Help Identifying a product and a supplier

[Wayne Grecco]

Hell all....

I have a customer that is looking for some engraved signs for his business and he gave me a couple photos of ones he wants. I am not sure what they are made from and where to get the materials. Can anyone help me out with this?

Thanks!
Wayne

[Tony Lenkic]

That is aluminum composite material sold by sign supplier. Typically vinyl cu lettering and graphics.
Dibond, Alupanel and other manufacturers.

[Darryl Hazen]

It looks to me like it is acrylic, reverse engraved. Look at the 2nd photo. The light is shining through the edge of the clear acrylic.

[Scott Shepherd]

It's 2 pieces of acrylic. One black for the back piece and 1 clear, painted gray and reverse engraved, filled with white paint on the letters. Stuck together with adhesive tape.

[Dan Hintz]

I don't see black, but either way, two pieces seems like a tough way to go.

If I was recreating it, I'd use a single piece of acrylic reverse painted in gray. Laser off the lettering and reverse paint white.

[David Somers]

I have seen this before, and I believe there is some in my building. But I won't be down there again until early Monday, Pacific Time if that is OK. I have company this weekend so it would be awkward to go running to the office. Wayne..if this is urgent I can try but no guarantees.

Dave

[Kev Williams]

It's a piece of reverse-laserable acrylic, looks exactly like the IPI stuff I just bought. It's a matte clear with a microthin color layer on the back. After you laser etch or engrave it you paint the etching. Comes in several colors. Rowmark, New Hermes and whoever else probably has similar stuff.

As for what's BEHIND that sign, no clue, possibly an old sign, with the gray sign taped to it.

[Wayne Grecco]

Thanks to all who replied so far...

It is not a vinyl lettering. I just saw it in person and it looks reverse engraved to me. It also does look like 2 pieces together with the back piece being black. David... I can wait till you go back to the office on Monday if you remember that would be great.

Kev....you mention it looks like the IPI stuff you just bought. What did you buy? Is there a name for the product?

To me it looks like it was just engraved and Im not sure if it was painted at all. Is there anything that comes a solid color like that and you just can engrave the lettering without painting?

Thanks for all the help!
Wayne

[Mike Null]

I think it's a single piece of 1/8" acrylic reverse engraved and color filled. It could have been clear then painted with gray engraved and painted white. It's not hard to do.

[Dan Hintz]

It also does look like 2 pieces together with the back piece being black.

Where the heck are you guys seeing black? I see a reflection through the acrylic of something black (shadow?), but I don't see anything black along the top corner... it should be a consistent black stripe, even in the corner, if it's there.

[Mike Null]

I wonder if they're being confused by the sloppy wall painting which partially covered the edges of the sign.

[Dan Hintz]

I wonder if they're being confused by the sloppy wall painting which partially covered the edges of the sign.

Ah, now I see it... what I thought was corner glare through a clear piece now looks like a drip of white paint that drooled down the edge. Now it looks like a layer of black with a clear layer on top.

It's like one of those optical illusions where you have to answer "is the pole dancer spinning clockwise or counterclockwise?" ;)

[Keith Outten]

One of the reasons that most use two layers of acrylic is because these types of signs are normally attached to the wall with a couple pieces of double sided tape and some adhesive. The tape holds the sign to the wall long enough for the adhesive to cure, after that it serves no purpose. Using two layers of acrylic means that your tape and adhesive are not joining a painted background to the wall which is also a painted surface.

This is a low quality mounting technique but it is used more frequently than any other system because its fast and cheap. I have replaced tens of thousands of these types of signs. In all fairness this install technique is fine in some areas and horrible in others, it depends on the building function.
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[Kev Williams]

Kev....you mention it looks like the IPI stuff you just bought. What did you buy? Is there a name for the product?

Below is page 13 of the current Marco Awards catalog, left column, laserable reverse engravables- the color I have, and what is pretty close to the material in your pictures is the "gray flannel"--

http://www.engraver1.com/erase1/Marcopage13.jpg



This is a 1x9 piece-- not engraved, sorry, all I have is spoken for and I'm waiting on an order!
This the front--

http://www.engraver1.com/erase1/gray1.jpg



and I bent it around so you can see the back--

http://www.engraver1.com/erase1/gray2.jpg


It lasers nicely from the back, and I just spray paint the engraving. Looks screen printed UNDER the surface.

[Wayne Grecco]

Guys,

Thanks again for all the input.

Kev... THANK YOU!!! I will look into using that material.

Wayne

[David Somers]

Wayne,

When I got to the office this morning I found the signs were not what I thought at all. I thought I was loosing my gourd until I spoke with one of the maintenance people. The signs used to be identical to what you pictured, same color and form. They were changed a bit ago to a new type that had braille dots on them. No resemblance to what you show. They are going to try and find one of the old signs for me and if possible, where they were made. I don't hold much hope for that though. Will follow up if they do find the details.

Sorry. It was an attractive sign. Clean looking and easy to read. No glare. I understand their need to put up signs with braille however. A federal building after all, needing to keep up with ADA requirements.

By the way....is your customer subject to ADA? Might be worth asking before they sink money into a non ADA compliant sign. Our current signs look at least partially lasered. A plastic background with applied cut raised lettering, with the raised Braille dots lasered into a recessed rectangle on the background plastic. To be honest, they look cheap to me, but that is strictly aesthestics on my part. They do what is needed.

Dave

[Keith Outten]

All buildings that allow public access are required to be fully ADA compliant. The grace period is over and in fact revision 2 of the spec is being enforced. Oh yeah, the fines are also pretty steep if your facility does not comply with the law and these days most States also have ADA regulations that you have to meet in addition to the Federal law.

The American Disabilities Act is Civil Rights Legislation so its taken pretty seriously by building owners and just about any state or local inspector can issue a citation right on the spot if they find items of non-compliance. Our State Fire Marshall is tough on owners who are not complying with the law, oh and the State needs money these days so the fines are becoming a source of revenue. If your missing a sign they will generally write you up on a non-compliance audit and give you a period of time to correct the problem. When they come back for a follow-up inspection its best to be 100% :)

One more thing, if you have an old building (with ADA signs) and you do a substantial amount of construction or repair you have to upgrade every sign in your building to the newest ADA specification. Of course it also includes restroom access spacial requirements and hand rails, ramps, etc.
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[Wayne Grecco]

David,

Thank you for taking the time to look into this for me. I really appreciate the help!!

Keith,

As far as ADA compliance, I asked them about it and they just want the basic signs. I gave them the option...

Also, you mention the installation issue... How would YOU install something like this? I have never made this type of sign before obviously so could use the pointers.

Thanks!
Wayne