Need help - How to make this sign

[Litografa]

There is few designs of OUTDOOR signs. One sample is attached. The problem is that we need relatively large number of this signs (and of course at low possible price
Ideas -
3D routing from something like SignFoam - expensive, long time

Hot wiring from PPU foam - not possible make some designs, signs are too light, porous, need much more work for finishing

Injection of PPU foam into form? Not sure that this is possible at all.

Ideal looks injection of foamed PVC into form and we are ready invest some amount of $ in equipment and materilas but expect total of investment inside $10 000. Possible? Description of technology? Technology of finishing?

We are open for cooperation with somebody who already have this/similar technology in USA as we have a lot of customers here in Europe.

ANY ADVIСES/SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOMED!!

[Pplug]

This is how I would do it...

First, make a mold of the frame, then use polyurethane foam to fill the mold. Then I would v-carve the insides. Just set the safe z height for the rim of the sign and you can pop them out as fast as the polyurethane foam can cure in the mold!

[Litografa]

Thank's for idea, but as I understood you offer me routing for finishing. As we need big quantities, we can't use routing as it's slow and expensive.
Any other ideas?

[Superman]

Similar to Pplug..but
wooden mold for frame with space for plate insert with a suken negative image of the
"LE TERR'IOR" pattern

The plate nsert can be popped out after plaster ( or whatever casting material you use ) has cured, like a cake tin ( has holes in rear for pushing out )

Multiple inserts with various patterns can made to suit a coomon frame border

Border can be any shape as long as it has a recess to suit your inserts

[mezalick]

I would make a mold and use a resin for the casting. Very fast and cost effective.
I use products from Polytek

http://www.polytek.com/cart/

http://www.polytek.com/cart/index.ph...ategory_id=166


Michael

[FoamCaster]

yep! RTV mold, resin (PMC, concrete, POP, etc) cast!
~buck a pound for some nice RTV? that's a pretty good price! I usually use tin-cure silicone, but for small stuff - it's quite a bit more spendy.

Thanks for the link, man!

[Signmaker]

This type of sign is usually a fibreglass construction because it's cheap, strong, light and very durable in external applications.

[Litografa]

Could you explained detailed HOW I CAN DO THIS TYPE OF SIGNS FROM FIBERGLASS?
I have found one company in Poland and they tell me that can manufature this signs from foamed PVC. The problem is price and weight.

[Signmaker]

First and foremost it's worth pointing out that the sample given is a Carvaggio sign blank which looks like it's straight out of a Spandex brochure.

These signs have been around for ages through various UK suppliers but lots of suppliers have stopped selling them through lack of demand.

If making these things out of PVC sheet is too expensive then I doubt there are many better options. Fibreglass production should be cheaper and lighter BUT... to get the kind of spot on results needed for the signmaking community the gel coat needs to be perfect... a big ask if you've never done fibreglass work before.

As far as I understand the process you make a master former which you paste with resin and apply chopped strand or mating. You then use a coloured gel coat to seal the resin/ mat... this leaves a smooth glossy surface finish.

The problem with this kind of sign is it's double sided so you'll have to make two reliefs and bond them together back to back... not forgetting to sandwich in a reinforcing structure for the hanging eyes.

If you've got thousands of these to make then subbing the whole lot out to a specialist fibreglass company is you're best bet.... they make the whole process look easy.

If you want to make them yourself the best thing to do is create a mould, by some resin supplies and some experimentation.

[CaptainVee]

Relatively large numbers is not very specific. Is that tens, hundreds or thousands?

I would investigate the PU route. If I read correctly it'll need to be 3 piece, 2 for the rim, one for the face.

PU is mixed in under a minute and cures in 60-150 minutes.