Ideas on making fixings for heavy swing sign

[Peter Normington]

Coach screws should be fine,
What type of fixings are on the bracket?

Peter

[Glenn Sharp]

Craig…..we’ve used this sort of thing in the past…..works well presuming the frame has an eye on it to hook the snaphook onto it

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/74155/Ironmongery/Chains-Accessories/Hook-Shackles/Hooks-Shackles/Standard-Snap-Hooks-3-16-M4-Pack-of-10

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/11782/Ironmongery/Chains-Accessories/Hook-Shackles/Hooks-Shackles/Standard-Staple-On-Plate-50-x-50mm

[Craig Bond]

Thanks for your replies.

I don’t think I have made myself clear enough, sorry

I have manufactured, from scratch, a very heavy wooden routed sign. I need to find a safe way of attaching fixing to the sign to enable it to be hung. This sign is heavy and I don’t want it falling down because the fixings into the wooden sign are not good enough. If this fell down it would kill somebody!!

Many thanks for your replies.

Cheers

Craig

[Peter Normington]

Use the "screw fix" staple plates recommended by Glen,
secured with coach screws,

Peter

[Andy Gorman]

If you’re that worried get someone to bend you a strip of steel to go round the top and two sides of the sign, with a couple of eyes welded to it. I think JAG do something like this….

http://www.jagsignsupplies.com/aqshop/c … php?id=518

[Glenn Sharp]

securing off to the wall with a length of chain could get you out of trouble aswell

[Craig Bond]

Right!! Many thanks to you all. Got my head round this one. It is not the sort of work I do normally. Staple Plates and Coach screws it is. I do like the chain idea as well, just for safety.

Again, Many thanks

[Peter Normington]

Craig,
as a matter of fact any large diameter screws (6-10)will do the job, but you will need to drill the wood first otherwise you will risk splitting it.
I would suggest a length of 50mm also,

Peter

[Craig Bond]

Thanks Peter.

I think I will fill my drilled holes with PVC Glue as well. Very nervous about this one, it is outside of my comfort zone. Give me any other sign then I am great!!!

[Colin Bland]

I’m with Andy on this – have done a lot of this type of work in the past for big brewery companies and very large timber signs not had one come down yet.

We always had a strip of flat steel something like 50mm x 5mm that wraps across the top of the sign and then at least halfway down the sides of the sign – the steel is one piece and folded at the corners and is screwed into the sign through the top and through the sides using a pilot hole first to prevent timber split and ensuring the screws are long enough to bite into the main sign panel

This does two things.

1) It means that there is no chance of the fixings simply pulling out of the top because the screws through the side are in shear

2) It means that you have got a hold of the sign panel itself in case your joinery / glue are not up to the long term weathering effects

We used to weld 2 nuts to the underside of the strip at the top in line with clearance holes in the strip and then router away the wooden frame in the corresponding position to allow the nuts to sit out of sight effectively inside the timber frame- fill the holes in the timber after with silicone or similar to stop the water pooling.

We then used proper welded closed screw eyes as the hanger system these were screwed through the strip into the nuts with a tad of loctite for good measure

I would advise against using a chain to the wall, if the sign is as heavy as your indicating its unlikely that you will fit a chain that will hold the weight and the chain will stop the sign from swinging to relieve the wind pressure which is why it is created as a swing sign in the first place.

Worse still the chain can have the effect of producing a shock through the sign in gusty wind situations where the sign swings violently and is then jarred by the chain stopping its free movement.

The only time I have used tie chains in the past was when there were fixed overhead troughs or some other obstruction and the sign was in danger of swinging so far as to damage the trough lighting

Hope this helps

[Peter Dee]

Craig, I would never rely on brackets just screwed to the top rail.
I had to replace a heavy sign where the screws had rusted and the wood rotted and the whole lot fell to the ground.
I would recommend a metal strap which extends down the sides as mentioned.

[William Roger Masheder]

Hi as already suggested flat bar round 3 sides easy to do but please take into consideration the squeak factor it can be very annoying to the client and his neighbours listening to a squeaking sign all night and over the years can wear through the eye bolt fixing have had this happen to me
and customer came back after 12 years complaining that one side of the sign fix has worn out so I sometimes fix the bottom of the sign to stop it swinging
all the best
roger

[Craig Bond]

Thanks to you all for your advice. The steel framing now seems to be the option.