Guest Blog from Paul at Art Sign Works

HDU Custom Carved 3-D Bas-Relief

Art Sign Works Inc., founded in 2005, has been making 3-D bas-relief plaques from Precision Board since 2009. Previously, our team utilized two U.S. manufacturers and determined Precision Board carved the best and was the highest quality material. Here at ASW, we create about 10,000 signs and plaques each year. Therefore, efficiency and quality are key to completing orders in a timely manner.

A majority of the signs and plaques created throughout the year are carved in 2.5-D, raised multi-level or engraved (incised) relief from Precision Board. With that, we also design and fabricate over 1,500 3-D bas-relief plaques and signs. A large number of our 3-D orders are wall plaques that are for federal, state and local governments, police and fire departments, and universities as well as businesses, churches and homes. Additionally, our plaques hang on walls in the White House, Air Force One, Congress, the Supreme Court, the Pentagon, and many state capitals. A few of our 3-D signs and plaques are shown below.

3-D bas-relief plaques and signs appear most realistic when viewed up-close. When viewed from a greater distance, it is difficult to distinguish between 3-D bas-relief or 2.5-D raised relief. For some signs or plaques, the 2-D artwork may not be appropriate to model in 3-D relief because the artwork is composed of objects that have flat surfaces, such as buildings.

3-D bas-relief plaques have prices that are up to two times higher than artwork carved in 2.5-D relief because it requires considerably more machine time along with additional hours of labor that are required to carve and paint them. However, despite these drawbacks, about 1/3 of the products we make are carved in 3-D bas-relief, and are very popular with government agencies, police and sheriff’s departments. When plated with bronze, brass or aluminum metals, these products are more favored over solid metals because products that are plated cost one third of solid and weigh only a tenth as much. Plated products also make installation of large plaques on walls much simpler.

Most of our 3-D plaques and signs are made out of PBLT-20 Precision Board Plus HDU, because of its high quality and ease of carving. We also make about 20% of them from solid Mahogany, Maple, Cedar, Redwood and Oak woods. We paint or metal-plate the HDU plaques and signs, and typically stain the wood. 3-D HDU plaques and signs are typically half the price of 3-D wood plaques, and they are cleaner and last longer, thus making them more popular with our customers than wood signs and plaques.

Let’s take a look into the process of creating 3-D signs & plaques. We start off by developing a 2-D Adobe Illustrator vector rendering, similar to what we would make if it were 2.5-D. This defines the areas that need to be raised and lowered. One of our graphic designers then develops a custom 3-D geometric model from the 2-D rendering using 3-D graphic software such as Maya, Z-Brush, or Rhino. This then generates an STL file that we can incorporate into our 3-D CNC router tool path control program called ASPIRE. The 3-D software modeling process can take anywhere from eight to 20 hours. To speed up the process, occasionally we’ll purchase off-the-shelf STL files of animals, trees and man-made objects from commercial companies.

Next, we put a sheet of Precision Board, usually 5 ft x 8 ft x 2 inches thick, on one of our six large Shopbot CNC routers, with tables up to 5 ft x 12 ft. The 3-D geometry model artwork file can be reused and scaled to any size. The 3-D model has a one-time cost and the software model can be used for hundreds of future plaques.

In order to ensure accuracy and attention to detail, the 3-D CNC routing requires ball-nose router bits as small as 1/16 inch in diameter (1/32 inch in diameter for very detailed artwork) to carve smooth routed surfaces. It can take from 6-to-36 hours to carve a single 3-D sign or plaque, depending on its size and detail. For a 3-D version, it takes 6-to-10 times as long as a 2.5-D, multi-level raised relief sign or plaque. We run our six CNC routers up to 16 hours a day, six days a week to keep up with our orders.

After routing, our craftsmen perform fine hand sanding of all of the front surfaces to remove any tool marks and, if background areas need to be sandblasted, this is the time we’ll do that as well. It is then painted with a thick HDU primer to further smooth the surfaces, and the background color is added in our paint spray booth.

Next, the sign or plaque is moved to our finishing and fine paint shop, where our artists use brushes to paint the plaques in long-lasting vibrant colors. We exclusively use Mathews acrylic polyurethane automotive-grade (MAP) for background areas and 1-Shot paint for artwork, text and borders. It takes longer to paint a 3-D sign or plaque than one carved in 2.5-D relief because 3-D artwork must be painted with an artist brush due to its curved and rounded surfaces, whereas 2.5-D artwork has flat surfaces and can be painted with a mini-roller. All plaques and signs, both indoor and outdoor use, are then coated with two Matthews MAP semi-gloss or satin clear coats to protect against weather, UV radiation, oxidation, scratches and graffiti.

