In the spirit of Tips & Tricks Week, I'm offering this little time-saver that I use when installing signs that require multiple posts. To get a line of posts level at the top, I take a 30 foot length of clear flexible plastic tubing to the installation site. With this, I also take 2 spring-type clothespins, and a gallon of water, plus a small bottle of food colouring. Once the posts are in the ground, and perpendicular, I add the food colour to the gallon of water, and use the plastic tubing as a syphon. When about 7/8 of the tube is filled, I clip off each end temporarily with the clothespins. If you take one end up the shortest pole and duct-tape the tubing to the post where the liquid line is level with the top of the post, you can now take the free end up each subsequent post, and using the coloured liquid as an indicator, mark off exactly where the other posts must be cut to make the entire line absolutely level.
When finished, simply unclip the clothespins, let the water drain away, coil up the tubing, and save for the next installation. Since water Always seeks it's own level, this method works every time, regardless of the grade being level or sloped.
------------------ Ken Henry Henry & Henry Signs London, Ontario Canada (519) 439-1881 e-mail kjmlhenry@home.
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Posted by Santo (Member # 411) on :
Hey Ken,'re right about using a waterlevel. There are commercial made units available, but yours if just as good. One thing, though, you can wind up the tube inside of a gallon paint can filled with water and your food color. It will save you filing the tube each time. I have a 3 in deep plastic tray works fine.
We use the food coloring too but we also use little corks instead of clothespins, then we store it for next time.
------------------ Wayne Webb Webb Sign Studio,Inc. Blastin' "woodesigns" in Chipley, FL "autograph your work with excellence" webbsignstudio@digitalexp.com
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Another, even quicker way, is to buy a "line level" and carry it with your chalk line! Hook the chalk line on the shortest post (or the height desired) and pull the chalk line to the last post, then hang the level on the line and adjust it up or down till it is level... then "snap a line"... there, ya got them all at once! Werks fer me!
------------------ Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA (714) 521-4810 ICQ # 330407 "SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
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Posted by Brad Ferguson (Member # 33) on :
I often use square pipe for sign posts. Many different decorative caps and finials are available that fit standard sizes of pipe.
Since I have many angle iron scraps that are one and two feet long, I cut points on one end with a chop saw and then weld them to the posts near the bottom, a couple for each post. Then when I set the sign, I don't have to use braces. As I push the posts down into the holes, the angle iron spikes sink into the bottom of the hole, keeping the sign plumb till I back fill the hole with dirt, concrete or hole setting compound, whatever I'm using.
Of course, this works for wood posts, too.
------------------ Brad Ferguson 4782 West Highway 22 Paris AR 72855 501-963-2642 signbrad@cswnet.com
