CNC ROUTED SIGNS

Our Gerber Sabre 408 CAD/CAM CNC router is a very versitle machine we can use to machine and cut a wide variety of materials. Our top line U.S.A. made Gerber Sabre 408 is still accurate to its 0.006" tolerance as it was when installed. What is most important is its ability to cut a wide variety of materials accurately but still as important as a quality machine is quallity materials to cut so our products last as long as possible in the field. The most cut material on our CNC router is High Density Urathane Foam and there are many manyfactureres making a varity of different weight and thickness materials. We still use the original name brand Sign Foam in 1.4" 15 pound for single face signs and 2" 18 pound for most double faced signs. We also cut a lot of plywood, Plexiglass, Lexan, PVC sheet, Avonite and Corian Solid Surface Material, aluminum, brass, bronze ub addition to high density urethane foam (Sign foam). using our full three dimensional capabilities from our ArtCam Pro software package, we have even replaced traditional sandblasting with CNC routing along with abilities to cut many very complex shapes.

CNC MACHINING FIFTEEN POUND SIGN FOAM

Above the router is cutting out most popular product in most popuolar style as gives a full dimensional sign at cost most can aford to make their brand stand out. On the router is a 1.5'x38"x120" sheet being cut into a 1.5"x36"x108" sign from fifteen pound Sign Foam HDU which will be mounted to a flat brick monument. Any larger even with mounting on flat surface we would have setpped up to 1.5" eighteen pound Sign Foan or two inch thick fifteen pound foam. We never try to make a few extra dollars skimping on proper foam for the job but we also do not wastefully use overly rated material for a job.

CNC SIGNS IN PAINT PHASE

h One of the keys to longevity in painted HDU signs is not only the proper primers and top coats but in their application. If painted with a brusk the paint tends to just lay on the surface and slowly dry over a couple days. Using a special HVLP sprayer that has the appropriate size orifice for thickness of each paint and settings on the gun our paint is travelling in exces of 200 miles per hour when makes contact with the HDU and especially the first coat is driven into the foam giving great penetration that can bee seen if saw a painted piece. The primer that may lay for two days before dry to touch with a brush is usually totally cured in a few hours and more paint is used as well proving how well our specialized sprayer applies our paint. By the time we prime and add two top coats the signs are well covered but we always put a fourth coat of base color before add final colors, gold leaf or other graphics.

AN HDU SIGN FROM START TO FINISH

hic The above sign has two identical 1.5" thick fifteen pound rated HDU panels that were glued back to back to enxure proper strength for sign. This was an insurance job after the sign it replaced was hit by a drunk driver in a 4WD truck. Using two panels to span between the posts wont keep a truck from breaking the sign it will keep landscapers who may accidently hit it with landscaping equipment or high winds from breaking it. We have sen many HDU routed signs done by other broken by high winds because they used too thin or low density foam for the distance they were spanning. We always over engineer rather than under engineer just to win the lowest bid.

VARIOUS CNC ROUTED SIGNS

hickAbove photographs show how on CNC signs made from HDU we can often make changes if not overly complicated. The above sign had been up less than a year wehn the owner was able to get the phone number he wanted where last four digits were same as his other offices and asked us to make him a new signs. When we told him we could change the number for much less than a new sign that could not be seen from the road but if someone walked up to within a few feet may notice the patch. he was willing to buy a new sign but for about 25% of the cost to replace we retrieved it, placed a teporary sign for clients to find him, changed the number and reinstalled the sign. Would have been an easy sale of a complete new sign but we pride honesty over an easy sign sale.

While we nornally use name name brand Sign Foam 15 pound rated HDU we also use a fair amount of 1.5" and 2" eighteen pound Sign Foam. The pound rating is its density, higher the pound rating the stronger it is. They neasure this by the cubic foot, if cut a piece at the milol 12"x12"x12" for a one cubic foot block its weight is how its rated. Its not uncommon to see 10, 15 pound SignFoam, 18 pound SignFoam and 20 pound Duna CoraForm. while Sign Foam does not offer 20 pound or heavier foam the difference between 18 and 20 is minimal but on occasion we need a really dense product and then we switch over to 28 pound Duna CoraFoam and 31 pound Duna CoraForm when need a really dense foam for a special project though seldom do we need heavier than 18 to 20 pound HDU foam.

CNC ROUTER WORK SOON...

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