If you have any questions regarding Precision Board, please reach out to Coastal Enterprises at (800) 845-0745 or via email at hdu@precisionboard.com.

Dan Sawatzky and The Tottering Tortoise

We love using Precision Board in our shop to create unique dimensional signs and we go through literally tons of it each year. Precision Board is versatile and easy to work with as it accepts almost any finish and is durable over the long haul. Even so, it is rare that we only use Precision Board to make our creations as it’s often combined with other materials, a recent pub sign project is a good example of this.

The pub sign is a sample piece that hangs in our studio. The name of the fictional enterprise is Tottering Tortoise and we decided to add the 1954 date to ensure some history (1954 happens to be my birth year). We have more than 150 such samples of dimensional signs on display in our studio. These samples allow us to experiment with new methods and materials and build our skills, but most importantly, they help us sell a tremendous amount of quality work. This sign has already proved its investment by selling a large new project with similar signs.

The first order of business was to create the concept art. The concept art allows us to work out the bugs of a new design. These drawings are quick and easy, done in a loose style that allows plenty of room for interpretation as we build. This was accomplished by freehand using an iPad as a digital drawing surface and Adobe Photoshop as the program.

Typically, when creating a project for a client, I produce a second drawing with more information on it such as measurements and notes which is pictured above. I wanted to replicate my normal process in case anyone has questions on this specific project.

I then produced the needed lettering vectors using Adobe Illustrator before importing the file into EnRoute Pro to generate the CNC routing files. This drawing is tight and not changeable (the client never sees this portion of the artwork).

We created two identical routed panels on our MultiCam CNC router from 1.5” thick PBLT-25 Precision Board. A centrepiece was also created with a hole in it to accept the horizontal square tubing frame. We welded that to the steel mounting plate, which was attached to the wall. The two sides and the centre were laminated together using Coastal Enterprises PB Fast Set glue, then clamped until they were cured. This is a glue we love as it is one-part and sets in less than an hour.

We then welded a steel armature for the tortoise and the tree using 1/4” steel pencil rod. It is easily formed by hand and then welded together. 1/4” holes were drilled into the Precision Board sign for the steel rod to be glued into. We used Sculpting Epoxy to first form the tree and then sculpt the tortoise. Additional final textures were added by pressing crumpled tin foil onto the surface.

Next, we welded scores of plasma cut steel leaves to the branches of the tree. While it looks complex, the sculpture is relatively simple. I find sculptures with a lot of character and age much easier than most.

We applied three coats of base color (acrylic house paint) and then a series of glazes to bring out the texture and detail. After each glaze color was applied, much of it was wiped off with a soft towel.

Since the tortoise was the most complicated and the messiest part of the painting, we did this first, then masked him off to do the balance of the painting. Once the min part of the tortoise was finished I went back and added the details such as the eyes.

The finished sign featured 23k gold leaf letters for some extra bling. The combined materials of Precision Board, steel and epoxy work together to create a very strong and durable sign. The detail in each part is superb. Unless you touch the sign, it is almost impossible to tell which part is made from which material. That is the way the components of a sign should work together!

Sawatzky Guest Blog: Zoe’s Pizza, part 1

Coastal Enterprises, manufacturers of Precision Board HDU, is proud to announce a series of guest blogs written by Dan Sawatzky of Imagination Corporation, which will be posted on the Precision Board Blog each month. This month Dan Sawatzky gives us a look into how he incorporates sturdy welded steel armature into his laminated Precision Board signs.

In Dan’s own words…

For the third year in a row we are designing and fabricating a bunch of dimensional signs for a great customer in Nebraska. This sign is for a pizza restaurant on the property, named after a granddaughter Zoe.

The client has a small pizza place attached to a much larger building. Guests were walking by the eating establishment and not even seeing it. We proposed a solution of adding an extended roof that jutted out into the walkway with a giant sign on top announcing the eatery. The pizza slice points towards the building. Since the large building housed a chicken-themed play area, a chicken on top of the sign was a given.

The client loved the concept.

Next up was a discussion about colour. This quick concept solved that.

Since the large and heavy sign was going on the top of a porch roof on the ridge line, we needed a sturdy single support which would anchor to the beam at the top of the roof. The point of the pizza acts as an arrow that points towards the building. Since the sign is double sided we decided to point the chicken towards the walkway to be seen from either side as you approach it.

