Sign Builder Illustrated May 2013

sign panels

laser engraving

It’s All in the Details

making your mark

www.signshop.com

Nu mbe r 215

Number 215 | may 2013

How-To

What’s Driving

Sign Bu i ld er i l luStr ated

Illuminated

Signs?

> Aluminum vs. Flex > NEC 2014 Preview mAy 2 013

> DSE Recap

May 2013

49

26 26 34

42 Having a Retrofit

BY JEFF WOOTEN

The essentials behind a successful LED channel letter retrofit.

Border Lights

BY JOSEPH & CAROL BERKE

Solid-state LEDs make quite an “accent-uating” statement.

Sign Builder Illustrated (Print ISSN 895-0555, Digital ISSN 2161-4709) (USPS#0015-805) (Canada Post Cust. #7204564) (Bluechip Int’l, Po Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Agreement # 41094515) is published monthly

by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 55 Broad Street, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10004. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and Additional mailing offices.

Pricing, Qualified individual working in the sign industry may request a free subscription. Non-qualified subscriptions printed or digital version: 1 year US $105.00; foreign $197.00; foreign, air mail $297.00. 2 years US $149.00; foreign $267.00; foreign, air mail $497.00. BOTH Print & Digital Versions: 1 year US $158.00; foreign $296.00; foreign, air mail $396.00. 2 years US $224.00; foreign $400.00; foreign, air mail $600.00. Single copies are $36.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only.

Copyright © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2013. All rights reserved. Contents may not be

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42

Cuts Like a Sign

BY MIKE ANTONIAK

Prudent advice to help guide perfect cuts. Plus, choosing aluminum vs. flex face.

49

Conjuring Up Custom Engravables

BY ASHLEY BRAY

The “magic” behind one shop’s unique output.

reproduced without permission. For reprint information contact: Arthur Sutley, Publisher (212) 620-7247 or asutley@sbpub.com.

For Subscriptions, & address changes, please call (800) 895-4389, (402) 346-4740, Fax (402) 346-3670, e-mail circulation@sbpub.com or write to: Sign Builder Illustrated, Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, PO Box 10, Omaha, NE 68101-0010.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sign Builder Illustrated, PO Box 10, Omaha, NE 68101-0010.

Instructional information provided in this magazine should only be performed by skilled crafts people with the proper equipment. The publisher and authors of information provided herein advise all readers to exercise care when engaging in any of the how-to activities published in the magazine. Further, the publisher and authors assume no liability for damages or injuries resulting from projects contained herein.

May 2013 // Sign Builder Illustrated

1

Agenda

How-To Columns

22

MAY 2013 May 30-31: NSSA New England Sign Expo 2013 will be held at the Twin River Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island. (www.nssasign.org)

It’s Replacement Time!

JUNE 2013 June 6-8: The 2013 SEGD Conference, Above the Fog, converges at the storied Fairmont Hotel San Francisco in San Francisco, California. (abovethefog.segd.org)

14

LED Lighting Tests and Tricks

14 LED Lighting Tests and Tricks

BY PETER PERSZYK

Illuminating answers to some of your colorful LED channel letter questions.

18 NEC 2014 Preview, Part One

BY RANDY WRIGHT

Detailing upcoming changes to the National Electric Code.

22 It’s Replacement Time!

BY MARK K. ROBERTS

When restoring two sandblasted identity signs absolutely, positively just won’t do.

Departments 4

UpFront

“In the middle” can have all sorts of connotations, but Editor Jeff Wooten is noticing trends intended to help your shop get there.

6

Dispatches

The latest news from around the industry.

11

Sign Show

54

SBI Marketplace

The newest products and services from sign manufacturers.

Advertisements and announcements from the sign trade.

SIGN PANELS

56

LASER ENGRAVING

It’s All in the Details

Making Your Mark

What’s Driving

SIGN BU I LDER I L LUSTR ATED

Illuminated

On the Cover

Signs?

> Aluminum vs. Flex > NEC 2014 Preview MAY 2013

> DSE Recap

2

Shop Talk

From taking pizza orders to fulfilling sign requests, Ashley Bray covers how a couple of sign-makers are finding franchise success.

www.signshop.com

NUMB ER 215

NUMBER 215 | MAY 2013

HOW-TO

June 8-14: InfoComm 2013, a tradeshow produced by the audiovisual communications association, is happening at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. (www.infocommshow.org) June 25-29: FESPA 2013, the largest focused event for the wide format print industry, is scheduled to take place at the ExCel London Exhibition Centre in London, England. (www.fespalondon.com)

JULY 2013 July 18-20: The Mid South Sign Association’s Convention & Trade Show will be occurring at the Embassy Suites in Huntsville, Alabama. (www.midsouthsign.org)

Creative Sign Designs provided this 16-by-2-1/2-foot set of custom LED face-lit channel letters installed on an overhead truss at the parking garage entrance for a Surf Style shop in Clearwater Beach, Florida.

Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

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Up

by jeff wooten

May 2013, Vol. 27, No. 215

Middle Management

Sign Builder Illustrated (ISSN 0895-0555) print, (ISSN 2161-0709) digital is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation executive offices

President and Chairman Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. Publisher Arthur J. sutley

Does your shop want to be more “in the middle?”

55 Broad Street, 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 212/620-7247; fax: 212/633-1863 editorial editor

Jeff Wooten

323 Clifton Street, Suite #7 Greenville, NC 27858 252/355-5806; fax: 252/355-5690 jwooten@sbpub.com associate editor

Ashley Bray

“Y

es I’m stuck in the middle with you/And I’m wondering what it is I should do…”

You might recognize this month’s opening lines as part of the lyrics to the ’70s rock song “Stuck in the Middle With You” performed

by Stealers Wheel. But is being “stuck in the middle” a good thing or a bad thing? It all depends on point-of-view.

For instance, there are some people who can have issues with being in the middle. (Again citing Stealers Wheel, “Clowns to the left of you” and “jokers to the right?” Who needs that hassle?) Take the pressures of middle management, for example, where you have to manage others while being managed yourself. Then there’s the emotional turmoil of being a third party in the middle of a break-up or a fight and forced to choose sides. And you don’t want me to provide a psychoanalytical breakdown here of emotionally unstable middle child Jan Brady and her Brady Bunch problems.

However I’ve always viewed being in the middle as something that’s probably more embraced by sign makers and sign installers. Consider the number of advantages of being able to use one’s in-shop hardware and tools or on-site equipment as a hired third party to build and/ or put up certain signs that another sign maker cannot do. And think of the attractive, addedprofit-generating option of acting as that awning supplier or wrap specialist and fulfilling a niche component of the much larger picture.

4

Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

55 Broad Street, 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 401/722-5919; fax: 212/633-1863 abray@sbpub.com contributing writers

Which brings me to a couple of interesting “trends” I noticed at last month’s ISA International Sign Expo in Las Vegas.

First was the increased awareness of inkjet hardware manufacturers to address small- to mid-sized sign shops with entry-level digital printers tailored for their needs. The $64,000 (or more) question here: Will this affect “in the middle” third-party print providers who had been fulfilling these output obligations for smaller shops? Or will this allow smaller shops to get involved with this middle work themselves?

Then there’s the big push of dye-sublimation and heat transfer—equipment, papers, inks, etc.

Look around the exhibit hall and it wouldn’t be a stretch to consider fabrics as pretty much the next-generation of vinyl.

For shops equipped to handle this work, they can now become the middleman in serving up apparel and soft signage requests. On page 8 of this month’s “Dispatches,” we’ll show you how a Las Vegas graphics provider has invested in producing fabric backdrops and wall coverings to serve casino and tradeshow needs. And I admit it’s always been a little strange to see some local sign shops sponsor Little League teams only to have these players get their uniforms from other printwear providers. And now? They can get in the middle and design and produce these jobs themselves.

So where at in the middle does your business stand: Do these advances make you more willing to act as a third-party provider? Or eliminating it?

I guess it depends on your point-of-view.

Butch “superfrog” Anton, Mike Antoniak, Joseph & Carol Berke, Jim hingst, Peter Perszyk, Mark roberts, lori shridhare, randy Wright art

Corporate Art Director Wendy Williams production

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers circulation

Circulation Director Maureen Cooney advertising sales national sales director

Jeff sutley 212/620-7233; fax: 212/633-1863 jeffsutley@sbpub.com west & midwest regional sales manager

Kim noa

212/620-7221; fax: 212/633-1863 knoa@sbpub.com

For reprint information contact Arthur J. Sutley 55 Broad St, 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 212/620-7247; fax: 212/633-1863 Circulation Dept. 800/895-4389

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The Complete Matthews Paint System For Ultimate Color, Durability and Protection Developed specifically for the signage industry, the Complete Matthews Paint System is a total paint solution for the varied and extreme demands of architectural, commercial and outdoor sign applications.

• Highest quality sign paints available • Hands-on technical training • Custom color matching tools • Experienced technical assistance • Exceptional customer service

800.323.6593 www.matthewspaint.com

Dispatches

2013 apex award of the Year winner.

2013 apex award of the Year winner.

6

Atlanta, Georgia—Digital Signage Expo® (DSE), the world’s largest and longest running International Conference and Tradeshow dedicated exclusively to digital signage, interactive technology, and digital out-of-home networks (DOOH), announced the winners of its Apex & Content Awards for 2013 at its Fourth Annual Awards Dinner sponsored by the Digital Signage Federation.

This year’s Gold Apex Awards were presented to winners in ten categories from a field of ninety entrants: Arts, Entertainment & Recreation: Westfield San Francisco Centre, nominated by Obscura Digital; Business, Industry & Government: San Francisco Public Utility Commission, nominated by Obscura Digital; and Education & Healthcare: University of Waterloo Stratford Campus, nominated by Westbury National Show Systems Ltd. Event Venues: Antron Showroom, nominated by Float4 Interactive; Food & Beverage: Dee Daa Restaurants, nominated by Arsenal Media; and Hospitality: Swan & Dolphin Resort, nominated by Xpodigital.

Interactive Self-Service: Pepsi, nominated by Intel; Public Spaces: Westfield Shopping Center, nominated by Scala Inc.; Retail: Build-A-Bear Workshop, nominated

by Build-A-Bear Workshop®; and Transportation: CBS Outdoor, nominated by MRI (Manufacturing Resources International).

Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

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photos (this page): build-a-bear workshop.

DSE's 2013 Apex

Build-A-Bear Workshop was named the DSE 2013 Apex Award of the Year winner.

DSE’s Apex Awards were individually assessed and juried on the basis of originality and innovation by an independent panel of six industry journalists, all of whom have long reported on the digital signage sector: Ben Skidmore, Publisher, Digital Signage Solutions; Lionel Tepper, Managing Director, ScreenMedia Daily; Tom Leblanc, Editor-in-Chief, Commercial Integrator; Mike Cearley, Senior Vice President & Partner, Global Social Strategy & Consumer Engagement, FleishmanHillard and Author & Publisher, 11th Screen; Jeff Wooten, Editor, Sign Builder Illustrated; and Richard Lebovitz, Editorial Director, Digital Signage Expo. signshop.com

photo: arsenal media.

