I still like MDO and use it alot...I like Dibond and all the other aluminum faces substrantes too, but good ol' MDO...it's a good thing! Right Ray Chapman?
If you treat it right, it'll treat you right! I have been replacing some of my 10-15 year old MDO signs with Dibond , and some with MDO again.
Show us your MDO! !
Posted by Ricky Jackson (Member # 5082) on :
Funny you should bring that up Mikey; for the last few weeks I've been tempted to take some pix of some of the old MDO signs I did about 15 years ago and they still look good.
Posted by Duncan Wilkie (Member # 132) on :
We're big MDO users. Thankfully we have a source for really good quality stuff locally. Practically no edge voids. Here's one we did a couple of years ago. I checked it the other day and it looks great. Since I learned the sealing the edges with Titebond III trick, I've felt very confident in using it for long term signs. The main copy was cut from HDU. The carving was directly into the MDO. Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
Post them up Ricky!
Looks Great Duncan!
This is was very hard to pass up...I was at a coffee shop dive in Pontiac Illinoize in 2006 on one of my many trips and I was spotted this sign!
This Sign is very informative for the beginner....You can see the first layout under the 2nd! Where there is more paint, is where the sign painter had his/her brush loaded up to start the strokes!! It might have been Bill Diaz as it is in his town and only a few blocks away!
Bill, any idea? I love it!
Posted by Jane Diaz (Member # 595) on :
The "Notice, absolutely...." on top IS a VERY EARLY Bill Diaz and the "Please park on and Angel" is a Floyd Fitzgerald who was in our shop before us. He suddenly moved to Arizona and suddenly Bill was a sign painter!
I am a little upset about Floyd wanting people to park on an Angel though...you would think they could just fly away when they saw you coming! Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
Park on an ANGEL? I wouldn't want to do that!
At an ANGLE maybe but not ON and ANGEL..
Charlie Pride, "Kiss and ANGEL Good Morning!"
Floyd Fitzgerald, a true legend. "Suddenly?" What was Bill doing before he became a "Sudden Sign Painter?"
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
Parking on angels.
Posted by Dave Correll (Member # 100) on :
MDO will always be one of my top five substates to use. Go MDO!
I'll do as many pink monarchs you want as long as I get paid
mdo makes great basketball backboards too!
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
We use some PVC (mostly interior work), DiBond, and HDU...but the bread and butter signs are still done with MDO. As others have said, we have a lot of signs out there that are still in good shape, but we have put a lot of time in most of them to make them last as long as they have.
For years we used nothing but Simpson Two-Step, but then they were bought out by Olympic and for some reason we have experienced some difficulty in getting Olympic Two-Step and the suppliers are substituting "Guardian", which is not as good a product, in my opinion.
Preparation is what preserves the material, so we round over the edges, treat them with exterior glue and fill the voids with exterior spackling or epoxy. Then comes a water based primer, followed by two to three coats of Porter acrylic. In the process the edges get twice as many coats as the faces.
DiBond is a lot less labor intensive but it can be dinged easily and does not have the rigidity or depth that comes with MDO.
I'm still a big fan but from time to time we have difficulty getting good material and some problems arise.
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
Just a few. Nothing fancy.
Posted by Jane Diaz (Member # 595) on :
Mike, to answer your question... Bill was doing painting and decorating. Right after we got married he had a crew of guys and painted commercial and industial buildings and houses, inside or out. He drew house plans and did staining and finish woodwork, etc. Before that, he was at Penn State. He got his masters there and taught drawing and painting as a graduate assistant. His first signs were "interesting". He had no idea how to letter but he had been painting fine art stuff for years! He knew color and contrast and all that "art" stuff, so that was a good start!
Posted by Rich Stebbing (Member # 368) on :
Yeah, I still MDO signs out there(20yrs) that have weathered "far better than me". I have a doublesided 3' x 8' with aluminum laminate and it looks like crap,....not even a couple of years old yet. Although the edges were sealed there was still enough separation to in moisture screw-up top portion of sign,...what to do, going back to straight MDO for one thing.
Posted by Bobbie Rochow (Member # 3341) on :
This is a great thread! I LOVE MDO! I just got done doing 9 cut outs for the local animal park. 8 cut out airbrushed cartoon animals & a 2'x3' cut out that is airbrushed to look like a piece of parchment with the Bleeding Heart Dove legend on it.
I was in such a hurry to get them out I forgot to get pics! I will have to go to the park & take them, then post them on the portfolio page after they put them up.
I will always use MDO.
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
OK....just a couple more simple ones....
.
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
Acrylic paint on MDO
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
Here's one we did a couple weeks ago (yes, I know the main text is bottom heavy - customer got involved).
