMINUM ZEE X 25'
Gotta love cobbled together cabinets. My old man used to try to keep a list of cabinets that were stripped in the yard... I don't ever remember reselling one, once aluminum really replaced steel in large cabinets (or whenever we started using mostly signgineer for cabinets), we scrapped all those. Now we have somewhere to park instead!

 

[tulsagraphics]

Eastern Metal Supply should have some. I usually just ask Ken to figure what I need, but it looks like the first one on this page may do it well:

https://www.easternmetal.com/Product/aluminum-zee/12-61-250

1-3/4" X 1-3/4" X 3/16" ALUMINUM ZEE X 25'
Gotta love cobbled together cabinets. My old man used to try to keep a list of cabinets that were stripped in the yard... I don't ever remember reselling one, once aluminum really replaced steel in large cabinets (or whenever we started using mostly signgineer for cabinets), we scrapped all those. Now we have somewhere to park instead!

Awesome, thank you! Have a great weekend!

 

[Johnny Best]

Go to a metal shop and have them bend some aluminum for you like others have mentioned

 

[JBurton]

Go to a metal shop and have them bend some aluminum for you like others have mentioned

But he can't put that piece between the cabinets that are already stacked together.

 

[tulsagraphics]

Go to a metal shop and have them bend some aluminum for you like others have mentioned

I could do that for the sides and bottom, but that probably won't work for the top and middle sections. Check out these pics (yep, it's janky. lol)

 

[tulsagraphics]

By the way, what's the point of having double channel retainer trim? I can't see a use for it. Maybe some old school letter board or something? /shrug

 

[Johnny Best]

Looks like top cabinet sticks out further than bottom one so retainer can be fabricated like this.
I think the customer needs new cabinets. You can only patch so much, you might have a problem with getting screws to hold in rotten metal.

 

[tulsagraphics]

Looks like top cabinet sticks out further than bottom one so retainer can be fabricated like this.
I think the customer needs new cabinets. You can only patch so much, you might have a problem with getting screws to hold in rotten metal.

That "upper" sign looks like an old cabinet, but it's actually a really deep retainer trim. If you notice the Alumalite face in there, it has no support behind it -- it just flaps back and forth in the wind.

The plan is to get rid of all the red retainer and go back with new.

Upper sign is ~8' x 5', bottom is ~8' x 30". Depending on where the supports are installed, we might break this up into (3) signs instead of staying with (2), because an 8' x 5' plastic sign face doesn't last long with our crazy winds. (that's probably why they went with Alumalite on that upper sign, if I had to guess).

 

[JBurton]

By the way, what's the point of having double channel retainer trim? I can't see a use for it. Maybe some old school letter board or something? /shrug

It'd help to slide a face that is 'backed up' with lexan, think an aluminum face with void cut letters, with plastic backing it up.
Or for stacked cabinet retrofit, just like this scenario, or cabinet mounted direct to block, with no access to bottom screws.
I mean, it's a little silly, but so is the number of pieces of angle iron making up that corner...

 

[tulsagraphics]

It'd help to slide a face that is 'backed up' with lexan, think an aluminum face with void cut letters, with plastic backing it up.
Or for stacked cabinet retrofit, just like this scenario, or cabinet mounted direct to block, with no access to bottom screws.
I mean, it's a little silly, but so is the number of pieces of angle iron making up that corner...

Ah, I gotcha. Makes sense. Thanks!