Chris Gibbs, president of Exponation, LLC (which produces Digital Signage Expo), said, “Because innovation and creativity are essential to driving growth in our industry, it is our unique pleasure and privilege to be able to provide a forum that not only nurtures and recognizes these amazing leaps forward but also one in which all of us can come together and truly appreciate the work that is being produced in our field worldwide. That is why we are pleased to present the 2013 winners who have distinguished themselves in this way.”

To see Silver and Broze Apex Awards honorees (as well as Gold, Silver, and Bronze Content Awards winners), visit http://bit.ly/10hzLV8.

Las Vegas, Nevada—The Digital Signage Expo® (DSE) (www.digitalsignageexpo.net) tenth anniversary show, held this past February at the Las Vegas Convention Center, set a new attendance milestone.

Show management has confirmed that new all-time benchmarks established at DSE 2013 include: 4,080 qualified attendees (excluding exhibitors)—a 1.4 percent increase over 2012 (Note: Attendance increased in spite of the snowstorm that closed airports in the Midwest and Northeast); Record conference attendance—a 9 percent increase over 2012; Record 211 exhibitors—an increase of 22 percent over 2012; and 68,895 net square feet – a 10.3 percent increase over 2012.

Chris Gibbs, president of Exponation, LLC (which produces Digital Signage Expo), said, “Not only was the show a success by all quantitative measures, but the quality and number of end-users who attended helped create wonderful energy and generated very positive comments from the majority of exhibitors.”

Digital Signage Expo® 2014, co-located with the Digital Content Show, is scheduled February 11-13, 2014, at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas.

May 2013 // Sign Builder Illustrated

photo: dse.

photo: westburY national show sYstems. photo: float4 interactive.

photo: mri. photo: intel. photo: scala, inc.

Award Winners

DSE 2013 Shatters All Records

7

Dispatches +

Las Vegas, Nevada—Joe Castellano, president of Color Reflections in Las Vegas (www.colorreflections.com), regards his print providing company as an innovator that brings exceptional ideas and products to its customers. The company has forty-nine employees and runs two shifts seven days a week out of its 25,000-square foot facility. (Note: Its original setup in Houston, Texas is still operational as well.)

Color Reflections’ most common customer requests are: “It has to look great;” “I need it now;” “I need it big;” and “I don’t want to spend a fortune.”

As you’d expect from a company operating in Vegas, Color Reflections started mainly doing casino work (landing the MGM Grand as one of its first accounts), but over the years, Castellano noticed

tradeshows were growing in the area. Because of these two markets, the company knew it needed to increase its fabric revenues and be able to print critical applications such as large format digital fabric banners.

In order to meet its business goals and customer needs, Color Reflections Las Vegas upgraded from its EFI™ VUTEk® GS3200 to an EFI™ VUTEk® TX3250r, a 3.2-meter-wide dye-sublimation fabric printer. The machine sublimates the fabric directly so the textile retains the drape and soft-hand as customers prefer. The resulting output is durable with rich colors and dense blacks.

photo: color reflections.

Fabric Revenues for Color Reflections

The company recently had a request for sixty 120-by-120-inch backlit fabric banners delivered within two days. When Castellano upgraded his dye-sub printer, he thought ahead by estimating the time needed for the printing and for the finishing. “The finishing side of the project always takes a little bit longer, since it’s at the end of the process,” he says.

FABRIC Continued on page 10

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25

8

Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

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Dispatches +

Plymouth, Michigan—Sign & Graphics Operations LLC (SGO) announced a new brand initiative, Image360, at the first-ever joint Signs By Tomorrow and Signs Now Convention in Savannah, Georgia this past February. The new initiative will bring much more than a new name to the market—it will introduce a new approach that will change the way many companies fulfill their visual communications needs.

While building on the success of the traditional signage and graphic market segments, Image360 will offer an all-encompassing product and service base with a consultative, problem-solving style to customer service and creative management.

SGO is offering the new brand opportunity to Signs By Tomorrow franchise owners and members of its affiliated company, Signs Now (a division of Allegra Network LLC). Both companies will continue to maintain a strong presence in the marketplace, while expanding their reach to new opportunities with Image360.

Image360 locations will provide professional graphic solutions to national, regional, and local businesses and organizations. Trained graphics specialists will work closely with clients to maximize the creativity and visual impact of environmental graphics, mobile graphics, wayfinding solutions, and promotional displays.

"Our goal is to not only meet our clients’ expectations but to exceed them with our creative, best-in-class solutions," said SGO President Ray Palmer.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

FABRIC Continued from page 8 “So on this project, our production manager brought in a couple of extra seamstresses to do the finishing.

“However since the [TX3250r] was able to output at a speed of almost 900 square feet per hour and we had nothing to reprint, the print time actually turned out to be 25 percent less than what we’d anticipated. That extra time—and extra help—for finishing enabled us to get this project done under time.”

Castellano is also venturing into working with fabrics for wall covering applications, citing museums and architects wanting to decorate lobbies and hallways as already interested clients. photo: color reflections.

Sign & Graphics Operations LLC Announces New Brand

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SignSHOW A D H E S I V E S / TA P E S LexJet Double-sided Adhesive for Smooth, Bubble-free Window Graphics Applications LexJet FaceMount-X Removable Adhesive is a 1-mil clear polyester film that allows for double-sided window graphics. It features a permanent solvent acrylic adhesive on one side to apply to the face of the printed image and a removable solvent acrylic adhesive with an air flow release liner for application onto the inside of the window. The air flow release liner makes window graphics applications quick, easy, and bubble-free. Once the promotion or campaign is over, the graphic is easily removed with no residue. And since it is applied on the inside of a window, the removable adhesive is ideal for protecting graphics from passers-by and the weather, as well as sign code enforcers who do not like graphics applied to the outside of windows. 800/453-9538; www.lexjet.com

D I g I T A l P r I n T I n g E q u I P. / S u P P l I E S Roland Introduces Its Fastest Large Format Printer Ever Roland’s new, next-generation SOLJET XF-640 sixty-four-inch printer is uniquely engineered and constructed to maximize print speed and output without sacrificing image quality. This state-of-the-art printer incorporates mirrored printheads with dual CMYK, newly designed take-up and pinch roller systems, and other advanced features that enable it to deliver vibrant, detailed prints at "rocket-fast" speeds up to 1,098 square feet per hour. The XF-640 is capable of handling a wide range of applications—including indoor and outdoor banners, vehicle and fleet wraps, window graphics, posters, P-O-P, tradeshow graphics, backlit displays, and more. Roland’s Intelligent Pass Control precisely controls dot placement during passes for exceptional images with virtually no banding. Printing performance is further enhanced by Roland’s wide-gamut Eco-Sol MAX 2 inks. The XF-640 also boasts a new, specially designed heating system that dries prints quickly and evenly across the entire media width. 800/542-2307; www.rolanddga.com

rOuTErS/Engr AVErS MultiCam® Digital Express Solves Your Need—Your Need for Speed MultiCam Inc., manufactures innovative and versatile CNC router, laser, plasma, waterjet, and knife-cutting machines, and its MultiCam® High-Speed Digital Express (according to the company, the fastest CNC production machine on the market) boasts a 7000-IPM top speed. A wide format sheet-fed or conveyorized digital finishing system, the High-Speed Digital Express combines high-speed MultiVision™ digital registration with powerful routing and multiple knife-cutting capabilities. 972/929-4070; www.multicam.com

Rowmark’s New 2013 Color Chart is Now in Stock and Available for Order In response to customer and distributor feedback, the 2013 Rowmark Color Chart offers the same detailed information as before but in a more compact size and with an even easier to use layout and design. The Color Chart color chips now feature a simulated gloss, metallic, or brushed grain finish to represent the look of Rowmark’s engravable plastic sheets. To aid customers with technical questions, user-friendly technical specifications are now listed separately under each product line, and the icon key (indicating specific features of Rowmark materials) is located at the top of each product section. Rowmark’s 2013 Color Chart also features the new UltraGrave™ product line in thirtyeight color combinations, as well as color additions to the ADA Alternative® Applique & Substrate, ColorHues™, and LaserMax® lines. www.rowmark.com

S I g n B l A n K S / PA n E l S / S u B ST r AT E S Take White to a New Extreme with Encore’s White Foam Board™ Encore® Products has introduced Extreme White Foam Board™, which combines a resilient polystyrene core with ultra-vibrant, bright-white paper facers to create a premium imaging surface for digital printing, exhibits, painting, screen printing, signage, and more. Its bright-white surface is whiter than traditional clay-coated foam boards, and the whiteness enhances the maximum color gamut and black density of printed images. Extreme White Foam Board is lightweight and ideal for hand-cutting, die-cutting, embossing, scoring, and machine cutting. This new board material is available in 1/8-, 3/16-, and 1/2-inch thicknesses (with custom sheet sizes for volume orders available by request). 800/873-4868; www.encoreproducts.com

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May 2013 // Sign Builder Illustrated

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SignSHOW SIGN CABINETS/LIGHT BOXES Miratec Systems Introduces PureColor™ Technology Miratec Systems announces a major advancement in the backlit color management of its Miratec Systems® digitally printed sign faces. PureColor™ Technology is the latest innovation for backlit applications where color consistency and accuracy are essential. PureColor Technology makes mirror-image printing obsolete. With this new technology, the days of “compromising on color accuracy,” “being too dark in the daylight,” and “washing out when back-lit” are gone. Sign shops all over the country can take advantage of this improvement and offer their customers better quality at the same competitive prices. 800/336-1224; www.miratecsystems.com

VEHICLE GRAPHICS Add a Little Edge to Your Vehicles with Arlon’s Series 2300X Arlon has launched Series 2300X, a specialty textured automotive restyling wrap film. This ultra-conformable textured film allows users to customize vehicles with special effects while maintaining a professional look and finish. Arlon’s X-Scape Technology allows for a quick and easy installation. Apply with heat and the film will stretch around simple and moderate curves from bumpers to mirrors. Series 2300X is available in Brushed Metal and Carbon Fiber finishes.

800/232-7161; www.arlon.com

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Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

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New Printable Reflective Film with RapidAir®!

