Rocco

I've been meaning to reply to this. Put it down to advancing decrepitude. :) Try Miratec systems. https://miratecsystems.com/

i get emails/calls just about every week from lead generation systems that want you to sign up and may a monthly fee. Blue book, construct connect, etc. These are usually jobs from contractors wanting bids for construction projects- at leas the ones i see. if you (your estimator) have the time to wade through possibly hundreds of pages of drawings it can be worthwhile. They would usually send a link to online plan rooms with EVERYTHING for constructing the buildings. You have to find the sign pages, which are often stuck in randomly, where the architects can fit in the bid set. The jobs can be anything from just ADA/bathroom signs to the exterior sign packge. And of course low bid usually rules. YMMV.

As usual, I'm late. Merry Merry, Happy Happy to all!

Even the first issue had a section for electrical signs. i just find the ads facinating with all the different type faces. OK, so I'm a font nerd!

I get emails from the mag and they have started to put early issues into an archive with the Cincinnatti public library. it's facinating to look at the old copies, especially the ads for the various products. EG sign lights with a hooded reflector don't seem to have changed much in design since the 1920's. I've put a link to the archive below. i hope they keep doing this because i'd love to see issues from the 1960's/70's when i first started helping my Dad. https://digital.cincinnatilibrary.org/digital/collection/p16998coll17/search/searchterm/Collection of SmartWork Media/field/source/mode/exact/conn/and/order/datea/ad/asc

A long time ago I did a comparison between the different colors of neon with my eldest daughter. It was for a science fair project. We took 7-8 different neon samples (i had a ton at the time) and put a light meter on the various colors. Clear red put out the most light by a good margin. i don't have the info anymore because that was about 30 years ago but it does make sense to put red LED's behind red plex. And we used to put red neon behind red faces - way back when - so red modules behind red faces is logical.

Yes, that happens. With these corporations, someone new gets in the purchasing department and they go with whoever is 10 cents cheaper.

Thanks Paul I don't really expect to get this job becasue i'm probably too high. i quoted it to the property owner but we'll see what happens. Rocco

Hi all Does anyone know who does the Cubesmart signs? I have a bid request for a new location and they asked me to make the exterior channel letters. That would be easy enough but I'm not the approved vendor. i told the customer this and said we could at least provide the installation if we aren't allowed to make the signs. It's possible that Cubesmart doesn't care who makes the signs but I doubt it. Thanks! Rocco

Thanks, I'll give them a call.

Hi all We are quoting a job to replace some 10' x 15' flex faces for a hotel and they want a dark background with light lettering. i've eradicated these in the past but it's a huge mess in the shop. Does anyone have a recommendaton for a wholesaler? Thanks!

Interesting. i've never seen anything like that. We'd do our best to deal with a paper pattern but I can understand. We've transfered paper patterns to pieces of corogated plastic if we had to rain coming in. Maybe go that route? Or put in on tyvek or even that corrugated cardboard that comes in a roll. i guess it depends on the size of the sign, height, etc. Good luck with it. if they do send you a string pattern i'd be interested to see it on the wall. How big is the sign?

Mike, i started helping my Dad in this business in the late 1960's and have installed a gazillion signs for myself and many national companies. i've never heard of a "string" pattern. Since you are so close to the ocean I can understand the wind issue. And I've found that things are often called by different names in different parts of the country. What's a "string pattern?"

Thanks for the info. Buying up shops eh? Maybe I'll ask them to buy me out. After nearly 50 years in this crazy game I wouldn't mind retiring.

Does anyone know of someone who can hand letter on a brick wall in Phila? The job was supposed to be lit channel letters, but they now wants to go old-school (very old school) on this location. it's about 15' to the top of the lettering and a scissor lift can be provided. Thanks folks! Rocco

It depends on what's under the EIFS. If it's plywood under the foam, then toggles are fine for a lightweight sign. If masonry, we've come to like the titen HD (simpson strong tie brand) anchors or long wedge anchors. The Titen HD screws are more user friendly than tapcons IMO. They come in a variety of sizes, sometimes even at the big home centers. Just check to see if it's densglass (fiberglass wall panels) under the foam. Engineeners have told us that densglass isn't "structural" and that things need to be thru-bolted with uni-strut (or equal) sleepers across studs inside the wall. A few years back, we were called out for an emergency call where someone had installed some large raceway channel letter signs to an EIFS wall that had densglass behind. They used lag screws. These held for a while but a heavy snow caused them to fail. And toggles should work with Densglass but again not for any heavy loads. In any case don't compress the foam too much. A sleeve (mentioned above) would be needed for whatever the depth of the foam might be, though probably not needed for something light like an ACM panel. if it's a really small sign, then appropriate exterior screws are usually OK going into plywood.

Hi Can anyone tell me the right color red and blue translucent vinyl for the "new" Pepsi logo? We have a local ice cream spot that recently changed from Coke to Pepsi and we have to replace the graphics on a couple of lit cabinets. The customer sent me the logo in various formats but it didn't specify the correct colors. I've searched but keep getting CYMK, etc. for the older logo - 2022 or so. Thanks!

Darn! That customer of mine has an OLD corrugated sign faces with cut out letters. Oh well, i guess he'll have to accept a flat face. Thanks

Nice, Where did the corrugated plastic come from? I have a potential job where the customer wants to recreate his old sign that was damaged.

I went and compared to the Atlantic City show it was huge. This was my first national show, even after being in the sign game for close to fifty years. I was speaking with folks from Ruggles who said it was much smaller than the Vegas show. They said it took them a day and a half to just walk up/down the aisles at the last Vegas show. it took me all of Wednesday afternoon and Thursday afternoon to wander around and I know I didn't see it all.

is anyone going? I have never been to the Vegas show and figured i'd give it a shot in orlando. Plus I can visit my brother and also some friends while there to make the trip worthwhile in case the show is a bust. Look for a fat, balding old fart wearing an Abco Signs t-shirt. ;)

Razor, you carpooled with Fred Flintstone too?

TBH, even after doing signs for a zillion or so years, I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of using that system. IDK if the tensioning instructions from signcomp will be helpful but this was on their site. The last section mentions using a screwdriver to depress the clip like with the plastic ones but IDK how that will work if they are rusted. However i didn't see pricing on the site and replacement clips might not be available anymore. https://www.signcomp.com/media/201509081009-CTS Tensioning Instructions.pdf

It does look like flex material. Without seeing the whole side I'm only guessing so... i would drill a hole in the cabinet (under the molding and then fill with silicone) and look inside. Hopefully there are extruded clips/bars holding the face taut so a whole section can come off without dealing with a multitude of clips. From the angle of the photo I'd say this is a signcomp bleed frame. Are there black plastic clips in the gap above/below the face? if so you can remove them with a screwdriver - assuming the whole thing doesn't come off. I'd sure there are videos on tensioning signcomp extrusion kits that can show much better than i could explain. A tensioning tool signcomp will make re-installing the clips easier but again a screwdriver can do the job, just a lot slower. Anyway, that's my guess!

Good morning Does anyone have any info on Forge Signworks from northern NJ? i just got an RFQ and haven't heard from them before. Thanks!