Add Shine to Your Sign with a Chrome Coating

When Jim Dawson from Synergy Sign & Graphics got the call from his friend Steve at Liquid 3D Design about collaborating on chrome coating of signs, he was intrigued.  Steve asked him to carve a 3D sign out of Precision Board PBLT-30 so that he could practice his chrome spraying technique.  Jim decided to make two signs- one for his own shop and one for his friend’s shop.  After a lot of trial and error, they are now offering their own line of chrome signs.  We asked Jim for some design tips and lessons learned from his experience.

sign with chrome coating

Chrome spray really highlights the surface details of your sign substrate, so you have to prep your material ahead of time.

“The higher the density of the Precision Board, the smoother the surface and the better to handle the chrome coating,” Dawson stated.  “Because it’s a silver nitrate, the chrome pours onto the HDU smooth, like liquid, and has almost zero texture once the hardcoat dries.”

Jim says that because it’s not a plating process, but rather a spray process, you have more flexibility.  You can do a lot with how the chrome is applied, whether in stages or using different inlays.  There is definitely an art form to creating chrome signs and Jim and Steve seem to have figured it out.

In partnering with Liquid 3D Designs, Synergy Sign & Graphics can create 3D signs with complete chrome finishes or just small chrome accents. Combine this with lighting and traditional sign techniques, and you have a real showstopper!  Check out their website or give them a call at (330) 878-7646 to see about your next project!

You can request a sample of Precision Board HDU on our website, get how-to tips, watch training videos and search our distributor directory to find a supplier near you.

Ten Tips for Working with Precision Board

1. Carbide cutters are not mandatory when working with Precision Board since it is non-abrasive.  Precision Board can be cut with standard HSS cutting tools.

 Precision Board tips

2. To maximize CNC efficiency and cutting time, and to minimize dust and increase chips, the Onsrud Router Bit Selector Guide provides guidelines for proper router bits, speeds and feeds.

Precision Board tips

3. After you have primed Precision Board Plus using FSC-88WB Primer/Filler, it is best to dry using a large shop fan. Do not place in the sun, as this will cause it to dry too fast (skin over) resulting in blisters. The FSC-88WB Primer/Filler training video can be seen here.

 Precision Board tips

4. Be sure to prime and paint all sides of your HDU sign because of paint tension balance. Because it does not have grain, it has no beam strength and can be pulled in the direction of the drying paint.

 Precision Board tips

5. When sandblasting Precision Board, set your PSI to about 60, at the pot.  To achieve a larger texture, use higher grit. Similarly, a finer grit allows for finer texture. Aluminum oxide is used most often.

 Precision Board tips

6. If something happens to your sign during the build process, it is possible to fix the damaged surface. FSC-360WB Crack Filling & Repair Putty dries quickly and sands easily, and can really save the day in the event of a mistake.

 Precision Board tips

7. Optimize your leftover Precision Board by bonding and laminating the extra pieces.  Use PB Fast Set or PB Bond-240 adhesive.

 Precision Board tips

8. PB Resin is a 2 part epoxy that paint can be added to. Use on flat surfaces to achieve smooth, glossy surface.  No priming, sanding, or painting needed.  Call for free samples of PB Resin or any of our companion products.

Precision Board tips

9. If you do not have time to rout, or sandblast a wood grain texture, TSF-45 or PB Hardcoat are excellent time saving alternatives for simulating wood grain. Apply both directly to raw Precision Board, eliminating the priming step.

 Precision Board tips

10. If you have a question, call us at 800-845-0745! We offer free technical support and are happy to assist in any way we can.  You can also request a sample of Precision Board HDU or get a quote.

Xpressive graphiX: Lighting up the Sign Industry with LED Part 2

Have you considered the benefits of using Precision Board HDU to make a dimensional LED sign?  According to Xpressive graphiX in Zanesville, Ohio, the advantage of using HDU over a metal cabinet is that you can add textures and 3D elements and get a lot more creative. To get design tips and learn more, we talked to buisiness partners David Mattingly and Tony Rose. Their company has designed and fabricated some award-winning illuminated signs using Precision Board HDU and LED components.  In Part 1 last month, Tony told us about fabricating LED signs for a pizza joint.  In Part 2 he tells us about designing an eye-catching sign for a real estate agency using Precision Board and LED lighting.

Olde Town Realty is a business located on the main street in town. They asked Xpressive graphiX to make them an attention-getting sign. Tony incorporated their existing logo into the bottom half of the sign and then carved a three dimensional house into the top half.  He added LED to the sign, making the windows in the house and the company name all light up. Tony cut two pieces of PBLT-18 and fit them together like a clamshell, leaving a two inch opening inside to make room for the LEDs.  Using Precision Board HDU Tony was able to make parts of the house on top of the sign set back deeper, which added more character and depth.

“We follow UL code standards,” Tony said. “All Components are UL Rated, exterior grade, so they can be exposed to wet locations. The boxes to hold the power supply are on the outside, but hidden.  An LED cabinet sign would put all that stuff in the sign. We don’t do that with HDU. All that is in there is wiring and steel.”

Xpressive graphiX glued the sign over a steel frame, ran the wiring inside and down to a box on the bottom of the poles. They embed their wiring, but make sure that connections can be reached for maintenance or in case something goes wrong.

“One of the most critical things is access to the electrical,” says Tony Rose. “Olde Town Realty is a traditional sign incorporating LED and electrical components that are still accessible if you need to get in there and fix them,” he added.