Reflective film applications are now made easier thanks to ORACAL USA announcing the availability of ORALITE® Series 5650RA Fleet Engineering Grade Reflective Film with RapidAir® Technology. New to the ORALITE family of films, this is a printable 5-mil reflective film featuring an air-release liner. Series 5650RA is designed to make fleet applications easier by reducing the incidence of bubbles common with large reflective graphic applications. This seven-year film is ideal for vehicle applications over flat surfaces, rivets, and simple curves. Available in thirty-inch, forty-eight-inch, fiftyfour-inch, and sixty-inch widths and ten-yard and fifty-yard lengths, Series 5650RA provides printability, conformability, and long-term removability (with heat). This new film is recommended for use with ORAGUARD® Series 290 or 293 Laminating Films. Product samples are also available. 888/672-2251; www.oracal.com

VINYL/VINYL FILMS/SUPPLIES InteliCoat Technologies® Adds ECO BLOCK™-2S Two-side Printable, Block-Out Paper InteliCoat Technologies® has introduced Magic® ECO BLOCK-2S, an opaque, two-side printable paper designed for UV-Cure printing systems (such as Mimaki, ColorSpan, VUTEk, NUR, etc.). The unique ECO BLOCK-2S features an inner block-out layer that allows for clean, double-sided printing with no show-through. Unlike most block-out media, ECO BLOCK-2S is recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable. Overlaminates will protect the image from physical damage.

(Note: Cold-pressure laminates should be used.) Allow an image to dry completely prior to handling and laminating. Its lightweight, economical, and earth-friendly design make ECO BLOCK-2S ideal for the creation of P-O-S frame displays, subway/transit ad cards, and double-sided window signage. www.magicinkjet.com

signshop.com

May 2013 // Sign Builder Illustrated

13

HOW-TO

By Peter Perszyk

Electric

LED Lighting Tests and Tricks

Illuminating answers to some of your colorful LED channel letter

achieving a combination effect. Traditionally this has equated to a white translucent acrylic face backed by a translucent color film.

But in the updated scenario, you can print white vinyl with a range of color (darker than to lighter than the desired reference chip) and apply it front-lit style to the inside of a sample channel letter. You can then review the color results with the selected LED lighting and go on to match cool colors with the bright-white LED lamps and warm colors with the off-white/ yellow-white diodes.

Colors: In the MIx Purely from an illumination standpoint, a strip of white LEDs alongside a strip or two of blue LEDs diffused on a white sign face offers a softer shade of blue. However to test the relationship of one color with another, you can vary the voltage.

Many LEDs used in channel letters and signage can be dimmed, although some of them require that the voltage change on the secondary connection (Photo 2).

One option here may be to connect a variable power supply or a combination of stock commercial low-voltage dimmer to a traditional magnetic

all PhotoS Provided by Peter PerSzyk.

questions.

O

ne key to the increased usage of LED lighting in interior channel letter projects has been the ability to select a color from a wider available palette than the traditional shades of red.

Therefore the process of mocking up a test bed channel letter using several different LED colors is actually an easy task that any sign shop can do—and at minimal cost.

By switching between colors, a test bed channel letter will allow a client to see real-world color variations. This side-by-side view can also help a sign shop confirm their design or production needs, i.e., comparing one brand of LEDs to another, deciding between strips versus modules, etc. (Photo 1).

For example, if you’re finding that a channel letter color is hard to match with the stock acrylic and LED colors available, you can try

Photo 1: A side-by-side view can help you better select the best LED color to use for the channel letter.

14

Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

Photo 2: A dimmer can control the appearance of a channel letter.

signshop.com

Š 2013 OSRAM SYLVANIA. Certain photography

www.sylvania.com/signage

Light that leads to bolder statements.

Creating signs that capture the viewer’s eye and imagination is an art. And no one gives you a larger or more technologically advanced palette to work with than OSRAM SYLVANIA. We offer the very best in LED lighting options for channel letters, box signs, halo signs, and decorative borders. To see how OSRAM SYLVANIA can help you create the right signage for your clients, contact our exclusive nationwide distributor, N. Glantz & Sons, at 1-866-645-2689 or www.nglantz.com.

Please visit us at Lightfair International booth #1001!

Photos 3 and 4: Color-changing is an attractive option that’s available with LED components.

power supply and dim one set of LEDs. In most cases, a user will dim the white LEDs instead of the colored ones. (Note: Red may be the exception).

When a good balance is achieved, note the relationship. If a strip of LEDs is dimmed 50 percent, then install half as many LEDs or use strips with a reduced LED-per-inch count.

An easy way to achieve color variation may be to just install RGB LEDs in the first place and connect them to a color controller. This will allow the selection of a wide variety of colors by dimming one (or more) of the three channels. There are even some LED light strips that can have an RGB color pre-programmed so there will be a set color combination.

Then again, the ability to change LED colors at a single location after the installation may be an added feature (Photos 3 and 4). However to keep the word “tacky” from being mentioned during your design review, be sure to set the color change to a slow, smooth pace.

Another factor that might make the color mix process easier is the ability to see the power rating for a strip of LED light. These strips are often rated in watts per foot, and their power consumption usually equates to the relative light output within a product line. This ranges from the low-end (1 Watt per foot) to the high-end (10 Watts or more per foot). The ability to run the power through the strip becomes the limiting factor here.

DIoDes: on the return It is key to think of LED as a distinctly different kind of lighting than neon or 16

Photo 6: Consider placing LED modules along the return of the letter...

fluorescent. After all, there are many examples of LED modules being used in standard channel letters that just don’t look that good (Photo 5). Looking at this example, you can see that neon would’ve been the better illumination choice here.

But do you know why?

The continuous 360-degree nature of a neon tube allows the lighting to exit directly (as well as indirectly) by retroreflecting from internal surfaces in a channel letter or sign. On the other hand, LED lighting tends to be point source illumination, often in modules and with few, yet very bright diodes. For face-lit or retrofit applications, LED should do the trick when a sufficient amount of lights are used.

Compared to neon, there’s another variable in selecting what LED lights will work and where— traditional channel letters. These types of cans are deep and white inside with translucent acrylic

Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

Photo 5: LED layout can have disadvantages.

Photo 7: ...Or place the diodes so that they face the internal parts of the letter.

faces that diffuse the light nicely.

With a newly constructed set of letters, an alternate location for the internal LED lights is along the return (Photo 6). Two schools of thought might arise here. One has the diodes aligned on the harness or strip to apply to the letter return, i.e., the back for reverse-lit channel letters. If so, there’s no need for a white interior, a deep return, etc.

Another possible method is placing the LED diodes so that they face the internal parts of the letter because that’s how they are attached to the strip (Photo 7). The resulting illumination is indirect based on the traditional, white, reflective interior.

Both of these methods may require a strip around the entire perimeter. Stroke width will be a determining factor (where “wide” equals the need for more diodes).

However there’s one trick that never appears to fail: Don’t skimp on the number of LED lights you use. signshop.com

De-Sign Ideas: It’s the Surface

When a set of reverse-lit channel letters are installed, their LED lighting will look distinctly different if the mounting surface is smooth or reflective—an effect called specular reflection (see photo, below). This relationship is not something that neon has to contend with as much.

A great set of halo-lit letters has a continuous band of light along its perimeter. LED-illuminated letters will often look like a stream of Morse Code pulses unless you pump the letter full of LEDs (which is a good option).

LED reverse lighting gains an advantage from a rough or inconsistent background and diffuses reflection (see photo, above).

This diffusion keeps the viewer from distinguishing individual diodes or distinct variations in light level based on positioning.

While it may be an impossible trick to pull off, you should stay away from mounting basic LEDilluminated halo-glow letters onto glossy surfaces. There are a few ways to diffuse this situation.

One is to direct the lighting into the letter and have it only reflect from the white interior of the letter indirectly. Some LEDs come with lenses or diffusers, and while these may help, it’s hard to tell if the diffuser trend is to focus or spread the lighting.

Or you can just back the letter with frosted or white acrylic.

signshop.com

May 2013 // Sign Builder Illustrated

17

HOW-TO

By randy Wright

Electric

NEC 2014 Changes, Part One: Articles 600.2-600.9 Previewing upcoming changes to the National Electric Code.

T

here have been fifty-four comments submitted to Code Panel 18 that we dealt with at our meeting in Redondo Beach, California during the first week of December. Your “homework assignment” will be to open your current 2011 NEC code book, as we review together the industryrelated sections that will be changing for 2014.

(Note: The only additional change could be a successful appeal (which I do not foresee) that would be presented at the annual meeting in Chicago June 2-6, 2013.)

Each of the sections will cite [ROP 18-#] to indicate the successful proposal submitted to make the change and/or [ROC 18-#] if a comment was entered to change the proposal again.

For clarification, each change (other than new sections like the Article 100 definitions) will be presented in red font for deletion and underlined for inclusion. My comments are italicized.

Article 100 Definitions. i. GenerAl Electric-Discharge Lighting. Systems of illumination utilizing fluorescent lamps, high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps, or neon tubing.

[ROP 18–3] Retrofit Kit. A general term for a complete listed subassembly of parts and devices for field conversion of utilization equipment. [ROP 18–9].

Comment: The above definitions were added to the general definitions section because they both apply and are used in other sections of the code.

Article 600: electric siGns AnD outline liGhtinG. 600.2 Definitions.

Neon Tubing. Electric-discharge luminous tubing, including cold cathode luminous tubing, that is manufactured into shapes to illuminate signs, form letters, parts of letters, skeleton tubing, outline lighting, other decorative elements, or art forms and filled with various inert gases.

[ROP 18–89a] Comment: “Cold cathode” was added to the definition for clarity.

600.3 listinG. Fixed, mobile, or portable electric signs, section signs, outline lighting, and retrofit kits, regardless of voltage, shall be listed, provided with installation instructions, and installed in conformance with that listing, unless otherwise approved by special permission. [ROP 18–90, ROP 18–91] [ROC 18-43] Comment: “Fixed, mobile, or portable” got rearranged during some interpretation and does not affect the meaning or enforceability. The main change is to provide and require installation instructions on all signs and not just section signs.

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600.6 Disconnects. (a) Location.

(E) Section Signs Installation Instructions. Section signs All signs, outline lighting, skeleton tubing systems and retrofit kits shall be marked to indicate that field-wiring and installation instructions are required. [ROP 18–93] Exception: Portable, cord-connected signs are not required to be marked.

[ROP 18–93] Comment: This change was made to include that all signs, outline lighting, skeleton tubing systems, and retrofit kits will require a marking to remind the installer and inspector that field wiring is required and installations instructions shall be provided. This was a little controversial on the number of markings on a small sign, but some of the additional marking can be included in the existing manufacturer’s label.

(1) At Point of Entry to a Sign Enclosure.

The disconnect shall be located at the point the feeder circuit or branch circuit(s) supplying a sign or outline lighting system enters a sign (body or) enclosure or a pole in accordance with 600.5 (C)(3) and shall disconnect all wiring where it enters the enclosure (or body) of the sign or pole.

[ROP 18–99] [ROC 18-47] Comment: This proposal and subsequent comment required the most work to clarify.The words in “(body or)” and “(or body)” are not part of the proposal or comment and are trying to be added by the Technical Correlating Committe (TCC), if applicable. The intent of the proposal and comments are to insure that no accessible conductors are energized inside the sign after the disconnect is opened.

Photo Provided by rite lite signs, concord, nc.

