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How do I register standoff letters when mounting on wall.
I’m going to be cutting acrylic letters and will be mounting them directly to the wall with standoffs.
My question is, how do I register them with the holes I drill in the wall? All I can think of is to laser engrave the location of each standoff on the back of each letter and cut them with the laser reversed. I would then cut a paper template using the same file from the laser. I then tape the template on the wall and drill through it.
The problem is, I may want to use clear acrylic and back paint it before mounting the standoffs with silicone. The engraving would show through the paint in this case. I suppose I could paint the front of the letters. Prefer the back visually. Also, I may want to use glue-able standoffs that don’t require drilling. How do you guys do it?
David
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7 Replies
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The way to do this is in theory is…..make your letters……………….paint your letters…………apply the locators to the back (in any position you want)………….then line up the letters to a paper plot or template & transfer the locator marks, being as accurate as you can.
I’ve never used silicone to glue the locators so I can’t advise if that is a good idea or not………..I would normally use Tensol but you obviously have the problem with the paint on the reverse.
Why not just use black acrylic?
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Wallpaper type lining paper is ideal for the template.
As outline above, make up your letters and apply the mounts.
Put your plotter in pen mode (replace the knife with the pen) and plot out the whole graphic on to the lining paper at actual size.
Lay the paper flat and place the letters over the plot outlines.
The mounts have pimples on the rear face so pressing down at each mounting point will put a dimple in the paper.
As soon as you lift off the letter, draw a rough circle around each dimple so that you can find them and press the pen point in to the dimple itself.
Mark each letter on the back 1,2,3,4 and so on so that any repeated letters will be in the right order.
Draw a straight line under the graphic to aid alignment on the wall.
Tape it in place and use a small drill initially to start the hole (stop wandering).
Don’t over tighten the cups when fitting so that they can lean a bit if any holes are slightly out. -
Thanks for the info guys, it seems so simple when you say it. I’ll be doing it that way on my next install
Regards, David
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Looks like you now have a good description of how to make up a template but I would be very careful how you actually make up the letters themselves.
Don’t know what size the letters are to be or if they are for internal or external use but I would not use silicone to attach the locator’s for either.
Last thing you want is letters falling off and hitting passers by, silicone is not the right product to be using for something like this. Use a proper adhesive like Tenson or Penlock to attach the locator’s and don’t paint the back of the letters and then attach the locator’s as you will be relying on the paint to hold them on.
I an not sure why you want to use clear, if it is for effect then a better way to do the job I would think would be to cut the letters out of a couloured acrylic in say 2 or 3 mm, then bond a second clear letter to the face of that letter and the locator’s to the back. It will obviously make the job more expensive but if you show the customer a sample of each letter and offer two different prices the customer can decide what they want. -
Martin, you are correct, the clear is for effect. The bonding makes sense but will add labour to the job. I generally pre-paint the acrylic and then laser cut it. The heat stressed edges craze if painted with anything but a water based paint after being cut. I like the durability of solvent based paints, which is why I prepaint. It’s also less critical if I’m spraying a sheet. If I cut the letters with paint on the front, the clear or coloured acrylic edges show. Is there a non-solvent (water) based paint you would recommend to spray acrylic letters?
I’m set up in Romania and being English speaking I try to keep it simple :). You are correct, I should hunt down the correct adhesives. Silicone is easily available.
Thanks for the input.
David -
hi if your stand off pins are too high i find it easier to make a little jig.
After ploting your template on paper. Make a wooden set square. But use a wide wood up on edge. So if your stand off pins are 100mm long then use 120mm wide pine or similar wood, you could even use steel if you want. Make a right angel square how ever big your letters are. I like to make a quite a big one so that it can be used for other jobs.
Now place the square on the left hand side of the letter and the bottom of the letter on the top of the paper template. You will now be able to place the acrylic letter inside and butt it up to the bottom and the side of the jig. This will then give you an exact palcement of the letter on the template. Its just a bti easier then eye balling it.
Hope it helps.
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You should be able to buy an acrylic glue. then what you can do is screw in a small piece of acrylis to the top of the pin and then you can glue that acrylic to the back of the letter.
I also dint like the idea of painting the back because it is only the paint that is holding.
What paint are you using by the way. If you use a 2K with hardener etc then it could work. Also best to get your paint supplier to prescribe the right priming chemical .
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