Sign Builder Illustrated - October 2008 - (Page 48)

Photo 10. over these marks; doing so will give you enough movement to align the letters. When drilling masonry, it’s important to get rid of as much drill dust as possible, since silicone doesn’t stick well to any masonry dust. If I plan ahead, I use aerosol air cans and a small, round wire brush (available at automotive parts stores). If I don’t plan ahead, I’ll use an empty water bottle (Photo 6). A screwdriver with a wet paper towel taped around it also works. Wood and dryvit walls aren’t a problem, as the silicone on the pads is very aggressive to these types of surfaces. The cast-bronze letters in Photo 7 have been attached to a masonry brick face that’s very irregular. I do more installations on metal buildings then any other surface. They’re kind of scary at first, but the corrugations aren’t really a problem. I’ll do a letter quick and show you some of my tricks. First off I use installation method 2f, which uses wires (the fastest manner). A word of caution: Tell your supplier that you’re installing on a metal building and to include long and short wires (even if they try to convince you otherwise). Usually when doing letters on metal buildings, the sign will be rather long (Photo 8). Because of this, the layout is simple, and you won’t need a pattern. (Note: Gemini’s catalog gives you the width of the letter. For example a 12inch-high Helvetica round letter is 101/4 inches wide. Of course, the letters “W,” “M,” and “I” don’t fit that format, but if you have an “I” and a “W” in the word, it’ll balance out. Adjust accordingly: On a one hundred-foot building, a few inches won’t even show.) For alignment of the letters, use either 48 Sign Builder Illustrated October 2008 the screw lines or snap a base line by measuring from the screw line (as they’re square to the building and the ground). To know if you’ll need a short or long wire, put a mark on the face of the letter with a Stabilo where the wires go on the back. Next place the letter up to the wall and make tick marks with either a blue or white Stabilo around the letter; if the marks on the face of the letter fall on the recessed flat area, draw the letter “L” for “long” and, if it hits a rib, apply an “S” for “short” (Photo 9). Next insert your wires into the back and align your letter with your tick marks. Make a mark in the hole on the wire with a Stabilo; then use an awl and hammer to punch a small whole in the metal and put the letter back up and insert the mounting screws. If for some reason you get a hole where you don’t want it, just put a screw in it (Photo 10). If the letters on the building are higher than you are tall, put a small dab of clear silicone on the tops and insides of the “O,” “R,” “B,” etc. This is insurance that you won’t have to come back to repair anything. These letters are tough and their quality top-notch. I’ve yet had to go back and repair letters that have been hit by copy machines falling off shelves, printers being run into them, and goodold wind rippin’ them right off the wall. (Note: I love repairs, though, since I make even more money.) Remember: You get 40 percent off the book prices, and when the customer sees it in the book, they’ll believe it before they’ll believe you. I also charge an installation fee for such projects. This way, if I need a bargaining tool, I can use the installation as my discount. b

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sign Builder Illustrated - October 2008

Sign Builder Illustrated - October 2008 Contents SBI Agenda Quotes & Comments Contributors Revving Up for WrapQuest Dispatches Sign Show Sandblasted and Dimensional Sign Rescue, Part Three UV Ink and Printer Update, Part One Black is Black! Makin' Money With Molded Letters Making a Monster A Custom Built Sign Shop The Evolution of Architectural and ADA�Signage Finishing That Makes the Cut Maximizing In-store Signage and P-O-P Displays Wide Format Opportunities Panel Saws: A Precise Cut SBI Marketplace Q&A

Sign Builder Illustrated - October 2008

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