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Advice regarding menu board
I have an urgent job to do for a regular customer (just spoken to him 5 mins ago ……. I go on holiday on Sunday and he needs it before I leave!!!!!!!! 👿 ) he needs a new menu board to go inside a hot food takeaway. Anyway, he doesn’t want a light box just a large sign with a multitude of text all over it 😕
Now what I was wanting to ask is this …………. I was thinking of using a gloss foamex with a decorative frame on it to give it a finished look. But will this be suitable for a chip shop with all that steam, grease etc floating about? Or shall I have to use a panatrim type frame to allow for expansion/contraction????? I just think panatrim will look a bit boring.
Has anyone got a suggestion of what would be my best option?
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8 Replies
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Marcella, I think foam thin PVC will buckle due to heat but 10mm (Foamalux Ultra) with some 50mm JAG stockframe stuck on might just do it.
Keep the fixing holes oversize and screws not tight, and use dome caps on the screw heads.
Otherwise, what about acrylic? Use slotted holes to allow for expansion.
A thin vinyl border offset from the edge with "twirls" in each corner will make a typical "chippy" sign.
Acrylic can look good hung on chains and front lit. I apply a rectangle of vinyl across the back (only where the text block extends to) to make the acrylic a solid non-translucent colour behind the wording.
This vinyl panel would match the acrylic colour.I always find these a nightmare as the customers constantly change the wording just after you have cut everything, then when it’s done, stand and look at it and decide the prices are wrong.
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quote David Glen:😕
I always find these a nightmare as the customers constantly change the wording just after you have cut everything, then when it’s done, stand and look at it and decide the prices are wrong.yip ………….. I constantly cut vinyl numbers for him because he changes his prices on a monthly basis
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Depending on its location – so long as it’s not directly above the range gloss 5 or 6mm PVC will be perfectly OK. Temp may fluctuate a bit – but nothing like an exterior sign: -15 to +50 degrees (sun on a black sign).
I’d advocate using strips of foam D/S tape if it’s a permanent feature with the odd capped screw…or just a screws every 12 to 18" / use the frame for ease of removal.
I take it he’s after a fast, (and cheap) menu so use what you have in stock.
A greasy atmosphere is not usually a major problem as the inbuilt extraction units take care of 99.99% of it.
Dave
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aside from buckling due to heat which i tend to think it would.
foamex holds dirt… so not favored by h&s… the problem you WILL have though is staining… the board will hold dirt. the heat, grease etc will dis-colour ever so slightly…(almost like cigarette smoke stain) when it comes to renewing letters/numbers etc you will see a ghosting of the letter you replace.
i have even changed perspex menus that are stained in the same way… and end up replacing the perspex as a result… perspex is much better of course, easier to clean and keep clean.what about white signicolor aluminium? buy it from amari in 8×4 sheets…
if they dont still do it i think alcco on london road do it.
if the customer just wants cheap and cheerful, ide use (cant remember the name) but the new alternative to lebaord composite board from europoint. that comes in white and only costs £40 for an 8×4… wont buckle or stain like foamex, it can also be cut using a stanely knife if need be… (be careful) 😉 -
Marcella when we have done these in the past we some times put blackboard vinyl down the side so they can chalk prices in, and we over laminate the text with clear vinyl so it can be cleaned. 👿 I hate menu boards they come with scraps of paper for you to decipher !!!!! and hope you get it right 🙄
Lynn
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quote Robert Lambie:😕 what about white signicolor aluminium? buy it from amari in 8×4 sheets…
😉is that the same as Alucolour? Just an ali composite?
I have some of that in stock and could use that, but what type of framing would be best suited? I need a finished looking product. I don’t want to use ali trim as it will look like an exterior sign. -
signicolour is auto-painted 2mm aluminium…
but… if you have the composite board handy ide use that.
as for finish…if you can get a good cut using a stanely knife, cut it with that. then you could put a radius on each corner with a jigsaw, and file smooth.
then, using metal locator stand-offs put one in each corner about two inches in, and two in the centre of the board two inches in…locator stand-offs
you then have this floating panel with decorative fixings. no need for trim!
may not be your cuppa-tea but a good option for a customer not wanting to spend much…
isp trade in mount vernon glasgow do these for about £1.50 each…
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Rob, I have a bundle of stand offs I bought from Chris a while back. That might be a decent option. The chippy is a bit grim and old fashioned, but as long as I keep with his colour scheme (red and white 😮 😕 ) I doubt he’d mind if it had a frame or stand offs.
That was a good idea ………… it’ll cost me less!!!!!!!! :lol1: :lol1: :lol1:
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