a pile of work!!!

[welder_one]

i work for the interstate highway sign company, and we got this order for a "special" sign for an international airport. i cant say where or when, yet, but i can say that it is made of panels. the biggest panel is 4 foot by 12 foot. the other size is 18 inches by 12 foot. weld continous around corners, then grind back down flat and grind outside corners and edges back to square. these frames then get "stuffed" with aluminum honeycomb. i will post pics of the honeycomb later. after getting stuffed the panels then get .080 faces glued on to both sides. final assembly is 1-18 inch panel with 3 -4 footers on top. rows and rows of this to make a sign that is 860 feet long. i am tired of these frames already and i have only gotten 15 of them done. i guess i should say that the frames are of 2x2 square tubing .125 wall 6061t6.

[tdkkart]

860ft??
What the heck is it, a sign that says
F-A-S-T-E-N--Y-O-U-R--S-E-A-T--B-E-L-T-S
For along side the runway???

[welder_one]

actually there arent any letters at all on it. only two different colors of reflective sheeting. like a candy stripe.

[tacmig]

get on it man!

Get'er done-get'er done-get'er-done-done-done$$

[SundownIII]

Welder_One,

Sounds as if the sign needs to be visible from "altitude".

I assume you're mig welding the corners. What machine are you using?

I can definitely see where a project of that scope would get "old" in a hurry.

I'd be very interested to see/hear more about the honeycombing you mentioned. I assume it's being done for additional strength.

[SignWave]

i work for the interstate highway sign company, and we got this order for a "special" sign for an international airport. i cant say where or when, yet, but i can say that it is made of panels.

I do signage as well W1. Thats a lot of square feet. In the last two weeks Ive put up 300sqft. Pro bono for the local hospital. they are trying to raise money for a new emergency wing that is currently handling a volume equal to 200% capacity on a daily basis..

[welder_one]

[QUOTE=SundownIII;19122]Welder_One,

Sounds as if the sign needs to be visible from "altitude".

I assume you're mig welding the corners. What machine are you using?

I can definitely see where a project of that scope would get "old" in a hurry.

I'd be very interested to see/hear more about the honeycombing you mentioned. I assume it's being done for additional strength.[/QUOTE

the sign is ground level, facing the runway. it might be for helping to control ground air speed or something like that.

i use ant xmt304 with an xr-a push/pull feeder, i have a 30 foot xr-edge gun on it. really nice set up, till you get tired and start tripping over your mig cables.


the honeycomb is for additional strength, i can post a pic of some this evening, when i get home from work. it is really neat stuff. i can walk around on it and it doesnt care. push it from the side and it folds up. we use cardboard honeycomb in other signs as well.

[welder_one]

I do signage as well W1. Thats a lot of square feet. In the last two weeks Ive put up 300sqft. Pro bono for the local hospital. they are trying to raise money for a new emergency wing that is currently handling a volume equal to 200% capacity on a daily basis..

do you cut legend out and apply to sign or do you screen print/ flood coat? thats cool that there is another sign bender on here. i just got done with 2 signs that went to disney in orlando. they looked like the number 7 with mickey mouse ears above the right hand side. there is a 6 foot tv that fit into the wing part of the "7" the pic below is one of them, my boss is screwing on the last sheet for the face. the other 2 are frame in progress.

[SignWave]

Hi W1, At this point in time Im a little bit smaller than I 'd like to be. My metal fabricating equipment acquisitions have occured only in the past 6 months. Im learning to weld, and form, but i still need some equipment.(dont we all....sign err i mean sigh)

Im currently putting a quote together for a backlit that i have very little idea about how i am going to create. I do know that come **** or high water, if the client wants it, theyll get it and it will be a quality product.

I am an electrician by trade and I run this signage Biz
I cut and print vinyl with a cople of different machines and i waiting for delivery of a 5x10 cnc router table. oncew i getthis peice of machinery, the above mentioned sign and others like it should be a bit simpler to create and I hopefully wont have to farm out that aspect of my business.

I belive that the work you do is on a much gr4ander scale than mine and I do hope that you wont mind if I "pick your brain" from time to time. That would be greatly appreciated. Theres a very rich guy in my part of the world. His name is Pattison. Its my goal to one day be able to kick his ***... For now, Ill just keep dreaming...

oh yeah, I do screen print, paint, sandblasting, glasswork, woodwork,and something called
Me me met metl metal wuh metal wurk... METAL WORK yeah thats it metal work...

the sign industry was described to meby a friend in the trade as the "wild wild west of jobs"
why? because anything goes... Im sure you know what I mean....
Have a good one.

[welder_one]

signwave, we make these signs that are called internally illuminated. a 16 x 40 foot sign will use only 6 t-8 flourescent bulbs. i will have to ask where we get the dissipation cover from, but i will let you know. on the face of the sign is smoke or white lexan. legend applied to make the sign. right behind it is the dissipation cover and behind it are the lights. what it does is dissipates the light so the you cant tell where the "lights" are behind the sign face. if you roll this stuff into an arch and glue it to another piece flat to make a sideways "D" shiny side in. it will carry the light from a plain ole light bulb for as long as you want to. at the other end let it open into the opposite roll and it will dissipate the light to make it look like it is glowing. really neat stuff. i think 3-m makes it, but not real sure. and please feel free to "pick my brain". i can tell you about automation and all kinds of neat stuff

[welder_one]

here is a pic of some progress. these are the 4x12 frames. only 1/3 of what i need for half of the job. the second pic is of the aluminum honeycomb. i didnt think to put anything on it to show a size reference, but it is only 2 inches thick, the cells are about 3/8. i only cut my hand twice trying to get this pic...lol

[Jolly Roger]

I must have built 10,000 sign frames as a kid. To this day I can't stand them. If I had to build that thing I would probably shoot myself. By the time I build the third of something just alike I am bored to death. You have my sympathy, but it is job security and it could be worse. It could be a drilling rig, lol. They never do anything requiring a welder in the daylight, and normally whatever it is your standing on your head in the mud.

[SignWave]

signwave, we make these signs that are called internally illuminated. a 16 x 40 foot sign will use only 6 t-8 flourescent bulbs. i will have to ask where we get the dissipation cover from, but i will let you know. on the face of the sign is smoke or white lexan. legend applied to make the sign. right behind it is the dissipation cover and behind it are the lights. what it does is dissipates the light so the you cant tell where the "lights" are behind the sign face. if you roll this stuff into an arch and glue it to another piece flat to make a sideways "D" shiny side in. it will carry the light from a plain ole light bulb for as long as you want to. at the other end let it open into the opposite roll and it will dissipate the light to make it look like it is glowing. really neat stuff. i think 3-m makes it, but not real sure. and please feel free to "pick my brain". i can tell you about automation and all kinds of neat stuff

Thanks W1, Much appreciated. Ive got two backlits on the go right now and one large exisiting awning.. One backlit is a new install and one is a nightmare...... have alook at the nightmare.. and the Z is a mockup for the client...
I'll have to change out most everything. tubes ballasts, hopefully the tombstones and box are alright.. wish me luck.

[welder_one]

best of luck, sir. any way i can help, just ask

[SignWave]

Thank you very much W1