Super Noob HANGING SIGN

[Dbeeson07]

Hi Everyone,

***PREWARNING*** I am super new to the sign world and know nothing other than what I read in this forum and find on google.

Background
My husband and I purchased a 64" Mutoh printer a year ago to print car wraps and number stickers for the dirt track cars we race every saturday. I am totally new to that field but have been slowly learning in my free time. I have made a few number stickers, lots of coroplast signs and tons of canvases (my favorite). I recently quit my full time job to be at home with our new baby who was born with a heart condition. My hopes is to get our business up and going and use the printer to its full capacity, I am still learning what all I can make with it. I have a customer asking if I can create a sign for his diner at the local gas station. He has an existing sign post he wants it hanging from, I have attached a photo for reference. The sign will roughly be 6'x4' double sided.

Question
I am planning on printing my sign and mount it to something to hang from the below sign post. I am trying to figure out the best material to mount the sign to and hang it. I have done some research and I am finding that Lusterboard and Alumalite are probably my best options. Please correct me if I am wrong.

What I have learned so far:
Lusterboard:
-Would be heavy enough to keep it swinging in the wind, we don't have much we live in Texas in the country.
-I have read that it may only last two years than begin to delaminate. I have found some caps for this Lusterboard from Glantz. Would this help it from delaminating?
- If this would be my best option I am at a loss of what proper hardware I should hang it with. I know something that would bolt though would be my best option, is there something particularly made for this?

Alumalite:
- From my understanding this is just like coroplast but with aluminum faces. I love this idea seems much less heavy and possibly cheaper for my customer and last longer but my concern would it fly in the wind?
- Do they sell frames I could bolt to the sign post? I have searched but have come up with nothing specifically for this.

Am I on the right track with either of these options? If no and you only had a printer how would you do this sign? Any constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.

TIA for any suggestions!!

- Destiny


Side note on photo, he is having someone cut the arm off and turn it to the opposite side so its hanging over the grass and closer to the road. He had issues with big rigs hitting his previous sign.

 

[Dbeeson07]

For some reason its not attaching my image when I post it or try to add it to the reply

 

[Gino]

Sorry to hear about your baby's condition. Hopefully, he'll grow out of it.

Who's putting up the sign ??

In most places, you need to start over with the permits, engineer drawings and codes when changing the location of an existing sign and not putting the same thing back up there. You're changing the integrity of the sign and it's structure. Also, do you have insurance to do all of this ??

 

[Dbeeson07]

Sorry to hear about your baby's condition. Hopefully, he'll grow out of it.

Who's putting up the sign ??

In most places, you need to start over with the permits, engineer drawings and codes when changing the location of an existing sign and not putting the same thing back up there. You're changing the integrity of the sign and it's structure. Also, do you have insurance to do all of this ??

Hi thank you for the response! And thank you for the condolences.

So I questioned the customer and asked if I made the sign would they have someone to hang it and they said no. I personally don't like the idea of hanging the sign ourselves, I was hoping I could just provide the sign ready to hang and give it to them but have considered hanging it for them as we live in the country and shouldnt have any issues. I had already called my city and county and they both do not require any permits to hang signs plus we are not within city limits. As for insurance I am just a small LLC with no insurance as hanging signs and doing crazy stuff isn't at the top of my list of services.

 

[brdesign]

6mm ACM would be another option. I'm not a fan of the signs that are just swinging from chains. If they fly off in a storm and damage someone's property or injure someone that could be a big lawsuit. There are quite a few businesses in my area that lost their swinging signs in Hurricane Ian last week, and we caught the outer bands of the storm. Something similar to this bracket that has solid drop-down bars with two single-sided panels would be a better option than chains. https://www.signbracketstore.com/sign-brackets/iron-sign-bracket.html

 

[Dbeeson07]

I have been looking for anything and everything to keep away from chains his previous signs were hooked into eyehole bolts. A drop down that mounts to the post above is exactly what I was trying to find. This one linked is a little fancy and comes from the side vs above but this gives me a start. Thank you!

