Directory

[Scott Shepherd]

Here's one I finished up and installed today. All made from scratch. Something like 22" x 30". Back is 1/4" black acrylic, dibond brushed aluminum as a backing. Everything is reverse engraved and color filled. The directory strips have steel shims on the back, and there's a sheet magnet on the back piece. Chrome standoffs hold a 1/4" piece of green edge acrylic.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I did two of them, and this was the last one of the two.

[Joe Pelonio]

Very nice work. Only one suggestion, probably because of my old eyes. Less of a border would allow larger lettering. Do the standoffs allow for changing out the magnetic strips without unscrewing the acrylic?

[Scott Shepherd]

Hi Joe, thanks for the comment. The font size is actually about 5/8", so it's nice and clear and easy to read when you're actually looking at the real thing. I think some detail was lost in resizing the photo. I took the photo on a tripod, so the original is nice and clear.

Yes, you can take the standoff caps off and get access to the strips. The strips kind of have to be far from the edge because if anyone can reach them, they will. You can't stick your fingers in there and reach them.

The border gave me some issues to consider and I went through various tries at it. The problem is that they needed a total of about 25 strips. To make the border less, you have strips that are 3/4" tall and 20" long (which didn't look good at all, trust me, I did that already!).

Also, any larger and it doesn't fit on my laser any more :) I already had to do some trickery to cut a 26" piece on my 24" laser :) Do you do many of these Joe? If so, would you mind sharing some photos? I'd love to see some more from other people.

[Joe Pelonio]

I did one just a few weeks ago. I didn't take a picture though. I used black 6mm PVC covered with sheet metal then forest green vinyl. The magnetic strips were also covered with forest then the lettering was imitation gold.
Like yours, I used standoffs (black) and 1/4" clear acrylic. Mine was close to the same size but only 10 strips so larger lettering. Oh, and it was for outdoors so I put a little clear acrylic "roof" on it.

Others I have made for indoors have been for "less public" offices where I could use acrylic strips attached with velcro since there was no fear of tampering.

[Scott Shepherd]

Good money in them, that's for sure. I'd like to do these every day, all the time.

[Joe Pelonio]

How much for that one? My last was $280.

[Scott Shepherd]

Well, lets say more than $280. We had probably $200 in materials. The strips are reverse engraved and filled with white paint, and then steel shim applied to it.

What we are finding is that the cost of a name brand directory can be $2500 to $3000 for that size. It also requires prep work in most cases which includes cutting a hole in the wall and also having electricity run to the box. So total cost can easily be $4000 to have one installed and running.

With that sort of sticker price for them, I think it's easy to sell for a very decent profit.