Over the last two years Pinterest has experienced the largest year-to-year increase in audience among all social media competitors such as Instagram and Tumblr.

With so much of the focus of Pinterest being vibrant imagery, signmakers have a great opportunity to showcase their visually pleasing product. Adding photos takes hardly any time and is a great way to increase your web presence for free.

Check out our Pinterest account at: pinterest.com/precisionboard to see some awesome projects and signs!

The post Pinterest For Signmakers: A Valid Time Investment? appeared first on Coastal Enterprises.

• 12″ x 12″
• 12″ x 24″
• 12″ x 36″
• 12″ x 48″
• 24″ x 36″
• 24″ x 48″

If you are a first time HDU user, hobbyist, or simply do not require a full sheet of Precision Board Plus HDU for your current project, be sure to check out www.intertstatehdu.com!

The post HDU Small Dimension Specialist! appeared first on Coastal Enterprises.

Built for the Red Bull X Fighters Course at the Glen Helen Raceway, which is the biggest FMX course ever built, this awesome sign is a monster 18″ x 12′ x 20′!  Enrique built this sign using Precision Board Plus PBLT-15 HDU and finished just 2-3 days before the competition was due to start last Saturday. Unfortunately, it was too windy and the competition was cancelled but it was still a great day to meet the riders! See other in-process pictures in our previous blog.

Now the X-Games is off to Osaka, Japan!

Also check out an excellent video showing the track and sign:

 http://www.redbull.com/us/en/motorsports/offroad/stories/1331589783767/glen-helen-xfighters-course-preview

The post Red Bull X Fighters Sign: Big Job, Fast Deadline! appeared first on Coastal Enterprises.

The University of Nevada team finished first place in all 5 races in the competition that took place at Vasona Lake in Los Gatos, CA on April 19th. Individual events included men’s and women’s sprint (200 meters) and endurance races (600 meters), with the final race being a 400 meter co-ed race.

We had the opportunity to speak with Alicia Veach, Project Manager for the University of Nevada canoe team this year, about just how they were able to finish with such high standings. Alicia attributed the win to their practice regimen and a very well designed canoe hull. The mold for the canoe was made from Precision Board Plus donated by Coastal Enterprises.

The competition-winning hull was created by analyzing different hull designs using a unique Excel program called Aqua-holic, which was developed by the 2008 U of N team. Theoretical results based on submerged shape, length and beam evaluated straight line speed. An empirical equation in the spreadsheet estimates the time required to complete a 180-degree turn. Ducimus, the 2012 team, was selected as a preliminary hull design because it had the greatest top speed and the second fastest turning time compared to four previous Nevada canoes. (Courtesy University of Nevada Mid-Pac Research Paper).

After selecting the Ducimus hull, changes were made to improve straight line speed and manueverability, thus creating the 2013 “Dambitious” canoe design. After the design was finalized, Precision Board Plus PBLT-4 HDU was CNC machined to create a mold (To see the mold being machined click here). Concrete was then poured into the mold and allowed to cure for 28 days before being released from the mold.

In the past, cutting the canoe free from the mold has not been an easy process. This year however, the Nevada team constructed an innovative air release system. Team members drilled two holes through the form at each transverse rib location. Each of the eight air ducts were then connected using PVC pipes. The end result was the introduction of air into the system provided enough pressure to release the canoe from the form.

The next step was a lengthy period of sanding, starting with 80 grit and working up to 1000 grit, until the desired shape was attained. Numerous items such as wooden blocks and shop lights were used to locate high and low spots and ensure even sanding.

After the sanding was complete, the final step was making it an aesthetically-pleasing product. Non-toxic, eco-friendly concrete stains were used for the majority of the finish while an air brush and stencils were utilized to apply the graphics.

Winning first place overall doesn’t just depend on winning all the races either (which seems like a pretty big feat anyways!), there are 4 categories that make up placement score:

• Races – 1st Place
• Design Paper – 1st Place
• Final Product Score (canoe finish, concrete samples, display)  - 1st Place
• Presentation – 3rd Place

Coastal Enterprises would like to congratulate the entire Concrete Canoe team at the University of Nevada on their win! They now move on to the National Competition which will be held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL from June 20-22.

To see why they race concrete canoes (and more of how the U of N built their canoe), visit our previous blog: Racing Concrete Canoes Part 1.

The post University of Nevada’s Concrete Canoe Races To A Win! appeared first on Coastal Enterprises.

Check out some pictures of the live action:

This prototype car was made out of Precision Board Plus PBLT-10 HDU by a student.

The post SAMPE 2013 Recap! appeared first on Coastal Enterprises.

Dick’s signs spends their days in the serene setting of the Leech Lake Resort Lodge in Walker, MN. Renowned for its hunting, fishing and hiking, Leech Lake experiences harsh weather during the winter so the signs needed to be able to resist moisture and withstand extreme temperatures. To guard against these elements, Dick chose to use Precision Board Plus PBLT-15 HDU, the proven Cold Weather Warrior.

The Precision Board was cut using what Dick calls the “BAR” technique (Brain Assisted handheld Router). After routing, the finished touches were added to the larger sign by a light sandblasting with a wire frame to create an authentic wood look.

To additionally protect them from high winds or other acts of nature, Dick sanded a sheet of Di-Bond with a coarse sandpaper and attached it to the Precision Board using PB Bond-240. The hand-carved paddles are also each backed with Di-Bond as a precaution. To add texture to the directional and trading post signs, a v-gouge and spoon gouge were used to add a hand carved look. Dick wrapped up the job with several coats of Nova Color paint, which is one of his favorites because of the high pigment content.

An additional sign Dick made for the lodge:

Dick also sent over this group of pictures showing how one can quickly and easily add a wood -grain finish to Precision Board Plus HDU by using a wire brush.

