Friend wanted a 12" X 18" sign for their gate. Needed to be weather proof, light weight and last. Came up with this option.
Cheap extruded acrylic from Lowes, Painted one side white, cut mirrored image just thru paint and into acrylic, painted same side black. Presto…clean, simple, light weight, weather proof sign.
Brilliant.
It looks really good, and is a very clever way of making two colored signs, but I have questions.
FIrst, where is the cheap acrylic at Lowes (I need to get some of that)
Second, You spayed one side white, then did you cut on that side? Or did you cut on the other side?
I am sure I am not thinking this through correctly but It seems to me that you would paint one side black and the other side white then just cut the un-mirrored (normal) text with a very shallow cut on the white side so the black shows through and defines the lettering.
Edit— One more question
What lies on the other side of that gate that is so dangerous? It’s alligators I bet. Is it alligators?
Found the acrylic in Lowes in same section as screens, etc. They even have a way for them to cut them for you, but I just used my table saw with 80 tooth blade.
So I sprayed one side white, then cut same side (mirrored image) down to clear and sprayed same side black. This leaves all painted surfaces on back of sign and will not get scratched as front is clear acrylic only.
Hope that makes sense.
Never asked what was on the other side of gate that made it so dangerous. No alligators in Hawaii, so I know it wasn’t that, but I know they have a very mean Guinea Pig .
Thank you! That is even more clever than I first thought. The front of the sign is flat and smooth! Brillant.
If it’s not alligators it must be lava. He has a gate leading to a lava field.
Doesn’t look like it from your photo, but do you see any mill marks in front of the black from the tool?
Had normal minor tool marks but after spraying black, I can’t see them from the front at all.
Do you remember how deep the DOC was? Probably only had to be a couple thousandths, right?
Zuckerberg? Is Zuckerberg on the other side of the sign? (as timely as today’s headlines).
What type/size bit did you use?
Not trying to hijack a thread just throwing some ideas out there.
<img src=“//discuss-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/original/3X/4/0/40603faf1bed8d211d8d7eb6e7e0cd710beac8c3.jpg” width=“690” height=“388”. Not trying to hijack a thread
Awesome job nice and clean.
Like the idea. I think I’m going to try something like that in the near future
Cut to depth of .015
Font was Arial Black. DANGER was 355 point (stretched taller) Smaller lettering same font @ 140 points. Layout was done in Corel Draw and imported (SVG) to Easel.
Used .125 2 flute downcut bit @ 100 ipm #1 on Dewalt.
Great idea! How thick was the acrylic?
Most of the extruded plastic sheets you find in the home stores (Lowes, Home Depot, Ace) are .085 to .100. Found Ace to have the thickest ones @ .100.
I’m pretty sure we’re talking about this stuff:
man… i’ve got to try this!!! this is brilliant!
great job.
Way to think outside the box.