6mm ACM would be another option. I'm not a fan of the signs that are just swinging from chains. If they fly off in a storm and damage someone's property or injure someone that could be a big lawsuit. There are quite a few businesses in my area that lost their swinging signs in Hurricane Ian last week, and we caught the outer bands of the storm. Something similar to this bracket that has solid drop-down bars with two single-sided panels would be a better option than chains. https://www.signbracketstore.com/sign-brackets/iron-sign-bracket.html

 

[Gino]

Well, you do what ya want. I've never heard of not needing permits and meeting codes on a hanging sign, even if it's up in the mountains. Get it in writing and if ya don't have insurance and something goes wrong, guess who'll be the first named in a lawsuit.

Unlike what you're describing, making signs is not a part-time fun hobby. It's a business and if ya don't wanna play by the rules and run by the seat of your pants, then just throw it up and hope it stays.

I mean really....... you can't even download a simple picture in a forum setup just to do that and you wanna approach doing something you don't have a clue about substrate-wise, installation-wise or legally ?? Lady, you're nuts.

 

[Billct2]

What kind of laminator do you have?

 

[Dbeeson07]

Well, you do what ya want. I've never heard of not needing permits and meeting codes on a hanging sign, even if it's up in the mountains. Get it in writing and if ya don't have insurance and something goes wrong, guess who'll be the first named in a lawsuit.

Unlike what you're describing, making signs is not a part-time fun hobby. It's a business and if ya don't wanna play by the rules and run by the seat of your pants, then just throw it up and hope it stays.

I mean really....... you can't even download a simple picture in a forum setup just to do that and you wanna approach doing something you don't have a clue about substrate-wise, installation-wise or legally ?? Lady, you're nuts.

Welp now you have, you're telling me the permit offices don't know what they are talking about? When you live in a true country town the cities stay out of your business.

Everyone started somewhere that's why I am in this forum to ask questions jerk. Isn't that the whole point of this site? I also gave several warnings of being a newbie.

Ah yes, I'm such an idiot because there is a technical issue with it not attaching the image. How would I have ever known this without your input? Thank you great and kind Gino!

 

[Dbeeson07]

What kind of laminator do you have?

GFP 263C

 

[Billct2]

I don't like lusterboard and alumalite is too light for a sign like that. A hanging sign should have some weight to it so it doesn't
swing wildly in a wind. An option would be 3/4" MDO, properly painted and then apply the prints. Don't get involved with hanging it.
Too many issues with installing a sign that big on an existing structure. If it comes down and causes damage or injury you will be sued.

 

[Dbeeson07]

I don't like lusterboard and alumalite is too light for a sign like that. A hanging sign should have some weight to it so it doesn't
swing wildly in a wind. An option would be 3/4" MDO, properly painted and then apply the prints. Don't get involved with hanging it.
Too many issues with installing a sign that big on an existing structure. If it comes down and causes damage or injury you will be sued.

Thank you for the response! Say he gets someone else to hang it, can it still come back on me because I made it?

 

[Gino]

Welp now you have, you're telling me the permit offices don't know what they are talking about? When you live in a true country town the cities stay out of your business.

Everyone started somewhere that's why I am in this forum to ask questions jerk. Isn't that the whole point of this site? I also gave several warnings of being a newbie.

Ah yes, I'm such an idiot because there is a technical issue with it not attaching the image. How would I have ever known this without your input? Thank you great and kind Gino!

Don't know where I said officers don't know what they're talking about. I said, get it in writing. Verbals do not work when things go wrong. And I live in the true country. Most of our neighbors are between 60 and 80 acres. However, we still have codes and rules we must follow. We even have trash pickup at our place, recycling days for pickup and we have a police department and fire company not far down the road. We-ez big time.

That....... everybody started out somewhere is weak and pathetic. If you were starting out and not knowing how to do or make something, asking questions and listening, as robert would say....... you'd see my first answers were very helpful, but when you come back with the same ol' crap others say, then I can't care, either. This site is for professionals and you are not acting very professional. Nobody cares if you're a newbie or not. It helps, but only if you wanna keep you and your business professional. Outbursts and calling people names isn't a good idea.

