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Small Oval Dibond panel Required
Who or where can people suggest to get a piece of ACM or dibond cut into an oval 460mm x 610mm?
i’m really only set up for straight cuts and never had much success hand cutting circles or ovals neatly enough.
Are there any suppliers who do this for you?
cheers Stuart -
25 Replies
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Stuart,
I find making ovals by hand easier since I learned the nails and string technique. Just check YouTube for drawing ovals. It’s not perfect but it works for me.
Obviously you could print it and the cut around it.
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Yes Neil, its quite easy to draw an oval but its the smooth cutting of the shape once drawn that I find awkward without a router.
Straight cuts I score and snap ACM and then file & sand the edges but cutting curves to look professional I have not managed yet. -
Try Traybond.co.uk
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Thanks David, I’ve already spoken to them and they have a minimum order of £150 so not viable for a small one off !
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We don’t have a minimum order from them, but we’re more local. I can ask for a price and send it up on courier?
Solar Sign Supplies
Group 101
PFI Sign Solutions -
Thanks David
that would be really helpful.
just getting a quote together for a customer at this stage so do not know if it will go ahead yet.All they have said is an oval sign 460mm x 610mm.
trying to find out more.
Pm me or email info@reflecta.co.uk
cheers Stuart -
E-Mail sent.
Cheers
David -
Anyone with a Kongsburg or an Axyz should be able to help you Stuart, shouldn’t be anymore than £50
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My recent production of 4 dibond circle signs 1000mmx1000mm was very smooth using my Dewalt jigsaw. I left additional artwork/ vinyl where the jigsaw was cutting the shape. Finish was nice and client was happy. Job done in house.
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A jigsaw [emoji50][emoji50][emoji50]
JC you will never get a perfect circle with one of them – why don’t you outsource ? -
quote Iain Pearson:A jigsaw [emoji50][emoji50][emoji50]
JC you will never get a perfect circle with one of them – why don’t you outsource ?You are underestimating me.
I will never give advice if the result is not acceptable.P.S. I know a chap in Bournemouth, he does everything by hand with jigsaw, from flat cuts to built-up letters.
Amazing finish. No CNC, no Laser. -
I underestimate no one Pane, so please forgive me if you think that, but being an engineer for 20 years prior to sign making, I know first hand you will never be as accurate cutting with a hand held tool compared to a purpose built machine
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I agree – it’s perfectly feasible to do this with a jigsaw. Just cut the shape in vinyl – apply it to the board – then very carefully follow the shape with a jigsaw. You may get one or two slight irregularities but it is perfectly feasible to do it this way and the result is totally acceptable. I have a small CNC table but am limited to a maximum width of about 480mm so anything bigger than this gets cut out by hand with a jigsaw. I’ve done it with shaped sign blanks as well as flat cut letters with perfectly acceptable results. It may not be quite as perfect as a CNC cut – but is perfectly acceptable never the less once the edges have been sanded smooth.
Here’s a few I’ve done using a jigsaw:-
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James at GROPU101 will be able to help you out. http://www.group101.co.uk
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No disrespect Phill but my clients wouldn’t accept "Garden Shed DIY" working practices. If I can’t make it myself with the equipment designed for the job, then I outsource to companies that can. Each to their own, and complete respect to you guys that can produce work by those means, but my clients just wouldn’t accept it
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Well Stuart has asked for advice and has received a number of well meaning replies. I guess it’s a subjective decision to decide what is and isn’t an acceptable way to produce a sign blank. Perhaps Stuart might like to give it a go for himself and then decide whether or not the result is acceptable?
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As I said, I’m not being disrespectful and I appreciate that there are some very talented people in our business, but if my client asked for 100 discs of varying size, that’s exactly what they get, perfect discs in a pretty quick time – how long would it take you to hand shape 100 discs perfectly ?
And Stuart, if you have no luck I’ll happily help you out with them
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I wouldn’t attempt 100 discs of varying size as it’s just too time consuming. But as a one off I think it’s worth considering.
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quote Iain Pearson:No disrespect Phill but my clients wouldn’t accept “Garden Shed DIY” working practices. If I can’t make it myself with the equipment designed for the job, then I outsource to companies that can. Each to their own, and complete respect to you guys that can produce work by those means, but my clients just wouldn’t accept it
Iain, ok. No worries.
You are doing it again with "Garden Shed DIY working practices"
You need to see a close up to judge.
In my case all signs where at eye level and top results.
Especially easy if sign is going few meters up on a warehouse.
No question, CNC is better option. Sometimes clients want stuff done while they wait or same day. 5 min with the jigsaw. Done.
A none garden shed job and a happy client.Off course will send 100’s of them to CNC place.
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If you’re clients are prepared to accept it, then I guess that’s all that matters [emoji106]
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quote Iain Pearson:If you’re clients are prepared to accept it, then I guess that’s all that matters [emoji106]
It is not about that. It’s about selling good product.
Let’s agree to disagree, and let the OP to decide him self. -
Suits me [emoji106]
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Before affordable CNC it was all done by hand for years be it vinyl or board, cnc just replaced the craftsman with a machine
Kev
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I agree with Kevin, before lasers, CNC machines etc all work was hand cut. With my letter makers the skill is not the forming of the returns, but the fact that they can hand cut accurately with using an upright bandsaw or even jigsaw. We have produced jobs where the Client has no idea they had been hand cut, but that’s what I pay for, craftsman. I then don’t have to rely on waiting for the lasers to cut something if needed in a rush.
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As an apprentice engineer if I couldn’t draw, cut and finish a simple shape in metal accurately I would have been kicked out.
Machines are irreplaceable for mass production but hands, eyes and handtools are still the option for single items. Lets not forget that there are many examples of fine engineering flying and driving around that include many accurate and beautifully hand made componants.
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