And here's a few from Mike Meyer.....
.
[ May 20, 2008, 10:53 AM: Message edited by: Glenn Taylor ]
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
Thank you Glenn, and by the way, no "S"..no biggie...
DON SPRINGER..MY IDOL! I stole this sign from a softball field fence after he died. He was the last of the grouchy sign painters!
"Bashers" is an old Dave Correll sign which is cool to see the brushstrokes!
"BUS" "no running" and the "Swan's" are all signs I did back in the early 90's
"Ranch Rodeo" was a highway dirctional sign for some local cowboys....They refused it, saying, "We don't do THAT kind of Rodeo!"
????
What kind of Rodeo is there? I jus one o them city clickers that's still a green horn I reckon..(Spit)..well, I best git to them doggies....HEE YAH!
"Pork Sandwich" is a small sign for a B B Q rest.
"Big Ass" brush was done from MDO scrap by Mike Contraras from Michigan when he was here...
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
Sorry about that Mike. (darn that actor ).
[ May 20, 2008, 10:53 AM: Message edited by: Glenn Taylor ]
Posted by John Byrd (Member # 825) on :
MDO rulez! I've been hand painting more traditional bread and butter signs this year than the last five or six combined...I blame Mike for this. I use the 2-part polyester mix for fiberglass rolled on the edges to water proof it, then sand prime and paint. If the finish is to be red or(gasp) maroon, I'll mix in some auto paint hardener into the Ronan or One Shot.
[ May 20, 2008, 02:29 PM: Message edited by: John Byrd ]
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
Nice work Johnny Byrd! I can see you pickin a GITBOX on the porch next to that ART SIGN!
Lookin good!!!!!!!!!
MDO..ALIVE AND WELL!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Duncan Wilkie (Member # 132) on :
Here's a sign we did about 13 years ago. I pass by it on my way home every day. It was lettered with one shot on MDO by Wayne Arnold. Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
That's a nice script there Duncan!
Posted by Bernie Lohmeyer (Member # 2076) on :
Heres a couple I did over 7 years ago these are todate pics.....the Rose is on the north side of the building,getting ready to redo the bank,there new name is Tightwad Bank of Reading ks, no joke Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
Just a few more. Mostly older stuff.
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
Very nice work Glenn!
THIS is what a Letterhead Meet should be all about !!! This meet is on-line, and everyone gets into it..show and tell.
I assume the pictorials are digital prints Glenn? How are they holding up? DO they have a clear coat on them?
Thanks for posting the pictures!!!!!
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
Thanks Mike,
The prints were done with the Gerber Edge. so far, they've all held up very well. They were all given two heavy coats of FrogJuice.
The Marcia Stancil signs are 10 years old and have done very well against fading. Unfortunately, the "mother and child" pictorial was vandalized not too long ago and was broken off.
Posted by Bernie Lohmeyer (Member # 2076) on :
these are what I did for my cousins farm the door is 30'by 40' cant find the original door pic but thats what it looked like.... the tractors were made from mdo
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
Very nice Bernie! Great shading work!
(I ain't even gonna ask about the masks hanging up)
Posted by Bernie Lohmeyer (Member # 2076) on :
Oh them WHO-GA-LEMS.......I made them for halloween one year out of great stuff sprayed in a pie pan,,,,Maybe I'll make a step by step Posted by John Deaton (Member # 925) on :
When they quit making MDO, Im quitting making signs. Love the stuff.
Posted by Mark Stokes (Member # 5351) on :
being from oz what is mdo never heard of it. We have mdf but you can not use it outside, we have weathertex is that what mdo is?
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
Stoka, is "MDF" Medium Density "FIBERBOARD?"
MDO is MEdium Density "OVERLAY" meaning there is an overlaid panel of PAPER on the front and back.
It's also called, "plywood", "Crezon", "marine plywood."
I can send you a small sample...what are ya using for an addy in Mount Barker?
Show us some more of your excellent work Stoka!!!!! Show us ya dingo mate!
Posted by Mark Stokes (Member # 5351) on :
here is a link about weathertex sheeting for you americans
Posted by Dale Feicke (Member # 767) on :
This is a good thread, Mike. Seems like we always get them that are bashing MDO. Sure it's got its flaws, but so does everything else. A lot of this new stuff hasn't even been on the market long enough to see if it's really going to hold up. MDO's been around a long time. Oh, and we used to call it "duraply". If you can find it, HDO is better. For any who don't know what it is, here's a good link.. www.plumcreek.com/downloads/productinfo/MDO.pdf
Biggest problem I've seen with it is the vast difference in quality between brands. Some is very good, and some very bad. I've had some with 5 layers of wood; some with only 3. Some had lots of voids also. Most disturbing is that one of the better brands in the past (used to be Simpson) I've noticed more voids in it now. Takes a little extra prep time to repair.
