HDU Signs

[joe]

Davo, like Alex suggests, there's lots of miss understanding between 2.5D and 3D. Most of my signs are not 3D. Often I don't even go to the extra effort of pocketing. Although pocketing allows for easy background painting while the letters are drying at another station. I'm not fond of gilding 3d signs. The one below is an example of pocketing & gilding. None of this is 3d router work. So while the background is drying, I'm putting on the gold size for the next mornings laying of gold.

Joe Crumley

[Bob T]

First, very impressed with Joe's and Alex's signage, and appreciate the opportunity to read how they are made. On this sign, are the gilded letters 3d cut, or edged with a shaper-style bit? or is that something you can do with aspire that I can't with vcarve pro? The texture in the black i would guess is sandblasted or textured paint? Flourishes in red appear to be part of the base, and not applied? White lettering cut separately and applied?

Thanks-

BT

[joe]

BT,

The background technique was a simple area clear around the letters and decorations. There's no 3D. The background texture was done with a wire sandblast frame and the gilded letters were done with a 3/8" brad point round over bit. Everything I do is basic and simple. There's no tricks or complex calculations to figure.

I'll do just about anything to keep from going to the extra work of creating and carving a 3D file. That's because I'm ever so conscious of the extra time it takes, which is expensive. You gotta figure the customer doesn't know 3D from Adams off leaf. What they want is an exceptionally beautiful sign. If you can deliver that in half the time, it's all right with them. One needs to keep in mind the longer a signs remains in production the less profit can be made. For that reason I'm very selective with my carving techniques. When I look around the sign industry, I'm not seeing very many 3D carved signs.

Joe

Joe