Sign Letter Track from metal?

[Dale D]

I know there is tons of acrylic changeable letter track made of clear acrylic. Does anyone know if there is any supplier who makes them from a metal? TIA.

 

[GaSouthpaw]

You might be able to fudge your way with some extrusion (J molding or the like), but that's overkill in my opinion. I'd use polycarbonate (available from Wagner) if concerned about plastic durability.

 

[JBurton]

Sounds like you could make Z clip work, but you'll need to use twice as much for the 'middle' tracks.

 

[Dale D]

The customer wants it mounted on a wood background without a typical acrylic backer to mount the track to. Its kind of a rough saw cut wood sign.
Currently they have track mounted to acrylic clear and then mounted to the wood but it turns hazy.

 

[monroesigns]

The acrylic track turns hazy, the clear acrylic backer turns hazy, or both?

 

[Ryze Signs]

I've done wood tracks before for a menu board. It was just a strip of 1/4 ply with another strip wider than it glued and brad nailed to it.

You could do this with metal pretty easily using a router or laser, or buying small bars of different widths and screw through them into the wood.

 

[GaSouthpaw]

Zip change track can be installed with rivets, if needed.
I like Ryze Signs' suggestion about the wood. That would look nicer, I think. Probably not particularly durable if they want to use it outdoors, though.

 

[Dale D]

The acrylic track turns hazy, the clear acrylic backer turns hazy, or both?

Primarily the acrylic backer. I'm afraid that if I mount acrylic track directly to the wood , expansion/ contraction will effect mounting.

 

[weyandsign]

Use a strip of ACM, then a strip of aluminum over top of it?

 

[JBurton]

I've done wood tracks before for a menu board. It was just a strip of 1/4 ply with another strip wider than it glued and brad nailed to it.

That's dumb... I should have thought of that. I was sitting here imagining hogging out .25" aluminum for custom track, never occurred to me to stack materials. Long day ahead I guess.

 

[Dale D]

Thank you guys, I also was thinking extruded, and never thought about stacking aluminum.

Thanks again.