Still in all, I like it; I've used it for over 30 years, with very few problems. Some that we used years ago, that had voids under the overlay, still held up for several years. Even ones with voids or bad spots can be easily repaired with bondo or glass resin. That's something else that you can't do with a lot of the sandwich or composites.
We used to build a good deal of "box" signs, like sit on top of a brick wall. You could cut MDO up into strips, make the frame and internal suppport ribs out of it. Glue and screw it all together, and they would last for years. We also built a couple of display walls for GE like that. Few of the new products offer that
I know a lot of vinyl shops are in area that don't allow paint; so they have to use the pre-painted stuff, but for the money, and the flexibility, you can't beat it. Like said above, I'll use it until they quit making it; then I'll probably put my brushes away, except for the stripers, of course.
[ May 21, 2008, 08:56 AM: Message edited by: Dale Feicke ]
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
Great job on the tractor pictorial Bernie!
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
I totally agree Dale, and those are good pointers and the link is helpfull as well. My local lumber yard keeps in on hand for me, I asked them if anyone else buys it...they said a few carpenters use it for trim pieces and higher end finishing. Nothing I like better than to get a new 4 X 8 and mark out a new design and tear into it with my sabre saw!
There will be plenty of MDO to play with at the Winter Muster here in Minnesota Feb. 2009!
Posted by Bernie Lohmeyer (Member # 2076) on :
Thanks Mark,yes he collects them he has over 100 of them all running,hes big in tractor pulls
Posted by John Byrd (Member # 825) on :
The shot of the word 'BUS' brings back memories of how long it took to be able to consistently make that 'S' from a stabilo or china marker quick layout. The years of lettering parking lot signs and 'FOR SALE' eventually paid off with solid lettering abilities. Remember dreading any words with two of the same letters side by side like 'LOOK' or 'MESSAGE' or 'KEEPER'?
Posted by Jillbeans (Member # 1912) on :
I love all those signs...but I loathe MDO. Gimme good old A/C exterior plywood, or better yet, Alumalite! Love....Jill
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
I cut this shaving guy out of MDO.....
Posted by ScooterX (Member # 2023) on :
I do a lot of sidewalk signs (A-frames, sandwich boards, whatever you want to call them). I've never found anything better than MDO. These signs are usually hauled in every night, and taken out in the morning. They get knocked over by people, blown over by wind (50mph wind), rained on, and they still hold up. The MDO is heavy enough to keep them up in most weather, and resists dings and dents. It is easy to shape, and I don't have to worry too much about anybody cutting themselves on it.
I followed Mr. Chapman's advice from years ago (I think it was a magazine article) and round over the edges with a 1/8" roundover bit. One coat of primer each side and one coat of paint on the back and two coats on the face.
My very first one is still looking good 11 years later.
I'm now using an FSC-certified MDO. It is not as nice as the Simpson. The woodgrain swells up through the overlay, and there are voids. Still, wood is a renewable resource, and I feel good using this stuff.
Posted by Jeff Margeson (Member # 9145) on :
Scooter...
Can you please explain "rounding over the edges with a 1/8" roundover bit." What is this and why does it help?
Thanks...
Jeff
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
Jeff
It helps water drain away from the edge...keep paint on it better as well. Also the Bottom edge of a sign is even more important than the top..Where does the moisture sit? at the bottom.
You can also just use a block of wood and a piece of sandpaper or an orbital sander.
Posted by Jeff Margeson (Member # 9145) on :
Thanks Mike,
In this process, I'm guessing it is a slight erosion of the material, almost unnoticeable?
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
sort of...You'll definetly so an erosion of material if ya DON'T!
It's always better to do as much prep ahead of time, let dry in between coats etc. to ensure it's gonna work right.
I use west systems epoxy on my edges.
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
The weakest point of any paint film is where it goes over a sharp edge. There is a tendency for the paint to pull away from a 90 degree edge, so there is less paint there than anywhere else on the sign.
By rounding over the panel slightly there is no edge for the paint to have to go around and thus you get a more continuous paint film - hence, less breakdown.
You could use a quarter inch round-over bit with a router or just round over the edge with an orbital sander or sanding block.
It works.
P.S. to Mike: I always wondered why you walked that way.
[ May 21, 2008, 06:59 PM: Message edited by: Raymond Chapman ]
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cant find the original door pic but thats what it looked like.... the tractors were made from mdo
pan,,,,Maybe I'll make a step by step 