Dick Bohrer has been making signs since 1976 and Silver Creek Signworks is a full-serivice sign shop ready to tackle any signage project you can dream of! Be sure to visit his website for more information: http://silvercreeksignworks.com.

The post Silver Creek Signworks Serene Signage Setting appeared first on Coastal Enterprises.

With the US economy also starting to improve, a rise in new building construction is on the horizon. State and Federal incentives ensure that building planners have good reason to build an earth-friendly, LEED certified building, (See our previous blog to see why LEED is so important) and naturally, green signs will be the specified standard.

Coastal Enterprises is proud to offer a certified green sign substrate, Precision Board Plus HDU, which assists in meeting LEED requirements for obtaining USGBC and ICC 700 building credits.

Our Green Certifications include:

Certified Carbon Footprint of 3:1 – For every one carbon that is takes to produce Precision Board Plus, 3 carbons are saved throughout its product life.

Certified Rapidly Renewable Resource Content of 23.9% – Roughly a quarter of each sheet of Precision Board Plus HDU is made up of a rapidly renewable resource.

With the way the industry is moving, green signage is fast becoming the standard and not the option. Simply put, providing a green substrate can help to reduce waste, reduce greenhouse gas, conserve energy and assist in meeting LEED requirements necessary for tax rebates and incentives for new buildings & homes.

If you have any additional questions about the green aspect of Precision Board Plus, please call: (800) 845-0745.

Take a look at the world’s first LEED certified parking garage at the Santa Monica Civic Center:

The post Industry Forecast: A Spike In Green Signage appeared first on Coastal Enterprises.

The first step in combining a C6 Corvette and a 1967 Corvette Stingray is the concept rendering. The original Stingray Corvette and a new C6 chassis’ are individually scanned into a 3D CAD program and morphed together.

After the datasets are combined and morphed, a design is created. It’s then time to create a physical prototype to see the new “retro” Stingray in a physical 3-D form.

Starting with a 17″ x 4′ x 10′ block of Precision Board Plus PBLT-4, CRCoachworks machines the block with their 5-axis CNC router into a 1/2 scale prototype:

Precision Board Plus PBLT-4 is then coated with Duratec for a hard surface:

A coat of U-Pol Automotive Primer is sprayed over the Duratec:

Next comes a Spies Hecker Marina Blue base coat:

The finished prototype sports a Spies Hecker clearcoat. (It’s hard to believe this entire car, including the sidepipes and windshield, is made out of Precision Board Plus HDU!)

After completion, the final design is fine-tuned based on a visual inspection of the prototype.

According to Ron Marsden, General Manger at CRC, they chose Precision Board Plus HDU because our large block sizes and superior machining qualities offered a high-quality, cost-effective tooling solution.

Trinity Animation of Lee’s Summit, MO put together this C-6 to Corvette Stingray animation using 3-DS Max and V-Ray software.

The first full-size CRC Corvette Stingray is currently 90% finished. Once complete, we will be posting pictures of what we are sure will turn out to be a beautiful car!

For the complete turnkey package, a 2013 CRC Corvette Stingray can be your very own for the grand price of $205,000. Have questions? Visit http://www.crcoachworks.com.

Previously, CRC specialized in turning late-model Corvettes into primarily 1958-1962 new “retro” Corvettes. Be sure to take a look at our previous blog if you would like to see the step-by-step transformation.

CRC currently produces 2 CRC Corvettes a month and is in process of moving to a larger location to increase production capability.

Coastal Enterprises would like to thank Ron Marsden for providing information, photos and insight into this innovative process.

The post Combining a Late Model Corvette with a 1967 Stingray: How It’s Done appeared first on Coastal Enterprises.

This project is rather large, and the sign will measure 12′ x 20′ x 18″ thick once complete! Enrique is using PBLT-15 HDU cut on his ShopBot CNC for this massive sign and as you can see from the pics, this will be an awesome project to watch unfold! Be sure to check in for updates! (You’ll also be seeing it soon at one of the upcoming X-Games!)

Enrique Valenzuela crouching by the sign’s massive support structure.

The post PBLT-15 HDU Is Going To The X Games! appeared first on Coastal Enterprises.

So how are these unbelievable retro Corvette’s made?

Step 1: All fiberglass panels are removed. A computerized measuring system checks the understructure and frame alignment to make sure its within its factory specs.

Step 2: The composite shop handles the lay up process for each composite “retro” body panel. Each panel is vacuum bagged and cured at controlled temperature cycles. Precision Board Plus HDU is used as a master mold to manufacture composite tools, which are used to create the carbon fiber body panels.

Step 3: Individual panels are attached to backing structures using vacuum assisted gluing jigs to ensure accuracy.

Step 4: Each car is placed on its own cart and moved to the fitting room where all exterior panels are aligned and attached.

Step 5: The car is then moved to the paint room for a coating of special primer.

Step 6: Several blockings produce a quality surface, then its back to the paint room for the final color matched primer.

Step 7: Final sanding before painting.

Step 8: Finish painting. Each car is then hand sanded and buffed before delivery.

Step 9: Interior assembly. Carpet matched to interior color is added to trunk, new matching extensions are added to the top of the door panels and a new soft top is installed. CRC also offers custom seats and color trade-outs.

Be sure to visit http://www.crcoachworks.com for more pictures and info.

Coming up next Wednesday we will offer an inside look at the newest addition to the CRC lineup, the infamous 1967 Stingray conversion. Be sure to check back in!

Some of the fabulous completed Corvette’s:

Here are some pics of CNC machined Precision Board Plus  PBLT-4 prior to being used as a mold for body panels on a retro Corvette:

The post Corvette Conversion: Bringing A Corvette Back To The Good Old Days! appeared first on Coastal Enterprises.