Styrofoam Letters

[joe]

Thomas,

Lord have mercy. There are stop signs everywhere about what you're doing.

That stuff has NO UV resistance, Will crack and crumble with time if left outside. Paint won't stick to it but most of all it's Expensive. There might be a use as a paint mask but it's not worth the time to find out.

Joe Crumley
www.normansignco.com

[twelchPTM]

Joe,are you referring to the rubber-dip? If so I think you may have the wrong impression about the product. We use it to coat mini-cell and micro-cell polyethylene foam props all the time and it has peformed extremely well. Also the latest trend is using it to coat car parts such as rims and bumpers. and at about 50 bucks a gallon I have paints that cost more...

[joe]

You're right. I have no idea what that is. I've wasted lots of good money StyroSpray. That product will never make it's way into general use. It's been on the market for years. Most of us pro's have experienced it.

Look, I'm not trying to discourage innovation. What I'm all about is helping sign builders and sign manufacturers with products that are proven to work. If anyone has a proven good, we want to hear about it. It's not helpful to me or others hearing about what might work.

That's the reason we need a Header of Myth Busters for Signs. Here's another Myth that needs to be exposed. HDU will last longer outdoors than wood.

Joe Crumley
wwwnormansignco.com

[rbraeking]

I made some sets for a local beauty pageant out of urethane foam. They came out nicely but I had trouble gluing them to the plywood substrate. I wound up using mechanical fasteners at the last minute before the show. Any advice on adhesives? I used 3M super 77. Not successfully. It does attack the foam slightly before it flashes off. I tried Weldwood water based contact cement....Yeah right. Warm milk would work just as well.

Also looking for a source of PVC sheet goods. The foam worked well for temporary stage sets but I need a source of permanent outdoor sign material. (Near Houston)

Bob
Sand Dollar Woodworks

[joe]

Bob,

Like you I've also moved to PVC for my letters.

You can glue Bead Board and EPS foam with GE Silicone. There are two versions. You want Silicone 1.

When out on a job, you can apply a few pieces of double stick tape on the backs to hold your letters while the glue sets up.

Joe Crumley

[twelchPTM]

I use total plastics for my plastic sheet goods

[mklafehn]

On the 2" letters, how did you use a Onsrud 65-025 1/4" Solid Carbide One Flute Upcut Super O Flute when it only has a cutting edge length of 7/8"?

[gene]

What is the best way to paint foam that will be outside ?
has anyone tried thermofoil over a cut out letter?

[andyb]

Gene,
Here are the letters that I cut installed. They are painted in automotive paint. The B and G are 48" tall. The yellow letters are 24" tall.

Andy B.

[andyb]

Mike,
You make multiple passes. I did them in 3 passes.

Andy B.