outdoor nameplate, clear writing, how to?

[Kurt Hamblok]

Hello all,

I've tried to look through the forum, but it's hard since I can't define any specific words to narrow the search.
A client needs an outdoor nameplate for her customers to know where they need to be. Both by day as by night.
She already has a fixture (with backlighting) where the plate needs to fit in to, and she wants me to create a plate with the necessary info cut after which the letters are clear.
At night the light shines through them, by day, it's the plate that makes it visible (any color/metal finisch, she hasn't decided yet).
However, she doesn't like any stencilfonts that I have shown her... Is there any different way to acquire this result with any regular font?
Is it even possible? Cut it mirrored, but not through a certain transferfilm and then glue it on normal PMMA and afterwards removing the film?
Or is a sticker on PMMA the only option?
Any suggestions or key words to search for info on the forum are welcome...

Thanks!

[Joe Pelonio]

Dark colored vinyl with the letters cut out applied to "sign white" translucent acrylic. The acrylic allows the letters to light up at night while the vinyl blocks it but provides good contrast during the day. This is a vinyl cutting plotter job unless you can find a polyester fil that's safe to cut on the laser. You could also cut it from Rowmark ADA Alternative and glue onto the acrylic, just glue the centers of the and A O or P etc. separately rather than use a stencil font. Better than gluing is to apply film adhesive such as 3M 367 before cutting the letters out on the laser, peel the backing and stick to the acrylic. Clear acrylic would work too but the light can have glare and you can see the bulbs behind it.

[Kurt Hamblok]

Thanks for the reply, especially the suggestion for materials I should use, it's always a search to find the right ones!

[Riki Potter]

I've used a material that's a clear plastic 1.5-2mm thick, not sure what type, with a colour on the backside, it's sold by Innovative Plastics Inc (they supply the same type of stuff as Rowmark I believe) and is meant for outdoor use. All that's needed is to reverse engrave the colour layer off the back and it leaves you with engraving like on clear acrylic, then if you want it less frosted you can drop the laser out of focus and run it again to smooth the surface a bit.

[Mark Sipes]

Riki has the answer. Custom color. Spray paint glass/acrylic on the back and laser on the reverse side to burn off the paint.

[Riki Potter]

Or maybe even cover clear acrylic in transfer tape and vector cut all your letters, peel off the excess then spray paint and peel off the letters (not sure if it's best when dry or wet, I'd assume wet).