HDU Signs

[Davo]

I've been looking at the gallery

It looks like it's all done in 3D - which would seem to take 8 hours..

What's the typical method for making these?

http://www.signfoam.com/gallery.html

[blackhawk]

That is a pretty broad question. Do you have a particular sample sign that you are asking about? Probably better to post this in the sign section.

[Davo]

Just an overall view based on the link - I'm just not familiar with any of it


Wonder if they can move this post

[joe]

There's a world of techniques, methods, and materials in this gallery. Lets see if you have one of these to discuss?

Joe Crumley
www.normansignco.com (http://www.normansignco.com)

[Davo]

Maybe just one like this

http://www.normansignco.com/images/stories/PecanValleyApartments.jpg

Some fantastic looking signs on your site btw

After looking at some other places it seems they masked and sand blasted the material down on the sign on another website

I probably have enough on my plate instead of learning this

But they look really good

[joe]

Davo,

That sign was installed twelve to fifteen years ago in Lawton, Okla. I updated it three or four years back with a fresh coat of paint.

The techniques goes something like this. Post made from .75" Extira. The fabrication, which including flutes, texturing and painting takes a full two days. Sign substrate is HDU that has been routed down and then sandblasted. Total time in production was five full days. But none of that is as important as the original concept. No matter the equipment or techniques used, the quality of the finished sign depends mainly on the creative germ going in. I spend a great deal of time pushing a pencil around a legal pad. And I think I come up with my best work on table napkins over dinner and sometime the back of a business card. Seldom do my best idea's come to me at the drawing table. The most creative idea's sneak up on you.

Joe

[Davo]

Thanks for the information!

[Alex Naumenko]

Not all 3d signs has to be created by using 3D profile. Here is one example. 1.5 HDU. 8'x11' Total routing time 3.5 hours. 26326
My preference is to separate background from letters. Routing is faster and sign looks more dimensional.

[Davo]

I guess the next thing that I'm curious about is the painting techniques like the one in your pic

[Alex Naumenko]

Letters are pocketed so they painted separate. Fade painted with paint mask and airbrushing technique.

[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 Crumleyhttp://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26342&stc=1

[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