The Letterville BullBoard: How would you build a 30" dia. screw for a sign post?

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Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :

The subject says it all.

We thought of Culvert pipe with a metal flange/angle iron welded to the tops of the "threads" (rounded on standard pipe), SignFoam threads on a 30 dia. base, fibreglass, etc. Anyone ever deal with this before?

Put your thinking caps on!!

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Jay Allen

"The object of the superior man is truth."
-Confucius

Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on :

Jay

We do this stuff every day.

Concrete over welded steel armature would be our first choice of materials. Strong too.

Second choice would be welded armature and then sprayed with foam and carved. Then coated with fiberglass and painted.

You could carve it our of a huge block of foam or glue up a number of pieces.

Or like you say, pipe would work although it would be more difficult.

If you need more info on methods I mentioned give me a buzz.

Good luck!

-dan

You might mention the kind of budget you got as that would affect the manner in which it is done for sure.

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Dan Sawatzky
Sawatzky's Imagination Corporation
Cultus Lake , British Columbia
giggleridge@telus.net
www.giggleridge.com

"Isn't it great to do what you love and love what you do!"

Posted by Ken Henry (Member # 598) on :

Hi Jay. Why not pour the central shaft out of concrete using a 30" diameter sonotube. When cured, you can fasten a double spiral strip of metal going from top to bottom. If you then use a larger diameter spiral, you can spot weld supports to the outer spiral. then you van apply metal lathe to finish off the spiral, apply fibreglass-re-inforced cement to the lathe, let it cure, and paint it. I'd also contact Dan Sawatsky for his advice in using this type of construction, since he's most experienced in this area.

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Ken Henry
Henry & Henry Signs
London, Ontario Canada
(519) 439-1881
e-mail kjmlhenry@home.

Some days you get to be the dog....other days, you get to be the fire hydrant.

Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :

Dan and Ken,

Yep. A few more details might help.

This would be the non-structural base around a pole-mounted electric sign. The backlit top would be shaped like a bolt head with SignFoam panels, routed out letters and push-through acrylic letters. (Sounds nice, huh?) The 'thread' base would be painted in the same fashion as the top - a silver metallic auto finish of some sort - so the base would need to accept paint and have that rather clean look to it.

As far as budget, I mentioned to the "designer" that it could be as much as $20,000.00 and he said simply, "They have lots of money." So that is what I am faced with - like always, a client who wants it as inexpensive as possible - but still willing to pay for the premium.

If we could do it efficiently with a pre-existing fibreglass form, that would be ideal. My hesitation with the concrete, Dan, is the relatively textured surface. You can pull it off for a theme-type project - but as a monument sign it probably needs to be more 'architectural'.

So that is the essay question for today. Hand your papers in to the person in front of you and pass them to the front. Grades tomorrow.

Let's see just how creative and ingenious the responses are. I am always amazed at the diversity of talent, logic and creative thinking of Letterheads - maybe more than any other 'design' profession.

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Jay Allen

"The object of the superior man is truth."
-Confucius

Posted by Gail & Dave Beattie (Member # 572) on :

i might be underestimating this but would polised steal pipe do as the form then wrap steal cable around to immitate the thread?

just a off-hand...or in my case off-brain idea

catch ya
gail

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on chat T2

Gail & Dave
NSW Australia

taurus_signs@one.net.au

sumtimes ya just gota

Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :

Carve the whole thing out of 3lb density foam and cover the whole bit with fiberglass.

You can round off the block or maybe you could even get it in a cylinder the size you need. Once you have the cylinder shape, use a sanding block with real coarse grit paper and "cut" the threads from the foam cylinder.

A 3'x3'x8' block of 3lb density polyurethane foam is gonna run about $900, will weigh 216lbs and will definitely cost over $100 for it to be freighted to you.

Assuming the size is around 3'x8' (imaginary number I pulled outta my head) it will require probably about 20 lineal yards of fiberglass cloth (at 10oz/yard)which will cost about $150.

The weight of the fiberglass cloth alone will be about 12 pounds, with resin will be about 24 pounds.

