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Leo Voisine
01-09-2008, 12:32 PM
I am going to make a sign for a guy with a Tiki bar. Not a business - this is residential.

He wants the sign to be 18" wide by about 12 inches high.

It is going to be made to look like some old driftwood with cracks and a lot of distressing. It will be a somewhat irregular shape.

It will have the lettering, distressing, cracks painted. I will likely use a torch to burn it.

It will be outdoors, maybe get rained on. I don't know what area of the country - but I think warm climate.

It is going to be carved on both sides

It needs to be WOOD.

I am going to cut it on my CNC router.

Questions:

1) What wood should I use? I was thinking cedar or something like that.

2) What type of coating/finish should I use. I was thinking satin finish "spar" varnish, like interlux or epiphanes - definately NOT helmsman.

3) What glue? Gluing boards together to make a panel. 2-3 boards to make it 12 or so inches tall. I was thinking titebond III ??

4) How thick? Will 3/4 or 4/4 be thick enough? Should I go thicker? 6/4? 8/4?

Joe Pelonio
01-09-2008, 12:54 PM
Since it's two sided it's probably free hanging outdoors? Nice weather or not I'd go at least 6/4 thickness for two sided to help avoid warping/cupping.

For the wood, cedar is good, redwood better if you can find it.

I would not put any finish on it, both those woods weather to a nice gray
that would (to me) enhance the look.

How are you doing the lettering?

Leo Voisine
01-09-2008, 10:45 PM
I am going to use a 60 degree v-groove cutter on the CNC machine.

Joe Pelonio
01-09-2008, 10:55 PM
Maybe after cutting the letters, paint them with 1-shot and leave the rest to weather?

Leo Voisine
01-10-2008, 9:24 PM
I am going to price it and give him the options,

Thank you

Peter Diesel
01-12-2008, 7:35 PM
This sounds like a very neat job for you. I like the idea of the gray weathered look, that will make it look very natural. You can go with cedar, or even I think best would be teak for the driftwood like look. I'm looking to build a Tiki bar this year, so if you don't mind, would you mind posting a picture of the sign when finished. Thanks.

Leo Voisine
01-12-2008, 9:09 PM
This is just a preview of the sign

18 wide
12 tall
1-1/2 thick
Mahogany
Black painted letters and cracks

Do you have any suggestions as to make it better for a Tiki bar?