A Really Basic Sign.... Need Some Help...

Stuart Ablett

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OK the NPO I work for wants me to build a sign like this....

RainbowPlayVillage_23F-1024x682.jpg

... or at least something similar.

I know I cannot fit that whole thing into my iCarver, the bed is 15" x 20" but I could make three 15x20 pieces to make up the whole sign.

Now what is the best thing to make this kind sign?

A V-carve bit?

What software?

I have ArtCam.


I figure that you paint the whole board first, let it dry and then put some sort of painters tape over the surface, carve through that, then paint the carved surface with the second color, does that sound right?

I figure that I would use a sanding sealer first to seal the carved wood then paint it the second color to stop any bleed.

Oh yeah I have to have this done by the 2nd of June....

Ideas....?

Suggestions...?


HELP!! :eek:
 
No idea on the power carving (Leo? Help :D) but on a test of a half dozen or so sealers the best I found for preventing bleed was a polycrylic. It seemed to stop wicking a lot more effectively than shellac even. That was with an oil based enamel paint on top and slightly punky wood both of which were annoying about bleed.
 
I have routered some signs and spray painted a coat of paint over the entire sign, then painted the routered letters, belt sanded the top of the sign, blew off with air and poly urethaned the sign. ????

I make FFA Officer name boards, I stain the entire thing after routering their name on the board. Then I paint their name in black gloss paint with a brush. Don't know if this helps or not.
 
I know this is not what you are looking for but most signs today like that are printed on a uv proof vinyl and then the vinyl is the stuck onto a piece of very smooth plywood or even alum.

I don't know if there are any sign shops around that do vinyl printing, here there all over the place. I used to work for one.
 
I haven't used artcam, but I'm sure it does the vcarve or pocketing operations. Will depend on the fonts you use if you either do an end mill or a vbit. Process for finishing for me would be as you described. I use the avery paint mask, but masking tape or contact paper would work as well if you can't get paint mask. For some surfaces I've had to wax the first coat of paint before applying the mask to keep the mask from peeling away the first coat of paint, so may have to experiment a little with that.
 
First off, make sure that all the stuff you are using is good stuff for EXTERIOR. Shellac, poly - not good.

You can use wood, but make sure its a good exterior wood. You "could" use a good exterior plywood or a marine plywood.

Use a GOOD exterior primer, 3 heavy coats. Then paint the yellow with a good exterior paint - 3 coats, then mask, "V" groove, Primer, by brush, then color. Remove the mask and scrape the edges of the text, and light sanding. There should be a thick enough coat of yellow that you will not break through. You "could" use a foam roller with the yellow to go over the top with a light coat.

There are several ways I have read about sign makers doing it, but this seems somewhat common. What is standard is the heavy coating of primer and the 3 coats of color, and good sign makers do not use cheap paints.

I don't know if the Artcam has tiling capability, but you could cut the sign into sections that fit on you machine and use the tiling function, then reassemble the sign on a new base.

If you really want to dress it up a border around the edges would look good. To get really anal a roof is always a nice added touch. Roof does not need to be like a real roof, just a little fancy on the top border - make it a little bigger, and with some detail, something like crown molding.
 
First off, make sure that all the stuff you are using is good stuff for EXTERIOR. Shellac, poly - not good.

You can use wood, but make sure its a good exterior wood. You "could" use a good exterior plywood or a marine plywood.

Use a GOOD exterior primer, 3 heavy coats. Then paint the yellow with a good exterior paint - 3 coats, then mask, "V" groove, Primer, by brush, then color. Remove the mask and scrape the edges of the text, and light sanding. There should be a thick enough coat of yellow that you will not break through. You "could" use a foam roller with the yellow to go over the top with a light coat.

There are several ways I have read about sign makers doing it, but this seems somewhat common. What is standard is the heavy coating of primer and the 3 coats of color, and good sign makers do not use cheap paints.

I don't know if the Artcam has tiling capability, but you could cut the sign into sections that fit on you machine and use the tiling function, then reassemble the sign on a new base.

If you really want to dress it up a border around the edges would look good. To get really anal a roof is always a nice added touch. Roof does not need to be like a real roof, just a little fancy on the top border - make it a little bigger, and with some detail, something like crown molding.

Thanks Leo all good info.

Cheers!
 
I'm late to the thread but I would echo everything leo said ...

Darren raises a good point about the peeling up -- if the mask can peel up the paint, there may be adhesion issues that run deeper. I would expect well dried paint to stay put but I haven't used that Avery mask before. I use contact paper (shelf liner) and it works great - tho can leave a little residue behind which is annoying.

Leo's right about the outdoor stuff -- the sun is a persistent invader of all things and you need GOOD process and GOOD materials in order for it to last very long. We're talking not many years, less if it has freeze/thaw cycles.


I can't remember if ArtCAM can do tiling. But you can model it in 3 separate pieces, too -- you could use a printer's trick and draw the edge oversized and carve "registration" marks in all the pieces so you can later cut them to align perfectly.
 
This is not happening, I told them I don't have the time, and I don't. I don't often say "No" but I did this time LOL
Really they should just step up and get the signage done by a sign company. Print it on aluminum or something. I'll modify the posts so it is not just bolted onto the posts, but really, they need to just step up and pay a sign company this time around.
Thanks for the info, I'm sure I'll use it at some point!


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