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Here is a sign I am making for our local preschool. (The cartoon is from their original sign I did back in 1990) The sign has to be removable i.e. "temporary". (thanks to our wonderful zoning office)
The frame will be out of PVC pipe that will slip over existing stakes in the ground (like stop sign stakes) The faces will be Alumalite, and one will feature a changeable letter board. The "erasers" are PVC caps, and the ferrules are galvanized metal stove pipe pieces. (Got my frame idea from working at the Hardware)
Here's the sign:
My four questions are: Is it OK to use Krylon "OSHA" paint? The fusion brand only has icky colors. I also have tons of 1-Shot and Ronan sign enamel. How do I remove the factory markings on the PVC? I'm scared that they will show through the yellow paint. How to I clean and prep the PVC? Do I need to scuff it? Is the regular PVC glue "good enough" for assembling this thing? Should I seal around the insertion holes with silicone as well? Thanks in advance. Love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Jilly, I used Fusion paint on my mail box, then painted with One Shot. Two years without a blemish. Just use the Fusion yellow as a primer for the One Shot.
I just tried Rapid Prep on the markings ... nothing Paint thinner .... nothing Laquer Thinner ... took it off to the point where it was faint. Laquer thinner on some very fine wet/dry sandpaper...took it right off. Acetone on a paper towel... wiped it right off.
To prep the PVC, just wipe it down with paint thinner, let dry then spray the Fusion. Let the fusion dry for a couple hours, then paint with One Shot. If you wait 24 hours after spraying the Fusion, they say to wait 7 dyas before more top coats. That's what I did with my mail box.
Yes, regular PVC glue is good enough. That stuff literally melts the PVC to itself. Remember, it's waterproof for pipes.
Good luck. Cute design.
-------------------- Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 sherwoodsign@sbcglobal.net Posts: 5397 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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Well there you go. Neat project. Before I read stovepipe for the ferrules, I was thinking coffee cans since they have ridges similar to a pencil ferrule.
Where are the glue joints goint to be? Are you cutting holes in the pencil or are you rounding the ends of the crossmembers? You might want to run some allthread through the crossmembers into the "pencils" to keep your glue joints extra stable.
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you can use pvc cleaner like you use before gluing to remove the lettering. it should be found next to the glue. latex paint will work on pvc.
-------------------- Jimmy Chatham Chatham Signs 468 stark st Commerce, Ga 30529 Posts: 1766 | From: Commerce, GA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Good idea about the allthreads. But it may make it so that the frame can't slip over the stakes. I plan to use a hole-saw to cut into the uprights to insert the 1¼" cross members. The Alumalite panels will be fastened into the 3" PVC with L-brackets. I'm also going to put that edge stuff on the Alumalite to make it look clean. The stovepipes are crimped on one end and fit up inside the caps. I also like the idea of priming with the Fusion. I normally NEVER make frames. I'm an artist, not a carpenter. But the alternative is to try to explain this to the "Helping Hands" group who will do the final install. It's easier to just hand them the framed-in sign! Thanks for your help! Now to build it! Love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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I've thought of using PVC pipe out doors. I know water resistance is not an issue. The stuff is designed to be buried in soil or hidden behind walls and be full of water. My question has always been, how does it stand up to freezing cold and searing heat when used out doors. Our climate easily varies from -30 C to +30 C every year. How much does this stuff expand and contract and will the glue joints break down over time? I like the idea of a mechanical fastener to supplement the glue. Another issue is painting pvc with dark colors. We tried using Intecel (PVC sheet) to make sandwich boards. We screened on a dark blue background dropping out the white letters. After a week of moderate summer heat, these things literally melted, cause them so sag into a TeePee shape. So back to MDO for this application, or stick with the white background of the PVC. In the winter we found that Sintra (Foamed PVC) became very brittle and snapped easily. I would be interested to hear of any good or bad experiences of those who have use this stuff outdoors along with some detail of the climate they are used in. As with any material, just like wrist watches...water resistant doesn't mean waterproof...and waterproof doesn't necessarily mean weatherproof.
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We did a sign about 10 years ago using PVC pipe to slip over the 4x4 posts, simulating round columns on the building. We painted them with acrylic poly. We had to redo the diectory part of the sign a year ago, a little touch up on the posts and they were go to go. They are prone to scratching, but otherwise the paint stuck good. Here the temp varies from 0F to 100F.
We built our tater cannon out of it , used the glue... ANd it will withstand a 300psi blast from a detonation of volatile hairspray, launching a .5 lb baking tater 300+ yards. That strong enough?
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Jill, I'm glad you posted, I just finished drawing a preschool with crayons for post and was wondering what to do with the plastic pipe. Will vinyl stick to plastic pipe since we are on the subject?
-------------------- Ken Holden 7 Oaks Signs 18457 Hwy 22 Ponchatoula, LA 70454 Posts: 144 | From: Ponchatoula, LA | Registered: Apr 2005
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I've been out of the biz for almost five years now, but we used to paint PVC with One Shot and spray enamels without a primer and never experienced a failure that we knew about.
We did a family of drop-in ground signs for an apartment complex that had to be painted with latex semigloss. Kelly Moore recommended their PVC primer paint, which we used before applying the finish coat. They have been up seven or eight years now. Recently I was in the area and stopped to see how they are holding up. They look just fine after all those years.
Best wishes - Vic G
-------------------- Victor Georgiou Danville, CA , USA Posts: 1746 | From: Danville, CA , USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Cute Idea. How are you going to make the PVC "Sleeves" solid to the stakes? If you haven't figured that one out yet you could use a liner of plastic or vinyl to line the pipes and fill the void with expandable foam. Either that or just fill them with sand. Either way the tubes can still be removed if need be for repairs. I did a design of a dibond crayola box filled with PVC pipe crayons once. It never made it to the manufacturing stage though.
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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The "erasers' will be removeable, and sand could be poured in if need be. Foam would not be an option, as this sign has to be "temporary" as specified by the zoning codes. I have all the panels ready now and plan to build the frame today. Found out #16 adhesive will NOT bond changeable letter trax to alumalite! I got those little thingies that expand when you stick the screw into them...anchors? to put the L-brackets into the sides. I'm pretty sure vynull will stick to the PVC when it's painted. The picture on the sign is all paint, with the copy being HP vynull. There will also be a phone number and a website on seperate cross members. I can always hand-letter that if there is an adhesion problem. love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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I have a few of these style pvc post signs out there and have painted the posts with acrylic latex paints after cleaning all markings off with lacquer thinner. I have also wrapped them with hp cast vinyl for colors that I anticipate quick paint fading.
On one such sign which is over 10 years and still looking good, I used a 4 pvc post system (I used the 5" green sewer pipe). Two of the posts I painted with acrylic latex and 2 of the posts I wrapped with hp cast vinyl. I sunk the posts in concrete, filled them almost to the top with dirt and put concrete up to the top the last 4 inches. I dadoed out the posts to receive 2X2" treated stringers and used threaded rod to sandwich the stingers on either side of the posts, because it is a double sided sign. I recessed the threaded rods and hacked sawed them off flush. I then glued and screwed mating 2x2's on the backs of mdo sign panels and mated those panels onto the stringers.
I kept my jig for dadoing out these round posts and have used it since for others similar signs. They have been popular. The round posts are sturdy enough for Illinois' climate and they look cool, so have at it, girl.
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2107 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
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Is it OK to use Krylon "OSHA" paint? The fusion brand only has icky colors. I also have tons of 1-Shot and Ronan sign enamel.
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