Since the sign measured about six feet long and four feet high, the bracket needed to be sturdy. 1/4” wall 2” x 4” steel square tubing handled that job nicely. The bracket that bolts to the beam measures 16” x 8” and fastens with six bolts going through the beam.

We routed the sign from two layers of 2” thick PBLT-30 Precision Board on each side, plus a 2″ layer in the middle. Here’s one side (two layers) fresh off the router.

We then welded up a sturdy steel frame. The upright is 1/4” wall 2” x 4” square tube. The horizontal pieces are 2” x 2” x 1” square tubing. The pipe on the end will hold the rooster. In this shot I have fitted one piece of the centre layer into place.

And here’s the second layer in place, ready for the next layers to be glued on each side.

We then glued the next layer in place. We used the PB Fast Set and wood screws to hold everything securely, and countersunk the screws and left them in place for extra peace of mind over the long haul.

And here’s a shot of the other side.

Then it was a simple matter of adding the top lettering layers onto the sign. These were screwed and glued.

Check back soon for the finished sign!

Turn a Flat Sign into 3D with Precision Board HDU!

Coastal Enterprises, manufacturers of Precision Board HDU, is proud to host guest blogs written by some of the signage industry’s biggest movers and shakers, posted to the Precision Board Blog. This guest blog is written by Adam Carlson with CNC Tahoe. He talks about how a local sign company, Dollar Signs and Graphics, approached him to carve two large crosses with roses around them for a new sign they were making for a local church. They are fabricating the sign itself, but needed to outsource the creation of the two large 3D pieces to mount on the sign. The pieces are 24″ x 42″ and are carved out of 1″ thick PBLT-15 Precision Board HDU. Once Adam completes the carvings, they will be painted and installed on the sign.

A Q&A with Adam Carlson from CNC Tahoe…

How did you get selected to do the dimensional part of this sign?

I live in a small mountain community, but it is also a worldwide destination resort seeing millions of tourists every year. I have been doing CNC work for 5 years and some of my work as been seen and appreciated by locals and businesses alike. I know the owner of the sign company and he knew that I had the machinery and skills to get the job done. He contacted me and I ran a quick sample of the bottom 1/8 of the piece to show him how it would turn out.

Why use Precision Board for this sign?

Precision Board machines better than anything I cut on my CNC. It’s dimensionally stable and is voidless, also lightweight at the 15 lb. density. Because it is closed cell, HDU is waterproof and resistant to heat and cold, making it a perfect choice for all outdoor signage. Dollar Signs and Graphics uses Precision Board on a lot of their signs.

What density of Precision Board did you use for this project?

PBLT-15 Precision Board HDU was the density of choice, I did not make that choice though. The sign shop made that decision and I knew that I’d be able to work with it no problem as I’ve worked with the 15 pound density in the past.

You converted a 2D design into 3D. How did you do that?

I have limited skills in 3D conversion, so I had to outsource the 3D modeling to a professional. The original artwork was given to me by the sign shop who worked with the local church. I then contacted my guy to do the modeling.

What software do you use for your CNC?

For the CAD/CAM I use Vectric Aspire software. It’s great software and I’ve been using it for 6 years. Programming didn’t take too long for me as I’ve done quite a bit of 3D work and know the little things that can cause headaches, so I can avoid them.

What kind of CNC do you have?

I am using a Shopbot Buddy PRSalpha 48-12. Shopbot is a great company based out of Durham, NC and have great customer support and an amazing network of users. This piece maxes out my current work envelope but I am going to expand my table to a 4′ x 4′ sooner than later, it’s currently 4′ x 2′ x 11″.

What router bits did you use and did you need to use multiple bits?

I only use Amana tooling on my Shopbot, which I get through ToolsToday. The Spektra coated end mills last so much longer than just solid carbide and I can personally say that I’ve experienced way longer tool life. I also take care of my tooling and make sure to clean it with a non-caustic cleaner in a ultrasonic unit after each use. Seems like overkill, but I have yet to have a Spektra coated end mill wear out on me.

For this job, I used 2 different end mills. A 3D carving end mill and a straight end mill for the profile cutout. The 3D carving end mill is tool #46284-K from Amana and the profiling end mill is #46483-K.

Speeds and feeds settings for the routing of the Precision Board?

