First HDU-EPS sign installed.

[joe]

This is my first large sign that weighs less than 100lbs and it's a little unnerving. Although it's hardcoated and textured, still, somehow it's so different from my usual heavy product.

One of the challenges is to get comfortable to unlimited possabilities with the advent of EPS and the foam cutting machines. Now I can make any shape, any size, on any part without weight limitations. For example I've wanted to get some depth to my signs without having to conform a metal surrounds. With the hot wire router and a big block of foam new designs are for sure to be forth coming. The only fly in the ointment is the hardcoat.


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Anyone interested in this kind of work should look around their own community for a EPS foam company. Many of them have HW routers.

Joe
www.nomansignco.com

[toych]

Joe, Very nice did you apply the hardcoat? If so tell us more.....

Darren

[donclifton]

When your talking about a HW router are you talking about a straight wire cutter.
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[joe]

Don,

Yes and this looks something like one. I've only taken a quick glance at a couple of them. They all look so simple but do a good job. Why do they cost so much?

www.demandproducts.com retails them.
Joe
www.normansignco.com

[donclifton]

I made that one. It is kind of a copy of one that sells for $11,000. It cost me around $1500 for the frame and $1000 for the motors and controller. I sell mine for $5000. I cut a lot for a plastering and stone company. The 80/20 frame is costly but works really well. I also make a hotwire cutter for the cnc router that work on a tangential head for cutting madalions out of foam.
Don

[joe]

I know the HW routers do a great job but they look so flimsey. Wish we had one but can't keep up with what we have now.

Have you thought about making signs with your HW? Do you know of any good hard coat materials for EPS? And how about showing us your HW router invention. That sounds like a money maker.

O, by the way, I took a teaching positition at DBCC back in 1970. I designed their degree program in the Photgraphy Dept. It was a fun time living in Ormond By The Sea.

[donclifton]

I graduated from DBCC in 1969. I was in the A/C class. Back then the A/C and photography classes were the best. My teacher Charly Maybeck when on to be in charge of the Facilities. He made a deal with the collage that he would work for a percentage of what he could save the collage in energy. He saved so much they reneged on the deal. I retired from The Daytona Beach International Airport as their facilities engineer.
Demand make a hard coat for foam. The company that I do work for coats their foam in concrete. As for my HW tangential cutter I'm trying to market it. You can see some of the madalion's I cut at 4axiscnc.com this site is long from being complete but it has pictures of a chapel in Sanford Fla.

[joe]

Donald,

I've tried all the hardcoats by Demand. Even their "Rock Hard" is soft. I too have used concrete but it are destroy too much detail. I'm back to Styro Spray as an undercoat for fiberglass spray.

I visited your www.4axiscnc.com and it's excellent panels.

Keep us informed.

[donclifton]

I just added some more pictures. They use the foam for a mold and then cut a plug to put in the back so it doesn't weigh a lot. The medallions in the picture's were made this way. I think they used syro spray also for making molds. When I routed the first medallion It made such a mess and took 10 hour using a 1/2 ball bit. with the tangential cutter I can do the same medallion in less than 30 min and have the plug they need. Take another look at 4axiscnc.com for the other pictures.
Don Clifton

[joewino]

"They all look so simple but do a good job. Why do they cost so much?"

Just like you, Joe.