Exception: A disconnect is shall not be required for branch or feeder circuits passing through the sign where enclosed in a Chapter 3 listed raceway. [ROP 18–99] [ROC 18-47] Comment: The proposal removed this exception and reworded the comment and replaced it in the code. The panel felt that, if conductors are used to connect other equipment (not related to the sign’s wiring and traveling through the sign and in Chapter 3 wiring methods), they are safe and would not require an additional disconnect.

(2) Within Sight of the Sign. The disconnecting means shall be within sight of the sign or outline lighting system that it controls. Where the disconnecting means is out of the line of sight from any section that is able to be energized, the disconnecting means shall be capable of being locked in the open position.

The provision for locking or adding

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Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

Photo Provided by ussc.

600.4 Markings.

a lock to the disconnecting means must remain in place at the switch or circuit breaker whether the lock is installed or not. Portable means for adding a lock to the switch or circuit breaker shall not be permitted shall be lockable in accordance with 110.25. [ROP 18–97] Comment: This is a proposal developed by the Usability Task Group and assigned by the TCC to facilitate a lockout/tagout scenario. The proposal is equally important to ensure that the means for placing the lock remain in place.

(3) Within Sight of the Controller.

(1) The disconnecting means shall be permitted to be located within sight of the controller or in the same enclosure with the controller. [ROP 18–101] Comment: Removed the text “permitted to be” for clarity.

(3) The disconnecting means shall be designed such that no pole can be operated independently and shall be capable of being locked in the open position.

The provisions for locking or adding a lock to the disconnecting means

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Photo Provided by Peter Perszyk.

plies shall be rated for controlling inductive loads or have a current rating not less than twice the current rating of the transformer. [ROP 18–102a] Informational Note: See 404.14 for rating of snap switches.

Comment: The information note was not needed so it was deleted for clarity.

readily accessible to pedestrians shall be protected from physical damage. [ROP 18–107] Comment: The word “listed” was added to exempt your normal beer-type signs that are deemed safe from casual contact by the type of manufacturing process that qualifies them to be listed.

600.7 grounding & bonding.

(A) grounding.

Make sure to bring your NEC Codebook back with you next month as I look at 2014 NEC code changes associated with 600.10 Portable or Mobile Signs; 600.12 Field-Installed Secondary Wiring; 600.21 Ballasts, Transformers, and Electronic Power Supplies, and Class 2 Power Sources; 600.32 Neon Secondary-Circuit Wiring, over 1000 Volts, Nominal; and 600.33 LED Sign Illumination Systems, Secondary Wiring.

Question or comments are always welcome via e-mail at rkw@uplink.net.

must remain in place at the switch or circuit breaker whether the lock is installed or not. Portable means for adding a lock to the switch or circuit breaker shall not be permitted lockable in accordance with 110.25.

[ROP 18–102] Comment: This is a proposal developed by the Usability Task Group and assigned by the TCC to facilitate a lockout/tagout scenario. The proposal is equally important to ensure that the means for placing the lock remain in place.

(1) Equipment Grounding. Signs and mMetal equipment of signs, outline lighting, and skeleton tubing systems shall be grounded by connection to the equipment grounding conductor of the supply branch circuit(s) or feeder using the types of equipment grounding conductors specified in 250.118. [ROP 18–103] Comment: Skeleton tubing was added and the section reworded to clarify that all metal needs to be connected to an equipment grounding conductor.

(B) Control Switch Rating. Switches, flashers, and similar devices controlling transformers and electronic power sup-

600.9 locAtion.

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(B) Pedestrians. Neon tubing, other than listed dry location portable signs,

Randy Wright is currently the Special Expert to the NEC code panel. He has represented sign associations as a panel member while owning an electric sign company since the 1987 code cycle.

May 2013 // Sign Builder Illustrated

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HOW-TO

By Mark roBerts

Design

It’s Replacement Time!

When restoring two sandblasted identity signs just won’t do.

M

y shop recently received a call from a past client who wanted us to restore his two subdivision entrance signs we’d made twenty years earlier. I still remembered these signs well—both featured the name of the subdivision and three-dimensional trees that had been sandblasted into the cedar background.

When I arrived at the site to check out the signs, I could immediately see how the rain, wind, heat, and cold hadn’t been kind to them.

At that point, I determined that replacement signs, not restored signs, would work better.

The older signs were made from cedar, and the client insisted that cedar be used for these replacement signs as well. So it was off to the lumberyard I went to hand-select the lumber and load it onto the back of my truck.

Arriving at the sign shop, we unloaded the cedar and placed it on the assembly table. After a few rearrangements of the boards, I was satisfied with its grain, which would be intensified after the sandblasting process.

My assistant and I glued the boards together and clamped them overnight. The next morning,

we removed the clamps and belt-sanded the two sign panels to a smooth finish.

After applying the sandblast resist and removing the sections that would be “blown away,” we then fired up the compressor and sand pot for two twenty-minute sandblasting sessions.

Once we were finished with the sandblasting process, we removed the sandblasting mask and gave each sign face a good blast of compressed air to clean away any sand and dust particles.

I accomplished the rounding of the three trees with my trusty Dremel® tool, using a 1/8-inch TiCoated end mill. I also used the Dremel to accentuate the grain of the stubborn cedar in some places on the background. (Note: Cedar can be soft in some areas and very hard in other areas on the same boards, so be prepared for anything!)

Next we applied water-based FSC-88 primer to the sign faces. This primer from Coastal Enterprises (www.precisionboard.com) is useful on wooden signs (as well as their Precision Board™ HDU products), and it dries very quickly.

Once the faces had finished drying, I finished sanding them with emery boards and sandpaper.

Then one more blow-down with compressed air

1 The design layout for the two new entrance signs.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

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2 A dding three-dimensional roundness to the tree branches.

hape-carving using a Dremel速 tool 3 S with a ti-coated end mill bit.

4 R ounding the leaves on the tree with the Dremel速 tool.

5 S moothing the background with a conical rock bit.

pplying the FSC-88 water-based primer to 6 A the raw cedar background.

ainting the background of the sign 7 P with blue exterior latex enamel.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

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made the sign surfaces clean and ready for the top coats of paint.

We applied a high grade of custom latex semi-gloss paint tinted to the exact blue that we’d used on the two previous signs. This paint dried nicely and quickly, and we were able to paint the raised portions of the sign with Ronan Aqua Coat Ivory paint in less than one hour after application to the background.

We coated the back of the sign, which is a 3/4-inch piece of marine-grade plywood laminated to the back of the ceingdar season. the meantime, the comfacesInwith industrial wood glue. pany has also found success wrapping We applied more paint, which matched custom designs onto motorcycle and the brown paint on the leg assemblies.

(Note:helmets.

This was the same shade of brown racecar used on the originalcan signs, so ait person does pay “Painting helmets cost to keep paint samples the cli$2,000 and takeswatch a couple of in weeks,” ent’s work order file!) says Baumann.

“But we can wrap one The forty-five leg assemblies consisted of four in about minutes at about a 4-inch-by-4-inch-by-96-inch treated pine quarter of that cost. Many times, they As we docan’t on every justposts haveper onesign. helmet and giveproject, it up we beveled the tops of each post so they for two to three weeks. For us, it’s just a wouldn’t retain water. matter of figuring out the shape of the For this project, we used a full 45-devisor and where the vents are located. gree cut on one face of all eight posts. We “In addition to lamination, we’ll also then fitted each sign with two posts on shoot a clear coat over it because helmets the front, as well as the back. get banged around and/or dropped.”

We determined that six sections of Panther Graphics has also noticed the 1/2-inch-thick steel threaded rod would increasing popularity of using vinyl secure each of the posts to the sign.for Affullter color changes on vehicles.

They apsome minor trimming of the threadplyed specific-color ORACAL 970RAenamel cast rod, we sprayed oil-based wrapping vinyl straight out of the onto the rods and allowed them tobox dry. andWe onto theused car orour truck—no printing, then high-speed cut-off no saw lamination. wrappers rods just stick to trim “Our the threaded to be it on,” flushsays withBaumann. the nuts. “There’s no waitOur sign was now ready ing on art four-legged files or approvals.” to be loweredthe into company the holes! Due to the Meanwhile recently weight ofpromotional the sign (as activity well as the weight concluded on their of the four posts), definitely Facebook page wherethis they solicitedproved for to be projects a two-person unique and job. offered to do free some that leveling, and wrapsAfter for those reallytamping, challenged wiping down, the sign was ready for them creatively and professionally. Notthe final on its legs. only didpaint thesetouch-ups better improve theirFortucanately we had learned how to protect the pabilities, but they also found that this painted poles, so our touch-ups were acworked as a method of free advertising tually minimal. for their full wrap services.

Finally we poured, troweled, and surfaceBaumann and his crew spent last year smoothed four bags of concrete per hole. getting Panther Graphics up to speed to The client was thrilled was the end-rebe sult ableoftothese servetwo their race team and the hand-crafted signs. Not general public.

Now thanks this experionly did we receive ourtobalance check ence and their recently receiving Master without having to ask, but he also gave Certification from the PDAA, us a plate of cupcakes for all they of usdefito ennitely slowing down with their joy won’t on ourbe way back to the shop.

(Note: wrap work in 2013 (and beyond).

Let me tell you, this was a nice bonus!)

This turned out to be a major project

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in terms of the size and weight of all the components, the hand-tooling involved, and the installation performed. However I feel confident that these two signs will be on the job for many years to come.

So have a great month and “keep sellin’ those signs!”

Mark Roberts is a thirty-five-year veteran of the commercial sign industry. For more information, visit www.theintersigngroup.com and www.signprice.com.

8 One of the finished replacement signs!

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March Builder Illustrated May2013 2013 //// Sign Sign Builder Illustrated

49 25

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The essentials behind a successful LED channel letter retrofit.

Having a

Retrofit

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Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

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//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Channel Letters / By Jeff Wooten

PHoto: GE LiGHtinG soLutions.

L

signshop.com

ED components are in a unique situation unlike any other lighting technology. “Everybody likes the concept of LEDs and wants them,” says Erich Bockley, signage portfolio manager at OSRAM Sylvania (www.sylvania.com), “yet nobody really seems to know what they do.”

Morgan Crook, technical sales manager at EGL Company, Inc. (www.egl-lighting.com), notices that customers are showing up at sign shops with the belief that they must have LED. This has led his company to develop products with the highest color rendering index available in order to illuminate colors as accurately “Longevity is one as possible using LED to match the reason for LED’s customers’ desires popularity in channel and specifications. letters. Its crisp look One application that has embraced can also add to a LED: Channel letter company’s branding.” retrofits. According —Erich Bockley to J. Bryan Vincent, Ph.D., and a partner at Principal LED (www.p-led.com), the primary factors driving the popularity of LED here are: energy savings, reduced maintenance costs, and faster ROI (to offset the initial higher price tag).

End-users also realize that, in order to attract customers, they need to do so from the outside in, which means their sign needs to be in good working condition. “If a channel letter is out, this can keep customers away,” says Bockley.

Replacing neon with neon still has its advantages.

