Braille signs

[Andy Gorman]

I think a fair few people do Braille nowadays. Here’s one:

http://www.graphex.co.uk/access.htm

[Mike Grant]

I can do you tactile but not yet set up for the braille (waiting for a big enough job to come along to make it worthwhile to purchase the equipment)

[Steve Lamb]

I can’t remember on the supplier we used a couple of years ago, will have to check.
Try this anyway http://www.sign-maker.net/s-tactile-braille.htm

Big G, I find that Graphex are quite expensive, they say trade supplier but they have never been competetive, although not rang them for a couple of years, either 😕

[Andy Gorman]

I haven’t used graphex for a few years either, and never for braille.

Shame really, at Autac/Fineline we had a brilliant machine for doing braille. You could dispense tactile lines and shapes and all sorts. I expect the liquidators sold it for about a tenner to someone who thought it was a table.

[Guy Burt-Davies]

At last!! A subject I can talk (fairly) knowledgably about! We were all sent on a DDA compliance course late last year and it has proved invaluable.

You say that the signs need to be tactile – why? The DDA guidelines don’t insist upon braille (apparently only about 10% of visually impaired people can read it) the key is legibility. Signs can be compliant by the use of the correct typeface and high levels of contrast between the font and background colour.

The Slatz system from Spandex is one of the simplest to use if the client insists on braille but you’ll need to use a deeper slat than you would normally. There are several ways to add tactile text to the slats and Clearline (part of the North Essex Signs group) will fit the beads for you if you want.

My own opinion – for what it’s worth – is to use braille/tactile signs for the toilet areas etc (you can buy these signs off the shelf from places like Signs & Labels) but offer a well designed slatz system with a dark coloured type against a light background for the main signs.

Good Luck

Guy

[Neil Davey]

Thanks guy for your info.

My customer can get a grant to assist with all the signs and they told me DDA want braille and tactile, not all of them though, being in Wales they also mentioned having them in Welsh but I managed to put them off that!

Do the DDA specify a typeface?

Cheers Neil

[Kev Mayger]

Speak to Simon at Clearline (DDA Products) 01206 848 200 very helpful.

[Guy Burt-Davies]

Clearline are a good firm to talk to but remember that they are part of a sign company (North Essex Signs) so don’t give them client details etc.