Scratch
& Sniff
So I've been making painted metal signs with my CNC plasma cutter for like 16 years but I was today years old when I heard of ACM. Now I haven't put a router on my table yet even though my table is set up for it. It's always seemed too much of a hassle to swap it over and I've had plenty of work with the plasma so I never really gave it a second thought, but cutting steel is dirty, the flying sparks are hot and I really don't like burning my fingers so I may have to try using it for routing sometime soon, I'm very excited to learn about a new material that I can add to my toolbox!
OK... I have a customer that wants me to make them a sign for their dance studio. By the way I also have a vinyl plotter.
They are going to put posts in the ground and hang a 4'x8' sign between it. This will be at the entrance to their parking lot. At first they wanted me to put vinyl on a piece of plywood that they painted but I've talked them out of that, and after hearing about ACM today and doing some research on it, I'm excited to try it, but I still have some questions that I couldn't quite find the answers to.
I really like the idea of making a "return" or "edge" around the whole sign by cutting a V in the back and bending it into a "tray". I've also seen how to make the "notches" to move the seam to the side, bottom etc... (I also probably don't know the exact "terminology" for this stuff so please feel free to correct me) I've seen people using "angle iron shaped aluminum" and screwing or riveting them to the corners for strength.
Questions:
1. What is common to do for a "back" on this sign? If I were to mount it on some posts, the back would be visibly by people leaving the parking lot.
2. Would I need to do some "stiffeners" in a sign this size? What is a good stiffener? Angle aluminum, rectangle, and how are they mounted in there without seeing the screws or rivets on the front? Adhesives...?
3. What are some mounting methods? Is there a place on here for pictures of mounts, or got any suggestions for videos where they show some different methods?
4.Let's say I decided not to do a "tray" type sign for this job, just a flat sheet of ACM. Would I need something behind it to stiffen it up for some other reason? Would I then want to go with like a 6mm or 10mm? And would I want a "trim" piece to cover the edges, or is that not usually needed?
5. Not really pertainable to this job, but lets say I was mounting a "tray?" shaped sign to a flat wall and didn't want any visible hardware, is that possible?
6. Difference between ACM and ACP?
7. I've seen videos where they use a CNC router and cut out letters to make an illuminated sign. Are they cutting completely through the sign and using clear or smoked acrylic or something on the inside of the sign? I've seen two videos on it and it looked like it was smooth on the front... like it had a clear front with a solid middle layer? I didn't quite get that. I could be wrong though.. Again, not for this job, but just another question I had.
Sorry for all the noob questions, just excited that I might be able to do start doing work that doesn't put a fine layer of black plasma dust on EVERYTHING IN MY SHOP!
OK... I have a customer that wants me to make them a sign for their dance studio. By the way I also have a vinyl plotter.
They are going to put posts in the ground and hang a 4'x8' sign between it. This will be at the entrance to their parking lot. At first they wanted me to put vinyl on a piece of plywood that they painted but I've talked them out of that, and after hearing about ACM today and doing some research on it, I'm excited to try it, but I still have some questions that I couldn't quite find the answers to.
I really like the idea of making a "return" or "edge" around the whole sign by cutting a V in the back and bending it into a "tray". I've also seen how to make the "notches" to move the seam to the side, bottom etc... (I also probably don't know the exact "terminology" for this stuff so please feel free to correct me) I've seen people using "angle iron shaped aluminum" and screwing or riveting them to the corners for strength.
Questions:
1. What is common to do for a "back" on this sign? If I were to mount it on some posts, the back would be visibly by people leaving the parking lot.
2. Would I need to do some "stiffeners" in a sign this size? What is a good stiffener? Angle aluminum, rectangle, and how are they mounted in there without seeing the screws or rivets on the front? Adhesives...?
3. What are some mounting methods? Is there a place on here for pictures of mounts, or got any suggestions for videos where they show some different methods?
4.Let's say I decided not to do a "tray" type sign for this job, just a flat sheet of ACM. Would I need something behind it to stiffen it up for some other reason? Would I then want to go with like a 6mm or 10mm? And would I want a "trim" piece to cover the edges, or is that not usually needed?
5. Not really pertainable to this job, but lets say I was mounting a "tray?" shaped sign to a flat wall and didn't want any visible hardware, is that possible?
6. Difference between ACM and ACP?
7. I've seen videos where they use a CNC router and cut out letters to make an illuminated sign. Are they cutting completely through the sign and using clear or smoked acrylic or something on the inside of the sign? I've seen two videos on it and it looked like it was smooth on the front... like it had a clear front with a solid middle layer? I didn't quite get that. I could be wrong though.. Again, not for this job, but just another question I had.
Sorry for all the noob questions, just excited that I might be able to do start doing work that doesn't put a fine layer of black plasma dust on EVERYTHING IN MY SHOP!
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