“Neon has a massive color pallet that’s unmatched in any other light source,” says Crook.

May 2013 // Sign Builder Illustrated

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But it’s LED channel letter retrofitting that has the attention. Before working on such jobs, Crook states that you must first understand the needs and desires of your clients. He advises asking the following questions upfront: ◆ What are the priorities for this retrofit? ◆ What kind of color rendering do they want? ◆ How bright do the letters need to be? ◆ What type of energy savings are they after? ◆ Are they looking to “refreshen” their image with a retrofit? ◆ Will there be a variety of locales? ◆ What are the height, width, and depth of the letters? ◆ Will the letters or cabinets be using raceways or are they freestanding? ◆ Are the existing power supplies mounted remotely or inside the letters? Is there a housing type? Is it 120V or 277V primary service? ◆ What are the materials and colors of the sign face(s)?

Mistakes to Avoid Morgan Crook, technical sales manager at EGL Company, points out the following mistakes to avoid when selling, manufacturing, or installing LED channel letter retrofits: ◆ Make sure you know how much product you are going to put in the retrofit. “Adding LEDs to fill in dim spots in the field is losing control of your costs and profit!” he says. ◆ Don’t forget the cost of neon recycling. ◆ Show up with the correct voltage (or multi-voltage) drivers. ◆ Consider that many of the same issues you have in sign service apply to retrofits. “For example: What kind of shape are the faces in?

Are you going to break them and eat the cost of replacement?” he asks. “Think about what goes wrong in a ‘normal’ sign service.”

◆ What codes and standards are in effect for each jurisdiction in which work will be performed? ◆ Are permits going to be necessary? ◆ Is a license for service work going to be required? ◆ What’s the budget? (Note: This might very well be the most important of all pre-fab questions to ask.)

pre-retrofit site survey You need to make sure that the channel letter(s) itself is structurally sound before beginning a retrofit. “If a letter is in bad shape or has poor electrical wiring that’s been chewed on by birds or other animals, you may just want to start from scratch and build the customer a new letter,” says Bockley.

LEDs look much better in uniform.

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They feature an advanced light diffusion technology that provides excellent light uniformity. LED hot spots and shadowing are eliminated in flat or formed applications. Makrolon LD is available in a range of standard sign colors and can be custom matched to industry colors. Don’t limit your design flexibility with LEDs. Makrolon LD delivers now.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

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PHotos courtEsy of crEativE siGn dEsiGns.

Surf’s Up for a Retrofit!

Surf Style Retail Management Inc., is the leading Beachwear and Souvenir chain of retail stores in the Southeastern United States. In business since 1990, Surf Style began by manufacturing clothing and opening retail stores all over Florida. Today Surf Style has the fastest-growing line of retail services in this industry.

When Surf Style’s Clearwater Beach location needed a facelift, Creative Sign Designs (www. creativesigndesigns.com) of Tampa, Florida stepped in to provide design, fabrication, and installation services.

The sign company partnered with Finfrock Construction to develop a complete custom exterior sign package.

The Creative Sign Designs team manufactured a 19-by-4-foot custom LED face-lit channel letter sign reading “Surf Style” as well as a set of 25-by-4-foot custom LED face-lit channel letters mounted on a curved architectural fascia cabinet that had to match up precisely with the existing structure provided by the contractor.

In addition, Creative Sign Designs provided a 16-foot-by-21/2-foot set of custom LED facelit channel letters installed in an overhead truss at the parking garage entrance.

Finally they custom-fabricated a twenty-five-foot-tall, doublesided aluminum surfboard with face- and halo-lit channel letters for the parking garage. The surfboard was painted with Matthews Paint System and then finished with a digital print application of flames. The structure and mounting of the surfboard was very challenging due to Category 3 hurricane wind load requirements of the Clearwater Beach location. signshop.com

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May 2013 // Sign Builder Illustrated

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starting the retrofit Retrofitting channel letters with LEDs is fairly straightforward, but Crook says “prudent practices” apply. He advises: ◆ “Have the work performed by experienced service personnel, using equipment appropriate for the job environment.” ◆ “Follow generally accepted safety procedures and techniques.” ◆ “Where applicable, have work permits/licenses in place prior to day of service.”

removing the neon Consult your local ordinances and regulations! All neon tubing should be removed first from the channel letters and recycled with a reputable company that specializes in mercury-based materials disposal.

Crook says neon should be recycled similarly to fluorescent lamps. “The most common practice—and one which most municipalities seem to be happy working with—is using a “bulb eater” product (www.aircycle.com/bulb-eater-premium),” he says. “You may find one in your area in a larger sign shop that will accept lamps and neon tubes for a reasonable price if your company does not have one.”

selecting the led

PHoto: cao GrouP.

Each channel letter retrofit application is unique, and so too are the LEDs. “There are different color temperatures of the light, differences in light dispersion, and big differences in color rendering index,” says Crook. “You should run some tests if you have any doubt.”

All LED retrofit kits must bear the UL Classification mark indicating that they comply with UL 879A (LED Sign and Sign Retrofit Kits). “This standard ensures that the retrofit is performed with regard to safety and environmental issues, and that the original UL Listing of

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Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

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the sign isn’t compromised,” says Crook.

Replacing luminous tubes with LEDs is typically not a “foot per foot” replacement.

Did you know that outputs for white neon can vary from 150 to 330 Lumen per foot?

So make sure that the LEDs you use will meet or exceed the output of the pre-existing neon sign. “Since the LEDs are directional, LEDs require about 65 percent of the luminous output of the neon to achieve the same surface LUX at the face on a linear foot basis,” says Vincent. “Therefore the LED outputs should be in the 100 to 220 Lumen per foot range to achieve the same output in the same sign.”

building, you’re going to need a beam angle that’s very narrow,” he says. “Otherwise you’ll be lighting the side of the letter and not the face of the letter.”

It’s important to light the surface of each one of the letters in a uniform manner by laying them out properly. Doing so will make it impossible to tell which lighting source is being used. “But I’ve seen installations where the LED is placed either too close to the sign face or its beam angle shows hot spots, so you

basically see LED dots on the sign,” says Bockley. “Or just the opposite: If you space the modules too far out, you could have good illumination in one spot but dark spots in-between.”

Vincent points out that there are LED modules out there with specialty optics to redirect light to the side and away from the face. “This reduces the need for hot spots in low-profile signs,” he says, “but light falls off exponentially as a function of distance. Therefore these systems have

led placement

PHoto courtEsy of osram syLvania.

The LEDs should be spaced out appropriately (“pitch”) to provide even illumination for the letter depth and with adequate brightness to match the surface LUX on the face of the existing neon.

Bockley states that the width, the stroke, and the depth of the letter are going to determine the appropriate light output and beam angle. “If you’ve got a deep channel letter that stands off the

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May 2013 // Sign Builder Illustrated

31

reduced efficiency as they deliver significantly less light to the face of the letter in standard-depth channel letter applications [such as a neon retrofit].”

(Note: If your channel letter retrofit is going to be taking place in an area where there are a lot of other bright surfaces, you might want to consider using a brighter surface on the face of the letters to better draw attention.)

According to Vincent, many acrylics have varying levels of transparency. “If the existing face is being used, chances are the transparency is lower than many of the more transparent acrylics today,” he says. “In that case, use a higher output LED to make sure the light levels are adequate for the customer.”

color Selection Red is the second-most-used LED color for channel letters, but red is not just red here. To better match the neon being replaced, you can have your Red, or you can have your Ruby Red. White is far and away the most popular of colors. But it too sports various hues.

Since the acrylic face of the chan-

You’re Not Alone You can also contact your LED vendor for additional help. Many companies provide free estimates as well as appropriate LED module population and spacing drawings (to help you figure out material costs).

Other companies can help you address wiring, attaching the LEDs, and mounting the drivers.

According to J. Bryan Vincent of Principal LED, the sign fabricator needs to provide the LED supplier with the sign’s dimensions, letter depth, and face material (particularly if it’s going to be using the existing face or if there’s going to be the need for a new face material).

Another important item is providing the type and color of neon that’s being used. “These items are critical to make sure that the LED vendor provides an adequate layout with the correct LED spacing, color, and output,” says Vincent. nel letter also acts as a filter, many sign companies will put white LEDs behind blue or specialty color faces. “We recommend using a 6500K white with a limited hue variation, as 6500K is very close to the purest white portion of the color spectrum and will provide the truest color of the face material,” says Vincent. “Many LEDs have a ‘bluer’ or ‘pinkish’ tint (>8000K),

Full services include: • Engraving • Routing • Silk Screening • Sublimation • Painting • Metal Finishing • UV Printing

and many times, these are adequate for white faces but can cause the face to illuminate in a different shade behind a colored acrylic.”

Vincent says that Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) is a matter of preference for channel letters with a white face. “For indoor signs, designers often use a lower color temperature LED (3500K warm white), as it will blend in

CAB Signs, Inc. 38 Livonia Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11212 Phone: 800-394-1690 Fax: 718-385-1187 Email: sales@cab-signs.com www.cab-signs.com

For 36 yEArS, Cab Signs has been a leading supplier to the trade of ADA signs, engraved signage, manufacturing all types of Plastics, Brass, Aluminum and Stainless Steel Signs. With all of our resources including Laser Engravers, Computerized Engraving Machines and Large Table Routers, we will be able to customize each job to our client’s specific needs.

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PHoto: davE forrEst.

better with the lighting inside the building, preventing the sign from looking too blue or harsh,” he says.

If multiple colors are on the face of the channel letter or sign cabinet, Vincent states to use a 6500K LED with a high CRI (Color Rendering Index) to ensure no color shift when the letters are illuminated.

power supplies Not only do you have to remove all transformers and ballasts before a retrofit, but you must use a Class 2 power supply.

Crook has some advice for switching out/replacing power supplies: ◆ “Make sure the LED driver’s (or its enclosure) rating and its wiring meet the dry/damp or wet of the sign being retrofitted.” ◆ “When making on-site decisions during service work, pay particular attention to prospects of moisture egress.” ◆ “Always verify that the power supply to the letters is off before performing service.”

Vincent stresses to follow all safety guidelines and lock-out/tag-out procedures. “Make sure that a 277VAC power supply is specified, if that is the only service available,” he says.

Bockley points out that you can run more than one letter off of one power supply, but it really boils down to the electrical parameters of the installation. “For a retrofit, you’re going to have to deal with whatever electrical layout is on that sign already,” he says, noting that certain power supplies are “universal voltage” (meaning they can go from 110 or 120 volts all the way up to 277 volts). signshop.com

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//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Border

Lights

T

he National Aquarium’s main building in Baltimore had been identified by a neon-lit blue wave for thirty years. But officials there have been very proactive in implementing green initiatives (installing a green roof filled with plants, using more 100 percent recycled plastic materials, etc.) and were interested in reducing energy consumption.

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photo courtesy of ge lighting solutions.

