Engraved Dibond

[Joe Pelonio]

Another sign shop that does neon wanted some dibond plaques to put on the
electric boxes to identify them and the electrical specs. This is engraving on brushed copper dibond.

[Albert Nix]

Nice Joe. Did you treat the material first or did it laser that color?

[Joe Pelonio]

Dibond is thin aluminum on both sides of 3mm PVC sheet, so the engraving just burns through the finish (copper in this case) and reveals bare aluminum colored graphics. I have also done it with black but didn't take a picture. While it works on white there's not much contrast.

[Jack Harper]

Nice work Joe. where do you order your dibond from?

[Joe Pelonio]

Nice work Joe. where do you order your dibond from?
We have 5-6 local sign supplies that carry it, most recently I have been getting it from Laird Plastics (Seattle) because they have a big CNC and can cut it to size for me. I still have a few sheets left from a freight liquidator that I bought out at about 1/2 price last winter.

[Jack Harper]

Joe- Exactly what color combination did you use? I see a copper with white base and some gold or bronze with silver.

[Joe Pelonio]

Joe- Exactly what color combination did you use? I see a copper with white base and some gold or bronze with silver.
It's the copper with white base. They all have a black core, by base they mean the aluminum on the other side.

[Jack Harper]

Thanks Joe. I am redoing my showroom and wanted to use a 4'x8' sheet as a backer to display my metal work on with some pattern lasered into the background. I think this will look nice next to the wood, leather and stone panels.

[Joe Pelonio]

Thanks Joe. I am redoing my showroom and wanted to use a 4'x8' sheet as a backer to display my metal work on with some pattern lasered into the background. I think this will look nice next to the wood, leather and stone panels.
That sounds great, but now you'll have to post a picture when it's done! :)

[martin g. boekers]

Joe, do you know what the surface coating is, or how it would hold up to outdoor exposure?

Thanks,

Marty

[Scott Shepherd]

Dibond and all the other brand names for it are all outdoor rated products to the best of my knowledge.

I certainly hope so, since I'm using them for outdoor signs all the time. I haven't used the metal finishes outdoors yet, but I use the colors frequently.

[Erik King]

We use Diabond all the time ( I manage a major commercial sign shop). It is a terrific material, and totally outdoor durable. It routs like butter and lends itself to a lot of sign applications. Never thought to laser the copper finish...but will be doing so tomorrow.

[Doug Bergstrom]

Joe,
We recently lasered the white Diebond for use as dry erase boards in an environment where they destroyed our other boards in about 4 weeks. The engraving looks great and they are now ordering these boards since the test board worked great. I am constantly amazed at what we use our laser for!

[Levi Chanowitz]

I dont understand, Can this be laser engraved? Do you remove the Aluminum? How do you cut this?

[Joe Pelonio]

All we are doing is to engrave through the paint on the surface, so the aluminum color shows through. It can easily be saw cut with fine teeth, though the best way is a router for nice smooth edges. My local supplier cuts to order on a CNC. Last job was 10 sheets, $50 to cut into about 80 different sizes and shapes.

I recently had to round the corners on some already installed, and merely used heavy duty wire cutters to make 3 cuts then hand sanded with a block, worked great.

[Levi Chanowitz]

so what you are saying is that it is a material similar to black brass, and you remove the black?
the real benefit is that it has a nicer brushed finish on the metal?
This material can be sheared with a regular shear?

Did I understand you correctly?

[Joe Pelonio]

Yes, you can shear it with any metal sheer, up to a certain thickness. I have had it done up to 4mm. it does tend to roll the top metal edge a little so it's not quite as nice as a router cut.

The engraving is much like coated brass or anodized aluminum. That brushed engraving was only because I was using brushed copper dibond. The same would work with the brushed gold or silver. The regular colors, white, and black would not have a brushed finish to the engraving.

[Levi Chanowitz]

The metal edge rolls down on good side or it curls up?

[Joe Pelonio]

A hydraulic shear as used in a metal/heating/AC shop will bend the top edge down slightly, sort of rounding it. I usually have them cut it upside down. I have not tried it on a hand shear.

[Levi Chanowitz]

thanks so much