Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 52

Custom-made rolling brackets
kept the signs under the maximum
height allowed on a loaded truck.

The main sign of the three nearing completion.
as light as possible. We cut Avery Dennison Yellow Mask using our Roland
plotter and applied it to 1/16-in. aluminum to rout it by hand. The backers
we created from the routed aluminum
included welded 2 x 2-in. aluminum
angle supports at the seams. We chamfer cut 8-in. aluminum extrusion
and bent it around the backers,
then welded them in place.
52

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

AUGUST 2017

The channel letters comprise standard aluminum returns and aluminum backers - each letter has neon
inlay, porcelain sockets and LED
marquee bulbs. The red ribbon has a
trimcap face and LEDs to backlight
it, while the borders that hold the
marquee lights utilize aluminum
extrusion with a removable face to
allow for service. We kept a small

gap between each face of the border
and backer so we could run wires for
the marquee bulbs. Three different
types of Ushio LED marquee bulbs
helped keep the wattage down significantly. Also, we made sure that the
structural supports weren't encroaching
into the through-holes for the sockets
and housings. We wanted to make
the sign as old school as possible
while still keeping it up to code.
Housings are nearly a thing of the
past, but we personally love their
look and serviceability. We ran all
of our neon GTO wiring in conduit
back to our transformers, mounted
in the back of the sign and accessible
through a small door. The Brothers
Markle (Toronto) partnered with us
for the animation and used hand
soldering to install a four-point chaser
controlled by an onboard digital
switch (also hand soldered) with a
breadboard-type microchip.
Every color on the sign was painted
with Valspar automotive acrylic
paint, including the gradients and
stripes. We used nine colors for the



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signs of the Times - August 2017

Signs of the Times - August 2017
Contents
From the Editor
St Update
At Large
Tech Review
Shop Ops
Vehicles + Vinyl
Design Matters
Nuts + Bolts
Next Generation
The 2017 National Electrical Code
Dye Trying
Strictly Electric: Under the Big Top
New Products
Advertising Index
Last Look
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Intro
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - BB1
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - BB2
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Signs of the Times - August 2017
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - BD_L
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - BD
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Cover2
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 1
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Contents
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 3
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 4
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 5
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 6
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 7
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - From the Editor
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 9
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - St Update
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 11
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 12
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 13
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 14
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 15
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 16
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 17
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - At Large
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 19
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 20
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 21
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Tech Review
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 23
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Shop Ops
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 25
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 26
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 27
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Vehicles + Vinyl
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 29
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Design Matters
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 31
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Nuts + Bolts
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 33
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 34
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 35
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 36
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 37
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Next Generation
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 39
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 40
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 41
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - The 2017 National Electrical Code
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 43
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 44
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 45
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Dye Trying
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 47
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 48
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 49
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Strictly Electric: Under the Big Top
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 51
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 52
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 53
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - New Products
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 55
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 56
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 57
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 58
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 59
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 60
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 61
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 62
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 63
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 64
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 65
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 66
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 67
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 68
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 69
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 70
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 71
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 72
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 73
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 74
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 75
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 76
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 77
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 78
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 79
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 80
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 81
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - 82
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Advertising Index
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Last Look
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Cover3
Signs of the Times - August 2017 - Cover4
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