Guess you'd have to find a way to cut out the center of the foam to slip it over the post too.. =)

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Mike Pipes
Digital Illusion Custom Graphics
Lake Havasu City, AZ
http://www.stickerpimp.com

Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :

Jay, what type of screw should this represent? A wood screw has much steeper thread than a machine screw. Machine screw thread could be cut from 3" thick aluminum and rotated around the pipe and welded as it's bent.

Another way to produce this would be to make a half section from foam and from that make a mold with flanges. Use the mold to make as many sections as you need with fiberglass and resin them together, the same way a boat is built. If you went to a fiberglass boat manufacturer, they could probably make this quite simply. Or, see if Jackson will carve one for you!

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The SignShop
Mendocino, California
"Where the Redwoods meet the Surf"

[This message has been edited by Rick Sacks (edited September 09, 2000).]

Posted by Larry Elliott (Member # 263) on :

Jay,
Dry-vit can be finished off with a smooth surface suitable for a 'metallic' appearance and would be an economical piece to construct. Companies that work with these materials can cut you a column any diameter and supply the strips to wrap for the threads. Just give them the dimensions and you'll have 'kit' to construct onsite.

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Larry

Elliott Design
McLemoresville, Tn.

If you can't find the time to do it right,
where gonna find the time to do it over?

Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :

Wow. Great ideas. It seems like the foam and hardcoat - whether in fibreglass or Dryvit - is how most would handle this same problem.

We wondered if anyone else had ever been faced with the same - or similar - problem. Hoping, of course, that we could just call wwww.bigscrews-r-us.com and order one. But with the staff I have here, and their ability to carve almost anything, foam and some carving may be the best alternative. Then take to a 'glasser' and have it finished off. (Too messy for us!!)

In answer to your question, Rick, it would need to be a machine screw. The client manufactures all different types of metal fasteners and this is the look they want. Any other suggestions?

Thanks Letterheads. Your ingenuity and helpfulness always amazes me.

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Jay Allen

"The object of the superior man is truth."
-Confucius

[This message has been edited by Jay Allen (edited September 09, 2000).]

Posted by Steve Estes (Member # 765) on :

Jay, Jay , Jay! Just go to the hardware store man! Probly be bout a #400.

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Steve Estes
Sign Studio
Calvert City, Ky 42029

Posted by Gilead Stellar (Member # 158) on :

Make a long triangular strip of modeling clay. Wrap the clay around a cardboard tube or pipe. (fig.1)
Half submerge the form in plaster and let it dry. (fig.2)
Use the plaster mold to make a section of thread out of fiberglass or plastic. (fig.3)
Make as many sections as you need.
Glue the sections to the sign pole.

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Gilead
Phoenix AZ
http://members.tripod.com/Stellargraphics/Gilead.htm

[This message has been edited by Gilead (edited September 09, 2000).]

Posted by Santo (Member # 411) on :

You might try a auger bit if the diameter you need. You certainly would have the strength. If you need to taper to the bottom of the screw you could weld some thin plate vertically in the spiral to simulate the taper and cut away any excess. Then add a plate angeled to give the appearance of the V-groove of the thread.

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Santo Brocato
Promotion Graphics & Letters
Youngsville LA.

Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :

I gots another idea!

How about if ya make a visit to a construction area where they're laying that "ribbed" metal drainage piping and lift a section for yourself.. =)

Looks just like a machine screw, all ya gotta do is cap off the top and bottom then paint the whole thing with a metallic paint.

I guess you could purchase some from somewhere as well... =)

Or even splash a fiberglass mold off a section. All ya gotta do is wax up an area really well, spray on some PVA (mold release) then start layin up some fiberglass. When that cures, pull it off the pipe (should be pretty easy) and take the mold back to the shop. =)

Build sections off the mold then bond them together.

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Mike Pipes
Digital Illusion Custom Graphics
Lake Havasu City, AZ
http://www.stickerpimp.com

Posted by Santo (Member # 411) on :

There is a screwtype piling that comes in different lengths and diameter. I don't know what material they come in.

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Santo Brocato
Promotion Graphics & Letters
Youngsville LA.

Posted by Santo (Member # 411) on :

There is a screwtype piling that comes in different lengths and diameter. I don't know what material they come in.

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Santo Brocato
Promotion Graphics & Letters
Youngsville LA.

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