Tony and his team do great work and we couldn’t be more impressed. Xpressive graphiX is a full service sign company specializing in all aspects of strategic visual communication. If you’re looking for creative dimensional signage using Precision Board HDU and LED lighting, give David and Tony a call at 740-452-6804 or visit their website at www.xpressivegraphix.com to see the other types of sign work they offer.

You can read Part 1 of our Xpressive graphiX spotlight here.

Harley Quinn Heats up San Diego Comic-Con 2017

Thinking about using Precision Board HDU in combination with other types of materials for a project?  We talked to James A. Powell, VP of Design at Monster City Studios in Fresno, California, about a recent project his team worked on involving both Precision Board and EPS (expanded polystyrene AKA ‘bead foam’).  He needed quick turnaround on a high-profile assignment for DC Collectibles.  They used Precision Board because it was not only easy to work with, but required a lot less cleanup and allowed them to hit their completion date.  James tells us more about his cool project and how he used mixed media to achieve both his creative and timeline goals.

DC Collectibles approached James and Monster City Studios about doing a character statue for San Diego Comic-Con International.  They hadn’t decided on a character, but once they chose Harley Quinn, they sent the digital files over to James, and by this time, it was a really short turnaround.

“We had a little over two weeks to make it.  Because we had such a limited amount of time to fabricate the statue, we used Precision Board HDU in combination with EPS.  It made cleanup easier on the parts of the statue made from Precision Board, including the plaque, gun and master for the smoke.  It’s much easier to work with Precision Board because it is smoother and requires less sanding,” said Powell. “Use of PB really helped in completing the detail parts. Anything else would have taken longer to mill, sand and detail,” he added.

James and his team created Harley in pieces and then assembled her around a steel frame composed of 1″ tubing with steel wires going into her fingers.  Harley had bolts welded to her frame and she was also bolted to the base.  The entire statue was hardcoated with Polyurea, sanded and then bondo’d.  To attach different types of materials together, EPS and Precision Board in this case, he used Pur Stick, an expanding polyurethane glue, which he says is a tacky version of home insulating foam, but with a really small bead of a 1/4″ or less.

“Pur Stick doesn’t expand a lot, so you don’t have to worry about the glue expanding and pushing the pieces apart.  Typically you need to clamp your materials together to ensure they don’t separate,” Powell said.

The gun assembly, including her hand, cuff, gun and smoke were all made out of PBLT-6.   This was fabricated separately and then attached to the main body. For the smoke coming out of the gun, they made a master mold out of PBLT-6. The smoke was given a Polygem hardcoat and then sanded. That piece was then molded and cast in resin.

The plaque was made out of PBLT-15, covered with PB Hard Coat and then primed and painted.  They knew they needed something strong to attach the plaque to the base, given the heavy foot traffic it would see on the convention floor.

“We used Rare Earth magnets, which are super strong, and put them inside the plaque.  There were magnets inside the base as well.  This allowed us to attach the plaque to the base and help it handle the accidental abuse from people walking the convention floor,” said James.

The Harley Quinn statue was so popular that she made the news, featuring in both The Orange County Register (photos below courtesy Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG) and CBS News Fresno.

Monster City Studios is a fully equipped design and fabrication company, located in Fresno, California.  They work in multiple markets, including theme parks & attractions, museums, experiential marketing, retail & restaurant, hospitality & leisure, aquariums & zoos, and last, but not least, trade shows & displays.  We love the wonderful things they create using Precision Board HDU and highly recommend them.  Visit their website or give them a call at 559-498-0540.

UPDATE: The Harley Quinn statue has now found a home at the executive offices of DC Comics in Burbank, CA.

3D Camel Puts “The Zone” Sign Over the Top

Are you thinking of creative ways to add 3D elements to a relatively 2D sign?  When The Zone children’s summer camp in the Catskills Mountains of New York needed their sign redesigned, they got in touch with Jim Dawson at Synergy Sign & Graphics in Strasburg, Ohio.  They wanted a design based on their mascot, a camel.  We asked Jim to talk us through the design and how they assembled such a large and heavy sign.

Steel frame 3D camel sign

The entire sign is 5′ tall by 10′ wide and incorporates a dimensional camel head into the design.  The head and neck were 4 feet tall and fabricated from PBLT-4 and PBLT-30.  The letters were also made out of PBLT-30 and the humps were made of out PBLT-10.

“We wanted the camel to be its own element so we could work on it separately.  We made it in modules so that it would all fit together,” says Dawson.  “It was a lot of work fitting the pieces together and they finally all came together when it was close to done,” he added.

Steel frame 3D camel sign

The head weighed close to 125 pounds, so Jim knew they would need steel to hold it all together.  He didn’t have room to build a wireframe, so they built a steel frame and applied the head and Precision Board HDU to the outside of it.  The head had a cantilever so it really had to be rigid.  He glued the head and neck to a cantilever and bolted it into the steel frame.  The humps were also glued straight to the steel plate.  The letters were attached to standoffs on the steel frame.

“We used Textured Surface Coating (TSF-45) to give the humps three coats and then hardcoated the neck and head with Smooth-On Freeform Habitat epoxy clay,” said Jim.  “The TSF-45 really gave the camel a nice texture and the hardcoat will help protect it from outside elements,” he added.

We think that Jim Dawson and his team do some really excellent work.  Synergy Sign & Graphics has a highly experienced staff whose backgrounds include graphic design, marketing, trade-show design, print media, branding, point of purchase design, fulfillment, and more.  Check out their website or give them a call at (330) 878-7646 to see about your next project!