Another thing, please try not to put words in my mouth and make things up about what you think or perceived me to say. Either get it straight or keep your piehole shut.

Now, suddenly, when someone else says you'll get sued if ya put it up, your ears perk up...... but you said you don't hafta worry. So, which is it ??

Dbee, ya might need to stay focused and think about what you wanna say. If ya don't like answers, ignore them, but childish outbursts and name calling is not gonna get ya anywhere.

This place is no place for emotions like you're displaying over being legal or not.

 

[Billct2]

"Say he gets someone else to hang it, can it still come back on me because I made it?" Probably not, but I'm not a real sign lawyer but I have slept in a Holiday Inn, and they used to have cool signs

 

[Gino]

Of course they can. If you didn't get approval from the municipality.... or whatever runs your countryside village, you are then acting as the chief professional player in this game of yours. Knowing where it's going, how it is predicted to be installed, you are the one.... and the only one who can tell the end-user what to do and how to do it. Otherwise, you shouldn't be doing it and pass on it. You not doing the actual installing only gets you off the hook for your own insurance. But, your insurance won't back you, if you made a wrong decision or directive to the end-user. Then, their lawyer will fry your petunia.

Did ya figure out how to load your pictures i, yet ??

 

[weyandsign]

If you're not insured, don't be hanging any signs. Just my 2 cents. You may be getting to the point of wasting more time than what the job is worth.

 

[kcollinsdesign]

I would weld a steel or aluminum frame with engineered attachments to the post (which also must be engineered correctly before I will agree to use it). Spending $300.00 – $500.00 for stamped drawings is a small price to pay if you do not understand the material qualities, environmental conditions, and loads in a sign installation.

All of the substrates mentioned will work; they all have different qualities which will make them more or less suitable for any given application. Mount a panel on each side of the frame.

There are hanger clips available to hang small double-sided signs onto a signpost, but 6' x 4' is far to large for those lettle clips (and my permitting authority would reject them instantly).

Speaking of permitting, I am unaware of any area in the country that does not have some form of building code. If you are that far in "the country" that nobody cares then just do what the hell you want! Nail some boards together and hang it with baling wire.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

I'd use 1" AR steel plate and hang it by 4" anchor chain with 200 ton shackles. Whoever it falls on won't be around to sue you. Problem solved.

 

[truckgraphics]

Congratulations for expanding your knowledge you've gained making your own signs and wraps into the commercial world.

When I started this business, I had even less knowledge of sign making. But there were at the time a lot of trucks without any signage in our area and the machinery to make truck lettering was a relatively new technology (so I was told!). So I jumped in.

Having said this, we've made a few signs out of our comfort zone over the years, including free-standing signs. And honestly, I don't think we would make any more. Not only do we have to worry about permits and such, but have to get a site survey to avoid gas and electric lines. Also, drilling holes into the ground is hard work.

On the other hand, if a construction company comes to us (as has happened) and wants us to make a sign face that they will install on their own, then sure, we'll make it.

Point being, if I wanted to get into that business, I'd get a partner that has the experience and skill. So if there is a lot of sign work in your area and you want to get it, that's the path I would explore.

Otherwise, there is plenty of signage you can profitably make with the skills and equipment you have. It's not a terrible idea to step out of your comfort zone now and then, but be careful where you step.

That's my 2 cents.

Welcome to the sign world and good luck !

(PS: You should get insurance even if you don't do free standing signs.)

 

[Stacey K]

I would definitely get some insurance. If you are going to be lettering racecars then that will expand to other vehicles and it's super easy to accidently scratch a vehicle. Insurance is very reasonable for this trade if you are just a small shop. It should include garage keepers as well if you are lettering on your property.

My town is very laid back with signage permits so I'm not overly surprised if they don't require it...or are just too lazy to go through the work. Another option would be to hire the installation out to a local contractor. They typically have insurance and a good idea of what might work and what will not. It's a good idea to start making relationships with these kinds of businesses as you may find yourself needing them in the future and often working with them on certain new construction projects.