The settings for the 3D portion are: Feed Rate of 600 IPM and Plunge Rate of 420 IPM with a spindle speed of 13,000 RPM using a 10{afbea94bd31582343c3017644f03ec8d7d8fa2386ecb82c250661e06c0c6e111} stepover (.012″). Due to the acceleration/deceleration settings in my control software, there are limits to the machine actually reaching full speed while maintaining accuracy. I’m waiting on new pinions from Shopbot and I needed to get this job done. The sample I ran prior to the job had bad quality because of the worn pinions allowing the machine to slightly miss steps.

The settings for the 2D profile cut portion are: Feed Rate of 60 IPM and Plunge Rate of 45 IPM with a spindle speed of 18,000 RPM cutting at full depth in one pass. I was really conservative on this as I don’t have a full vacuum table and wanted to leave a skin on the bottom to hold it in place. Since PBLT-15 is lighter weight and less dense, I didn’t want to push it and have any chip out or chatter. Worked out perfect and only takes 5 minutes to clean up the “skinning” afterwards.

How long did it take to rout all the PB for this project?

Each piece took approximately 5 hours and 30 minutes for the 3D carving portion and the profile cutout took about 3 minutes. Going into the Shopbot Control software I’m able to adjust my ramping deceleration/acceleration speeds and distances, to maximize speed while not losing quality or having my machine wear prematurely. This is the largest 3D carving I’ve done in my 5 years machining but luckily it went smooth and the finished product came out clean.

Any tips or tricks you used for this project?

If you don’t have a vacuum setup, using the “skin” method during the profile cut will help keep your piece in place while allowing you to use a few screws to hold down the main board. Especially with PBLT-15, when you go to remove the skin, it comes off so easy you really only need to rub the edge with your fingers and the edge is clean and sharp, removing the .005″ of material that was holding it to the main board. Max out your feeds and speeds because as long as you have an accurate machine, PBLT-15 truly cuts like butter.

Adam Carlson runs CNC Tahoe, a shop where he does design, woodwork and machining. He also runs PLUS Skateboards. You can contact him via email.

Coastal Enterprises is a 30-year old privately-owned company, located in California. Our manufacturing producst and processes are fully integrated in the United States, which has allowed us to avoid supply chain disruptions and maintain unparalleled market stability. For thirty years we have manufactured Precision Board, a high-density urethane tooling board used in many different applications including composite tooling, prototyping, thermoform tooling, pattern making, theming, dimensional signage and more. It is currently being used in many essential industries including aerospace, defense, transportation, energy and healthcare. You can get pricing, free samples, sign up for newsletters or contact us.

Which Precision Board Density is Right for You?

Coastal Enterprises offers 16 different densities of Precision Board HDU ranging from 4lb up to 75lb, but what does that mean for me? In this short Q&A blog, we’ll explain how density correlates to physical properties as it pertains to your individual project. We’ll also give you the pros and cons of higher versus lower densities to find the best Precision Board product for you.

What is density?

Density is a measurement of weight per cubic volume or in Standard terms, pounds per cubic foot. This means that if you cut a 12”X12”X12” cube of a 15 pcf density material, it would weigh 15 lbs.

How many densities of Precision Board are there?

Coastal Enterprises offers 16 densities of Precision Board in low-temp (PBLT <200ºF) and high-temp (PBHT <300ºF) formulations. Densities include 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 25, 30, 34, 40, 48, 60, 70 & 75.

How do we fit more material in per cubic foot to raise the density?

Precision Board is a cellular material that is made up of millions of individual cells, linked together in a closed cell network. As the Precision Board goes up in density, individual cell walls get thicker thus adding more material into each cubic foot.

So what does that mean for me?

As the cell wall gets thicker, two things happen. First, there is an increase in physical properties such as compressive strength, flexural modulus and Shore D hardness. Second, as the cell wall gets thicker the exposed interior of the cells cut during machining gets smaller, translating to improved surface profile. In other words, as the density increases, you get a stronger material as well as a smoother surface.

Why not use the highest density available on all projects?

As you go up in density you also go up in cost and weight proportionately. The goal in finding the perfect Precision Board solution for your project is to find the density that provides you with the physical properties and surface profile your project requires without being any more expensive or heavy than you need.

How do I know which density is the right combination of physical properties, surface profile, weight and cost?

Contact our technical sales department to discuss your specific project needs. With decades of experience they can help guide you to the correct material. They are available by phone at 800-845-0745 or by email at hdu@precisionboard.com.

Guest Blog from Paul at Art Sign Works