We are expanding, rented the unit next door to our shop and cut a large door way between the two units.
As we are moving things around, the question came up as to the easel...where to put it? Then the question came up: do we modern sign shops even need it anymore?
What do you think, do you need your easel or could you get along with out it. (mine was 4x8; was gonna build a bigger one...but I don't know, the big flat table works pretty good.
What do you think?
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
for painters an easel is for sure needed. for vinyl jocks...most do the stuf on a table. me i still prefer an easel for both. in the new garage i am reserving one wall for an easel that will be 12' and th whole wall is 24'. with an easel and appling vinyl i can usually "sight" placement of vinyl without doing lines. and it much easier when i do long runs. i will always have an easel........
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
I've always done vinyl on a table, and used an artist's easel for painting and airbrushing.
A few weeks ago I had to make a temporary easel for a 3 panel sign. I liked working this way so much that I'm trying to figure out a way to make an easel that I could hinge at the ceiling and have a garage door opener swing it up out of the way. I need to do this because I have no wall space available for a permanent one.
Posted by Bob Stephens (Member # 858) on :
I had a 16' long easel and finally did away with it during my last remodel. But they sure are nice to have if you have the space.
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dave Sherby: I'm trying to figure out a way to make an easel that I could hinge at the ceiling and have a garage door opener swing it up out of the way.
Did you happen to catch the Red Green show episode where he converted his car doors to gull wings? A garage door opener, rope and a several rolls of duct tape did the trick. I would think that you could do the same with an easel.
Posted by Bob Kaschak (Member # 3146) on :
Here is an easel I built a couple of years ago, and I could not imagine not having it.
It is made from plywood, studs, sheetrock screws, and some 1" black iron pipe fittings. Solid and sturdy as can be.
The easle is two pieces, and can fit any sign width. The two strips of plywood across the bottom join the two halves together.
There sign pivots on the pipe fittings. There are several holes on the uprights to set the sign to different heights.
The two small angled pieces of flat steel are braces that keep it at any angle you want (vertical, horizontal, and everywhere in between)
For double sided signs it's great. Just paint one side, and flip it over. (great for smalt work ha ha).
I modified it with lights, and an outlet to keep from having to run extension cords.
The casters swivel in all directions, and it moves around the shop like Fred Astaire.
I wheel it right into the paint booth for spraying.
When not in use, I seperate the two halves, and it takes up only 24" x 48" floor space.
Peace out, Bob
[ February 28, 2008, 01:11 PM: Message edited by: Barb. Shortreed ]
Posted by Bill Lynch (Member # 3815) on :
I've got a soft spot for my easel. It's a 16'/ two 4'x8' sections and can fold down out of the way if needed. I still use it occasionally for painting, but it also gets use for vinyl application when the flat tables are full. Just wouldn't seem like a sign shop without a sign bench.
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Dave..........old sign painer's trick:
1. 2 2x4's with 3/4' holes drilled thru, every 12 inches.
2. Make 2 1" tapered pegs.
3. Stick the pegs in the holes, lean the 2x4's against the wall, and lay your board on them
4. Move the pegs up or down, in the holes, to adjust height.
5. When done with your project, take the 2x4's and stand them in a corner, out of the way!
[ December 13, 2005, 03:28 PM: Message edited by: Si Allen ]
Posted by Bob Rochon (Member # 30) on :
I have gone back to my easle even for my vinyl signs. hunching over can NOT be good for the body and why on earth would one want to anyway.
Posted by Jill Marie Welsh (Member # 1912) on :
I dunno Bob-O, I kinda like walkin' like Quasimodo. I'm an easel-free flat-painter. I only paint "up" at meet when I wanna look like a signpainter. I figger it can't drip if it's flat, and let gravity work in my favor. Keep the easel, Dave. As soon as you pitch it, you'll need it. Love....Jill
Posted by jake snow (Member # 5889) on :
What Si said. Works great if you don't need them everyday. You can even put them outside if it's pretty Posted by Jon Butterworth (Member # 227) on :
My easel is 20 years old soon ... and still gets used, even tho I now have a 8x24 sign wall and two 8x4 demountable tables.
The easel is 8x4 double sided, hinged at the top and folds flat to store against the wall.
Gets used more nowdays as a drying rack outside in the sun! But, it's always there if I need the extra painting area or to work on glass or illuminated sign faces.
Posted by Gene Golden (Member # 3934) on :
I have a 4 x 8 table top on hinges that can be tilted up. I use 2 x 4's with notched ends to support it when it's up. When I moved to the new shop, I left it at my house. I miss it Posted by Bobbie Rochow (Member # 3341) on :
My old sign painter friend showed me how to do Si's idea, & that is what I use for big stuff. But he also gave me an old wooden easel 3'x4' top that I use for smaller stuff.
Jill, I agree...if you paint it flat, it won't drip! But I force myself to do it upright since I need to know how to if I have to.
Posted by John Deaton (Member # 925) on :
Mine is 16' long and 8' high. People that come into the work area of my shop, nicknamed by the way the trash dump, ask me whos billboard is that Im working on. To tell the truth, Id hate to do without it.
Posted by Jason Davie (Member # 2172) on :
I just built a quick 4x8 easel with sawhorse brackets and some 2x4's about 6 months ago.. I love to do both paint and vinyl on it..so much nicer than on a flat table.. I still have flat tables but i'll never get rid of the easel now that i have one..
Jason D
Posted by Dave Draper (Member # 102) on :
Si,
The old 2x4's leaning up against the wall trick is one I know of. The sign board becomes the backer as well as the sign.
And this would be great if I got to do 4x8 signs.
In this area, almost all the job site signs, banners, realty signs, etc, are solvent base prints on banner material and stapled to plywood.
That doesn't make me sad. I just don't get the work because I don't have the large format printers.
But every area is different and many of you still do a fair share of painted project signs and vinyl ones as well. And you do a nice job, too.
But nothing beats a full color print for $3.00 a square foot! Gheesh! Thus there is little need for an permanent easel, at least in this shop.
sigh.... Posted by Jackson Smart (Member # 187) on :
I couldn't live without an easel. I still do mostly hand painting, so it is invaluable. Mine is a 4'x10' 3/4" MDO with a metal face glued on it for my electro pounce. Also I can use pieces of mag material to hold my pattern paper. It is mounted one on wall. It hinges at the top and has 2 pieces of 2/4 to hold it out from the wall or lay flat. It has a flat piece running along the bottom to hold signs while lettering.
If I need anything bigger, I use Si's method.
I also have a flat table for the times that I do any vinyl. It has a glass top.
......ahhhh, the smell of paint fumes wafting thru the shop.
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