Solid-state

Joseph and Carol Berke

photos: dave forreest.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////Border Lighting / By

LEDs make quite an “accent-uating” statement.

photo courtesy of sloanled.

In order to achieve this goal, the Aquarium decided it was time to replace the iconic neon wave with blue GE Lighting Solutions’ Tetra® Contour LED while maintaining the color and brightness of the original neon sign.

“Maintenance issues had also developed. Parts of the neon had burned out, so they knew it was time to look for a lighting replacement,” says Mark Shepard, product manager of Tetra LED Lighting Solutions, at GE Lighting Solutions (www.gelightingsolutions.com).

“They really wanted to recapture the look that the exposed neon provided, and LED border lighting tubes helped them do this.”

Border lighting also expands a sign’s “real estate.”

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(Note: The Aquarium had already replaced much of the interior’s neon and fluorescent lighting with LED.) Triangle Sign & Service of Baltimore removed forty-plus pieces of neon totaling 350 linear feet and installed 320 linear feet of the new Tetra Contour LED wave that they had heated up and bent to shape. They used stand-offs to attach the Contour pieces to the exterior of the building.

The Aquarium notes that since this “border lighting retrofit,” they have decreased energy consumption by 70 percent, allowed a savings of $8,000 in maintenance, and reduced CO2 emissions 6,600 pounds per year.

(Note: Because of this LED implementation—among its other green initiatives—the Aquarium was a recipient of the Maryland Green Registry Leadership Award.)

LED lighting has definitely made an impact in the sign illumination industry, and as this example demonstrates, it has really increased in border/accent lightMay 2013 // Sign Builder Illustrated

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But what do you need to know in order to successfully work with this component? The main benefits promoted by LED manufacturers are: ● Long life; ● Energy efficiency; ● Low power consumption; ● Low heat; ● Low maintenance; ● Environmentally friendliness (with no lead, mercury, or glass); and ● Ease of installation.

With LED lighting, there are also very few penetrations of the building wall required for the power leads.

“Since LEDs are mounted directly onto the wall surface, this sometimes makes it easier to obtain permits from the city building codes departments,” says Travis Popp, director of sales at AgiLight (www.agilight.com). “The mounting is less invasive into the structure.”

Cities also consider border lighting as part of the architecture and not as “signage” (which often has certain restrictions). This may make the permitting process easier. “LED border and accent tubing helps ‘punch up’ a

“Architects use cove lighting as indirect lighting for primary lighting and for accenting decorative features of the space.”

SloanLED-BendLUX-HP-SBI.pdf 1 3/28/2013 12:20:16 PM

C

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CM

MY

CY

CMY

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photos courtesy of agilight.

ing applications. This type of lighting is used to outline signage or the shape of a building or to call attention to a special architectural element.

Border lighting also expands a sign’s “real estate.” For example, if you have a building that is fifty feet long and your sign is ten feet long, adding LED border lighting to it will greatly expand your signage. “Shops can then sell more signage to the customer and make the message look better,” says Jill Bonilla, global marketing manager at SloanLED (www.sloanled.com).

For example, the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas successfully replaced its neon with LED lighting from the CAO Group to give a nice accent of blue throughout its interior, exterior, and signage. Meanwhile another nearby casino opted to install four miles of customized LED colors to highlight the architecture and enhance the walkways.

And instead of light posts, the newer City Center in Las Vegas uses custombuilt LED in railings to illuminate stairs and other parts of its property.

ample, neon has a much broader range of colors that can be produced within its tubes. LEDs basically come in white, red, yellow, orange/amber, green, blue, pink, and turquoise, so if you’re looking to obtain a wider variety of colors with LED, colored pieces of vinyl can be combined with LED tubes, strips, and modules to enlarge this color palette.

Cove lighting in interior spaces also adds to the ambiance and architectural details of the space. Cove lighting distributes the light upwards, soffits spread the light down, and valances send the light in both directions. “Architects use it is as indirect lighting for primary lighting and for accenting decorative features of the space,” says Mikkelsen.

Cove lighting is ideal for retail, fast food chains, and other commercial and hospitality venues. “Warm white is the most popular, as it creates a relaxing feeling of home,” says Bonilla.

It’s important for the sign shop, architects, and interior designers to understand the message the client wants to impart. Conveying mood, color, and brand are available with cove, soffit, and

photos courtesy of sloanled.

building by adding creativity and visibility to architectural details and is often used for obtaining the historical or ‘retro’ look in restorations where minimal invasion of the building surface is desired,” says Popp.

Neon tubing is made of glass, which is fragile; so when a neon sign needs repairs of modifications, it must be returned to the sign shop to do so. “LED components however can be formed in the shop or out on-site, which makes its maintenance, repair, or replacement easier and more cost-effective for the enduser,” says Shane Mikkelsen, western regional sales manager at CAO Group, Inc. (www.caogroup.com).

In addition, the extrusion of the striping on LEDs is the color of the lighting (in most cases) and maintains the color with the power turned off. However, when neon is turned off, there is no color. “Using a border with daytime color provides additional visibility during daylight hours or when the signage is turned off,” says Shepard.

This isn’t to say that there aren’t disadvantages with LED though. For ex-

If you’re looking to obtain a wider variety of colors with LED, colored pieces of vinyl can be combined with LED tubes, strips, and modules to enlarge this color palette.

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38

photos: dave forrest.

valance forms of lighting. “These types of lighting are popular as they hide the fixtures and provide an even light for the space,” says Shepard.

Reds, blues or greens enhance the mood of restaurants, hotels, casinos and other venues where people come to relax, have fun, stay longer, and eat and drink more. White lighting tends to be used more for retail, hospitals, hallways and other commercial buildings.

Densen Cao, president of the CAO Group, advises one to be careful when selecting white. There are several different hues and temperatures. “A warm white can give off a different look in an enivronment than a day white or a cool white,” he says.

The House of Blues at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas uses LED border lighting to provide accents for its windows (top, left) and to enhance its on-premise signage.

Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

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Building is a former PA State Police headquarters and is in excellent condition with good highway access. This 1 level building is situated on 1.64 acres; plenty of attic storage with 8 ft. ceilings. Attic also includes a heat pump for heating/cooling system. Also included is a 24’x16’ two story equipment shed located behind the building.

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For more information, please contact Donnie Belles: 570-542-4567 Jeff Sutley: JeffSutley@sbpub.com

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Your Direct Source for Sign Information 3 Easy Steps

Receive vital product and service information from manufacturers and distributors by completing the adjacent card or visiting www.signshop.com/infodirect

1. Choose up to 10 categories of interest and check off on card.

2. Select up to 28 suppliers and record InfoDirect # on card.

3. Mail card to start getting info!

InfoDirect # Company

Page

InfoDirect # Company

Page

InfoDirect # Company

Page

1 Allwood SignBlanks Ltd . . . . . . . . . 46 2 Alpina Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . 54

37 Outwater Plastics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 38 Roland DGA Corporation . . . . . . . . 37

53 Arlon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

3 Alpina Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . 54 4 Aries Graphics International . . . . . 17

39 Saw Trax Mfg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

54 EFI/VUTEk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

40 Sign America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

55 Encore Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

5 A .R .K . Ramos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 6 A .R .K . Ramos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 7 Arris Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

41 Sign Bracket Store By

56 HP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

8 Bayer MaterialScience LLC . . . . . . 28 9 Belle Sign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

43

10 Bitro Group, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 11 Brinks Mfg . (Van Ladder) . . . . . . . 45

45

12 Brooklyn Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 13 Cab Top Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

47

14 Clearpath/Rowmark . . . . . . . . . . . 53 15 Coastal Enterprises/

49

42 44 46 48 50

Precision Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

51

16 Duxbury Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 17 Epilog Laser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

52

Hooks & Lattice . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Signs365 .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C4 Signs By Tomorrow . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 SloanLED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2 SloanLED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Small Balls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Southern Stud Weld . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Stamm Mfg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Sylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Tesa Tape, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Trim-Lok Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 US LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Companies in the Sign Show

57 InteliCoat Technologies . . . . . . . . 13 58 LexJet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 59 Mimaki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 60 Miratec Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 61 MultiCam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 62 ORACAL USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 63 Roland DGA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 64 Rowmark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

18 Gemini, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 19 GH Imaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 20 GravoTech/Gravograph . . . . . . . . . 30 21 Gyford Standoff Systems . . . . . . . 83 22 Hartlauer Bits, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 23 ITSENCLOSURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 24 J Freeman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 25 JKL Components Corporation . . . . 20 26 Justin, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 27 Kennyetto Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 28 Kern Electronics & Lasers, Inc . . . . 11 29 L&L Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 30 Manitex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 31 Matthews Paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 32 MultiCam Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 33 Orbus Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 34 Orbus Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 35 Orbus Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 36 Ornamental Post

Panel & Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

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An Easier Way to get Your Message Across Advertise In

Contact Jeff Sutley (East Coast) at jeffsutley@sbpub.com or 212-620-7233 or Kim Noa (West, Central U.S.) at knoa@sbpub.com or 212-620-7221 Follow Us On: Sign Builder Illustrated @SBIMag

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In Print, In Person and Online Log on to www.signshop.com

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Cuts sandblasted pblt-18: insignia/ orange, ca.

Like a Sign

Prudent advice to help guide perfect cuts.

There are various types of sign blanks and panels available for your signage needs (aluminum, aluminum composite, high-density urethane, PVC, wood, etc.), but when it comes time to convert these plain substrates into dazzling signs, there’s no substitute for experience.

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//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Sign Blanks / By Mike AntoniAk

W cnc routed pblt-18: kdf/ rockleigh, nj.

hether you’re new to the craft or a veteran working with unfamiliar materials, your manufacturers and suppliers are eager to advise you on the best density, tools, and techniques for cutting and carving their products.

Taking advantage of the Internet, many of these companies now publish guides or post “how-to” videos on their Web sites to walk users through proper handling and fabrication of sign blanks. And for those not equipped to shape their sign boards, several will cut and carve blanks to your specs.

“Since there are so many substrates available today, the best way to begin is by talking to the salesperson at your distributor or supplier,” advises Gene Sobel, president of Sign-Mart (www.signmart.com), a distributor based in Orange, California.

“The right board depends on the job, where it will be hung, and what kind of conditions it will be exposed to.

“Explain what you want to do, and they will advise what you need. They will also suggest the right way to work with that material.”

If there is general advice, it’s to use a power saw outfitted with a carbide-tipped blade or a circular saw for straight cuts and a jig or saber saw for curves. More ambitious effects require a cutting or routing machine. Those sign makers without CNC equipment on hand can turn to a wholesale CNC machining center.

Working with Wood

cnc routed pblt-20: oregon sign works/ springfield, or.

cnc routed pblt-20: lunsford signs/ hot sulphur springs, co.

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Wood remains a perennial favorite for distinctive-looking signs.

Canadian supplier Allwood Sign Blanks (www.allwoodsignblanks. com) has established itself as a source of Western red cedar sign blanks. President Bob Askew says the material has been well received as an abundantly available alternative to the redwood panels that were once so common.

