The Letterville BullBoard: interior ADA signs

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Posted by Jean Shimp (Member # 198) on :

I'm wondering if it's feasible to produce these signs in-house. What kind of investment does it take to get into this market? Is there a huge learning curve to be proficient? Can this market be profitable on a small local scale or do you have to have a lot of volume.

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Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :

I briefly looked into this myself a few years ago when it looked like ADA signs were going to be selling like hotcakes. After seeing the basic, boring 2 color signs that in house engravers can produce, I decided to job this work out and save myself the headaches and expense, especially after seeing the gorgeous ADA signs from Neiman & Company (800-368-3456) and Advance Corp. Braille-Tac Division (800-328-9451). They both have beautifully designed ADA signs from basic to true works of art.

If I remember right, a PC driven engraver is going to run you a couple grand. Then there's the braille software you'll need. On the other hand, once you have one of these engravers, you can get into trophy & awards, nameplates, etc.

When a shop about an hour and a half from me in a town of 35,000 added one of these engravers, he put on a full time employee just for engraving. I don't know if it paid off or not. Demand for ADA has dropped here considerably. Not enough sign police around.

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Dave Sherby
"Sandman"
SherWood Sign & Graphic Design
Crystal Falls, MI 49920
906-875-6201
ICQ: 21604027
sherwood@up.net

Posted by VICTORGEORGIOU (Member # 474) on :

You can cut braille with most modern engravers with the manufacturers braille packages. This process "digs a hole" in the engraving stock and leaves the braille standing. In my estimation this does not make an attractive sign. We did it that way for a while until we could afford something better.

I think the best braille package is the Xenetech engraver with the raster braille package. You type english into the software, and it automatically sets up both the braille and the 1/32" raised letters. The raster braille option drills tiny holes in the sign, and you press in little balls. We bought the 9x12 table because we wanted to make signs that big.

With this option you can design and make very classy suite id's and directionals. The raster braille option allows you, for instance to make a brass sign with brass dots. We make a lot of signs with formica faces that match everything else in the building, and then punch in clear dots.

The third way which is more labor intensive but looks great are the machines that punch the braille into the back of thin lexan. Then you back paint the lexan and laminate it to something rigid.

There is still someone out there making a product like this but I don't have the info.

I still have our lexan brailler, it is in excellent condition. The company that made it no longer does so. I'll make you a deal on it if you like.

One advantage of buying new equipment from a major vendor is, there are things you do need to know to do the job right - nothing real hard.

Also, the Neiman alternative is a good one. They make very nice signs.

Most ADA customers don't know what they need, so you will want to become a code expert if you want to do very much of this business.

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Victor Georgiou
AnchorBlanks.com
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