“The two woods are very similar. Their density is about the same, and both have a high resin count,” says Askew. “Because Western red cedar is short-gained, it’s unlikely it will check. And when exposed to UV, it turns a silver-grey—a look that many people like in their signs.”

As a softwood, Askew says that standard woodworking equipment can be used for cutting and carving. “[Western red cedar] is not hard on the equipment, and it saws and routes just like any other softwood,” says Askew.

“There’s a fair amount being done with it using CNC routers and standard carbide bits.”

Western red cedar can also be sandblasted for striking 3-D effects. On its Web site (www.allwoodsignblanks.com/sandblasting-tips. html), the company provides basic tips on sandblasting provided by working partner, Island Quick Strips of Victoria, BC. It advises working with a small sample and mastering the technique before attempting to blast the sign panel. cuts

continued on page 46

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Choosing the Right Sign Face: Aluminum vs. Flex Faces Selecting the right materials for your new illuminated sign can be a challenge. If you are deciding between an aluminum routed face and a flex face, the following pros and cons related to each may help guide you in the right direction.

Flex Faces

Aluminum Routed Faces

In the past, industry guidelines suggested the use of flex faces for signs larger than seven feet tall and at least twenty feet high; now we use them in signs of many different forms and sizes. However flex signs are not ideal for signs low to the ground, due to the fact that they are more prone to being cut, damaged, and/or vandalized.

Aluminum routed faces are widely used for all kinds of projects. Although they are more expensive than your standard faces, the finished product is typically more attractive. Aluminum has a higher-quality appearance and is stronger and more durable than flex faces when fabricated in the appropriate manner.

Pros ◆ Lightweight; ◆ Easy to install and service (depending on the mounting system used); ◆ Ability to digitally print any form of graphics in any size onto it; ◆ Affordable, less expensive to replace; ◆ Easy to reproduce graphics and update in the future; ◆ Easy-to-retrofit standard cabinets; and ◆ Several different mounting systems and extrusions are available.

Cons ◆ The many different mounting systems and extrusions can become costly; ◆ Some systems require special tools for installing and servicing; and ◆ Prone to mildew, if you do not use proper materials and perform maintenance.

Pros ◆ Less likely to get damaged and more durable when fabricated correctly; and ◆ Push-thru designs add dimension to signage.

◆ Delicate materials require an experienced sign installer; and ◆ May require some visible fasteners.

—Cole Robinson Cole Robinson is account manager for Creative Sign Designs (www.creativesigndesigns.com) in Tampa, Florida. cuts

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continued on page 46

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photos courtesy of creative sign designs.

Cons

Priming HDU Here are some educational tips available from Coastal Enterprises on priming your sign using FSC-88WB Primer/Filler. In order to give your sign the smoothest surface possible, be sure to keep these tips in mind.

When Spraying FSC-88WB:

Painting Over FSC-88WB:

◆ Reduce the FSC-88WB with 1 to 3 percent water, taking care not to thin it too much. ◆ Be sure to use a large tip, such as a 2.7mm or 3mm tip for your HVLP spray gun. (Note: FSC-88WB also works well when used in a “cup gun.”)

◆ Once FSC-88WB is completely dry, it is compatible with all types of paints and finishes (including most lacquers, automotive paints, and gold leafing). ◆ All sides of the sign must be painted to prevent the HDU from being pulled in the direction of the drying paint. This paint pulling is eliminated by painting both the front and the back of the sign.

When Rolling FSC-88WB: ◆ Use water to reduce the FSC-88WB to a milkshake-like consistency. ◆ Always utilize a short-knap cloth roller—1/4-inch or 3/8-inch. A heavy knap roller will leave too much texture. (Note: Do not use a foam roller!

It will leave too little primer.) ◆ Be sure to roll in several different directions to ensure full wet-out of the Precision Board Plus cells.

All priming shown here was done by Insignia (www.leavingyourmark. com), a full-service contract sign shop in Orange, California.

When Using a Brush: ◆ Be sure to really work the primer into the cells by painting in different directions to ensure full wet-out.

Drying/Sanding Precision Board Plus HDU: ◆ Allowing the primer to completely dry is very important. Because Precision Board Plus does not absorb water, all water must be allowed out via the surface. If any water is still in the primer when painting, blistering will occur later when the sun hits it. ◆ You will know when the primer is dry when it does not ball up on the sandpaper while sanding it. The FSC-88WB should powder when it is being sanded. ◆ Start out using a 120-grit sandpaper and work your way up to 220- or 320-grit. ◆ After sanding (and before painting), place the sign under a shop fan for at least an hour. This air frictional heating will pull the water out. This will prevent even moisture reabsorption.

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cuts

continued from page 43

Other sandblasting cedar tips: ◆ Setting the sand blaster to 80-psi; ◆ Holding the nozzle twelve inches off the surface; and ◆ Making a sweeping motion for a cut no more than 1/4- to 3/8-inch deep.

“Big shops have their own equipment and the people who know how to do the sandblasting,” notes Askew. “For a smaller shop, the biggest stumbling block can be finding someone specialized in that area to do the sandblasting for you.”

Wood Alternatives

Often imitated but never out done, nothing beats the natural beauty of a cedar sign Start your next piece of artwork off with the best canvas available – an Allwood blank

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Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

In recent years, high-density urethane (HDU) has become increasingly popular as an alternative to wood for many elaborate dimensional sign designs. “Wood is what many people in the sign industry have grown up with, and everyone looks at HDU as a wood-like material,” notes Chuck Miller, president of Coastal Enterprises (www.precisionboard.com), manufacturer of Precision Board HDU panels, boards, and companion products.

“HDU is faster to cut and sandblast,” says Miller. “When you’re finished, you get a sign that can look like wood or any other desired texture. However HDU is easier and less costly to install, since it’s lighter than wood.”

For carving and machining HDU, it’s important to remember that it can be cut with any tool or blade that will cut wood.

If the tool can’t cut wood, it won’t cut HDU. “Don’t try to cut HDU with a hot wire,” warns Miller.

According to Miller, where HDU differs from wood is when it comes to priming and painting (see page 45). He explains that the difference is in the inherent closed cell structure of HDU. “Urethane doesn’t absorb anything, so the primer must dry from the outside-in with no absorption from the substrate,” he says. “You should always use a primer specifically designed for HDU and then be sure to dry it completely before painting. That’s the key.

“Once the special-designed, waterborne primer has been properly applied to the piece, dried, and sanded, then painting HDU will be just like working with any other substrate surface.” (Note: To watch an instructive video on how to prep and prime HDU, visit www.precisionboard. com/technical/training-video.) signshop.com

How-to Handbooks

cnc routed pblt-30 photos (this page): imagination corp./chilliwack, bc.

While videos are becoming more prevalent, printed guides to fabricating are also available from several suppliers for download and printing through their Web sites.

For example, Laminators Inc., offers a detailed “Resource Guide” (www. laminatorsinc.com/sign-panels/downloads) to educate buyers on its composite sign boards. It explains the company’s products and applications and offers detailed tips on working with them.

“We want our customers to understand the value of our products and the proper use of them,” says National Sales Manager Mike Leneski. “The sign industry is made up of many highly skilled craftspeople, and we draw on their expertise to make sure our cus-

tomers understand how to use and properly work with our materials.”

This “Resource Guide” is a thorough handbook, complete with detailed instructions and illustrations on every step from cutting to carving to prepping each board for installation: ◆ For straight cuts, the guide recommends a circular saw with a carbidetip blade width from 36 to 52 teeth. ◆ For its Omega EP PVC panels, it specifies a triple-chip saw blade de-

signed for cutting plastics. ◆ For freestyle cuts, the guide specifies a jig saw or saber saw equipped with a metal type carbine blade with a comparable range of teeth and advises how to properly angle the blade during the cut.

Once cuts are complete, the guide walks readers through deburring edges on aluminum boards, the proper grit sandpaper to use, and how to correctly drill and caulk holes for mounting and applying the company’s Edge Caps to

Some users have turned to HDU as an alternative to wood for many installations. HDU is faster to cut and sandblast, and while it looks like wood, it is lighter and easier to install.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

The secret to working with sign blanks is no secret if users know who to ask. Many suppliers have information readily available in forms such as videos and printed guides.

Users should also know the many options now available for sign blanks, including: • Aluminum • Aluminum Composite (ACM) • Cedar • HDU • PVC

photos (this page) by laminators inc.

maximize the life of the board.

“We come from the sign industry ourselves,” notes Leneski, “so we try to look at everything from the practical standpoint of the person creating signs with our products and provide what’s important to you, in the field.”

Meanwhile GRAPHIC-AL™ offers videos (www.graphic-al.com/fabricationvideos.php) and a terse but thorough fabrication guide (www.graphic-al.com/ downloads/FAB-aluminum-compositematerial-signage.pdf) for working with its aluminum composite OR, DP, LT, and HP blanks. According to it, all of these materials can be cut with standard woodworking saws outfitted with carbide-tipped blades made for cutting aluminum or plastic.

For contour cuts, recommendations include a fret saw, a hand router, a hand jig saw, or a CNC router with 1/8- to 1/16-inch straight bits.

The guide also provides comparable advice on folding, curving, and joining its blanks, as well as which adhesives and sealants work best with GRAPHIC-AL panels.

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///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Engraving / By Ashley

BrAy

Conjuring Up Custom Engravables The “magic” behind one shop’s unique output.

M signshop.com

May 2013 // Sign Builder Illustrated

all photos courtesy of magic router.

agic Router in New Braunfels, Texas is leaving its clients spellbound by the custom dimensional signage and awards it consistently pulls out of its hat. “We like to say we work in everything from granite to paper,” says Owner Bruce Larson. “We don’t really fit in a niche, and that’s kind of why we do it.”

49

After retiring from his job in the steel industry, Larson started Magic Router (www.magicrouter.com) in 2003 and began shipping jobs out in 2004. He naturally gravitated toward the hightech, dimensional equipment, which he had used in his previous job for cutting, forming, and laser processing steel.

Larson’s passion for this type of equipment clearly shows in Magic Router’s arsenal of tools, which allows them to work on a variety of materials in a variety of different ways. The shop’s line-up includes a MultiCam router, sublimation equipment, a Canon ImagePROGRAF wide format printer, and sandblasting tools.

“I’ve tried never to say ‘no’ to a project, but there sure are a lot of times I’ve come back to the shop and said, ‘Now how in the heck am I going to do this?’” says Larson. “Many times I’ll go out and buy another piece of equipment or another piece of software to make sure I can do it.

“So we’ve got a lot of toys!”

Magic Router’s Epilog laser engraver was able to create the intricate scales on this acrylic dragon.

But when it comes to unique and challenging projects, it’s Larson’s Epilog Leg-

end 36EXT 60-watt laser engraver in particular that works an extra bit of magic.

Sign Maker Fulfills Premium Outdoor Signage, Art Niche

50

year-old winery located in Ontario’s Prince Edward County, is named after the Black Prince, the eldest son of England’s King Edward III. The Black Prince disguised himself in battle by wearing black armor. An image of the Black Prince created from a portrait was positioned atop the winery’s monument signage. The Black Prince also graces the labels of the winery’s bottled offerings.

“When [Toupin] came across our sign, the prince was looking dreadful; he was fading and peeling,” said Geoff Webb, principal/general manager, the Black Prince Winery, of the previous image painted on metal. “The sign had lasted through ten Canadian winters but had taken a beating. It wasn’t nearly as good as what we’ve got now.”

Toupin used Adobe® Illustrator® software to manipulate the winery’s high-resolution PDF file of the prince’s image, which was digitally direct-printed with an Océ Arizona GT 350 UV flatbed printer onto a sheet of 3mm Dibond® aluminum composite material (www.DibondUSA.com) in Brushed Silver.

Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

The 18-by-24-inch sign featuring the image of the Black Prince was cut with a CNC router.

Black Prince Winery personnel installed the new Dibond sign directly over the fading image of the prince. (Toupin also offers installation services with stainless steel standoffs.) “The faded pocked-mark prince was covered over with the beautiful shining prince that you see now,” said Webb. “He went from ugly one day to a great example of his former self the next.

“The sign has withstood our winter weather very well. We expect this sign to be as good as the last one, if not better.”

photo courtesy of 3a composites.

Statesville, North Carolina—When Sarah Toupin decided to go into business for herself in last year, she wanted to use her artistic talents to fulfill a unique business niche in eastern Ontario. Trained in administrative finance and interior design, she was also an avid photographer and thought she could combine these talents to provide promotional signage for the local business community. “In the business-to-business market segment, there’s always a need for advertising and signage,” said Toupin, “And I wanted to become an expert in outdoor signage.”

Today Toupin is president of Kingston, Ontario-based Sarah Toupin Inc. (www.sarahtoupin.com). But it was her selection of substrates that would set her apart from other signage providers in an area that is frequently hit with some pretty severe Canadian climate conditions, including lake-effect wind and snowfall from Lake Ontario.

Toupin landed her first business-tobusiness job in September 2012, when she was hired by the Black Prince Winery (www.BlackPrinceWinery.com) in Picton, Ontario, to update the image of its royal namesake on the winery’s outdoor monument signage.

The Black Prince Winery, a twelve-

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4.56x4.875 Justin Sign_March013:4.56x4.875 Justin Sign_Dec06 3/6/13 11:17 AM Page 1

The Engraving Effect Larson started out with a small Epilog Mini 18 laser engraver but soon upgraded to the larger Epilog Legend 36EXT. “We primarily went immediately to a 60Watt machine because we wanted to be able to cut at least 1/2-inch acrylic,” he says. “We do a lot of different things in acrylic, and we wanted to have the ability to cut and process it.”

Larson says the laser engraver’s learning curve was a shallow one. “The biggest thing was becoming completely and as thoroughly knowledgeable with the CorelDRAW® software as was possible,” he says. “Find out what your software’s capable of and then keep exploring and finding out what you can do with it that isn’t necessarily in the textbook.”

For Larson, software is akin to a magic wand, which unlocks the laser engraver’s capabilities to work on many different materials and in very intricate detail. “It allows us to do some things that would be impossible without a laser,” he says.

Trick 1: Kenpo 5.0 One of the projects that demonstrates the power of Magic Router’s laser engraver is a sign the shop created for Jeff Speakman’s Kenpo 5.0 martial arts school.

“They had a logo that showed a dragon, and they were wondering what I could do to make a sign for them out of it,” says Larson.

Magic Router started by laying out the sign in CorelDRAW. A bit of layout work was required to scale and fit the text “Jeff Speakman’s Kenpo 5.0” within the circle.

“Those are individual pieces and to get that to all line up and match up, they’re not all the same height,” says Larson. “In order to maintain the accuracy of the customer’s real logo, we had to shuffle with it.”

When the design was finalized, Larson visited his plastics supplier, Allied Plastic Supply, LLC (www.alliedplastic.org), and purchased a blank forty-two-inch-diameter circle made of 1/8-inch-thick clear acrylic, which was cut on a CNC router.

He also purchased 1/8-inch-thick black acrylic to create the outer rim of the circle and the dragon. These elements had to be cut in pieces that fit into the 20-inch-by-24-inch laser bed.

The black outer circle was cut in four skinny, arc pieces. The dragon was cut from four major pieces of black acrylic that measured 24-by-20 inches. signshop.com

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51

Much effort was spent on the dragon’s scales, and the laser engraver proved its worth on this detailed section.

“When we cut it into four pieces, each of the four quadrants of the dragon’s scales were not exactly, precisely lined up with the next piece,” says Larson.

“So we took one quadrant of it and made the next quadrant and adjusted all of the scales so that they matched up to the previous piece and so on all the way around, until we cut all four parts.”

All of the pieces of the circle and the dragon were then assembled onto the clear acrylic circle for a trial fit to make sure they all matched up with each other.

Next the paper covering was removed on the clear acrylic and on the pieces of the black acrylic, which were then glued to the clear circle. The lettering (a Rowmark material with a stainless steel appearance) was glued on top of everything.

“One of the many job challenges was to glue and attach everything without leaving unsightly [adhesive] residue on the clear piece,” says Larson.

It took about two days to completely engrave and assemble the sign.

Larson says this sign was a challenging project but one his shop really enjoyed. And it’s a sign that the martial arts school also enjoys—so much so that they have Larson create awards for them each year with a smaller, eight-inch-diameter dragon logo mounted to a piece of calcite mineral.

“By making the sign, we were able to offer them the additional option of something to do for their awards every year,” says Larson. “Of course, this has [led to] increased sales.”

Trick 2: The SCOOTER Store Magic Router is known for its customdesigned awards. The shop has even created a recognition wall that included 892 engraved names on a six-foot-wideby-five-foot-tall piece of black granite for The SCOOTER Store. The job also included 892 individual black granite blocks with a saying and each person’s name.

The project put the shop’s Legend 36EXT laser engraver to work, and it took almost a week to finish.

In the middle of it, the client asked C

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With some layout magic and a week of engraving work, Magic Router was able to carve 892 names into this piece of black granite for The SCOOTER Store.

Magic Router to add two names to the wall. This required the shop to do some rethinking and extensive layout work.

In the end, their “sleight of hand” paid off, and it all balanced out.

Trick 3: 187th Medical Battalion Magic Router also worked its wonders to create a monument honoring the 187th Medical Battalion stationed at Fort Sam Houston in nearby San Antonio, Texas.

The 20-by-24-inch Corian plaque features the logo from the Battalion’s collar insignia and the words “187th Medical Battalion,” which Magic Router lasered into the Corian and filled with epoxy paint.

“We then put the Corian back into our MultiCam router and routed out the overall shape of the logo 1/8-inch-deep into the Corian material,” says Larson.

“Then we used our laser engraver to cut mirrored gold, burgundy, and white acrylic into various shapes and inlaid them into the Corian so that they’re flush with the top surface.”

Creation of the plaque for the 187th Medical Battalion required routing and engraving processes.

52

Sign Builder Illustrated // May 2013

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At the request of the Colonel in charge of the project, Magic Router also drilled and countersunk four actual regimental coins into the plaque’s four corners for a unique touch. The shop then mounted a piece of museum-quality, UV-resistant acrylic over the top of the sign and sealed it to protect it from the elements before anchoring it to a large rock.

“It looks just as good today as the day we installed it,” says Larson.

And Now for the Last Trick: Sandblasting Magic Router also frequently uses its laser engraver to create masks for sandblasting on materials like sandstone.

“Most people carve into the rock,” says Larson. “We carve around the effect, in order to give it that raised look.”

The shop works quite often with honeycomb calcite, which is a mineral only found in one mine in the world. Since 2005, Magic Router has worked with the distributor from the mine and completes all their engraving work. The shop does multiple things with the material—including adding appliqués, color filling it, and of course, sandblasting it.

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Magic Router frequently works with the unique material honeycomb calcite. The yellow-colored mineral results in some impressive-looking awards and signage.

Magic Router has even used this honeycomb calcite material to create signage. The shop crafted a 450-pound, 30-by-78-inch sign for a local mall store called P.S. Gifts. Larson used his laser engraver to cut sandblast masks for the lettering, sandblasted the letters out, and then filled the text with stone paint.

Because honeycomb calcite is translucent, it is able to be lit from behind for a distinctive backlit effect. signshop.com

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55

“

SHOP TALK

B y A s h l e y B r Ay

Signs Now Rochester

Finding Franchise

J

Success confining as it seems. Signs Now doesn’t restrict what materials or equipment can be used, and it is very interested in its members’ profitability. “The support that Signs Now-Allegra Network offers us is an incredible value to our business,” she says.

Since starting up, Signs Now Rochester has specialized in digital printing, vehicle wraps, and tradeshow displays. It’s also discovered a growing market in interior graphics. “Signage has become part of interior design in commercial offices,” says Ciresi.

“We’re really focusing on this market because it’s not a commodity. That’s where our expertise and dedication to service really sets us apart.”

Looking ahead, their center hopes to bring more production processes in-house, so it can further expand into the lighting and ADA markets. Ciresi and St. Germaine are also in the process of obtaining state certification as a women-owned business.

One goal that hasn’t changed over the years is Signs Now Rochester’s dedication to customer service. The shop’s staff strives to be a marketing partner rather than a salesperson.

“We started with the service aspect of it because we knew that’s what we were good at. So I think that’s the main reason we’ve been able to grow,” says Ciresi. “We’re definitely here to help with design, offer our expertise, and be a company that clients can depend on and feel comfortable that their project will be done right and on time.”

all Photos courtesy of signs now rochester.

ackie Ciresi is no stranger to franchises.

Currently the co-owner of Signs Now Rochester (www.signsnowrochester.com), she previously owned a Domino’s® Pizza for many years before selling the business in 1994. She worked under other people for a while before she decided she wanted to get back into business for herself. Together with co-owner Julie St. Germaine, the pair started looking at franchise possibilities.

On the recommendation from a co-worker, they met the owner of a Signs Now franchise and became interested in the industry. After working for him for a year and a half to learn the trade, the duo opened its own Signs Now in Rochester, New York in 1999.

For a pair that wanted to be in business for themselves, some may wonder why they didn’t decide to start their own business from the ground up. But Ciresi says franchises have benefits that independent shops can’t offer. “You’re starting a business, and therefore the franchise offers you the business model, support, and experience. There are just so many things that are available,” she says.

One of the available benefits is a built-in support network. “When we first started our business, I could call any franchisee in the country with questions, and they would always take my call and offer a solution. To me, that is the true benefit of being [part of] a franchise,” says Ciresi.

Ciresi also finds that being a franchisee is not as

From taking pizza orders to fulfilling sign requests.

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Sign Builder Illustrated

// May 2013

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