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Will acrylic take the weight of built up letters?
Hi All
Currently quoting a customer to replace an acrylic panel in an existing single sided Dual Case sign. This is simple enough but they want fabricated letters mounting on the front.
The design brief really calls for chunky stainless letters but I’m concerned that these will be too heavy to mount on the acrylic panels, ie causing them to bow outwards. Other options for the letters include flat cuts in mirrored acrylic and I’m not too concerned about the weight of these.
I could brace the panels with clear acrylic strips but most of the panel will be plain opal 050 with just a pink vinyl ‘halo’ around the letters and I’m unsure if the strips will show through too much?
Any thoughts on whether bracing will be required and also how any such strips will show through.
Many Thanks
Macky -
7 Replies
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im not 100% here mate…
what sort of depth are you talking the sign is?
im guessing 5mm thick perspex?
what size of letters & how many of?
whats overall size of sign? -
Macky D,
as Rob says but I’m guessing you mean a standard lightbox?
If so I would go with the thickest acrylic you can get away with (probably 6mm) but with a “hanging strip” on the bottom of the acrylic panel aswell as the top.
This would prevent most of the bowing but still allow for expansion & wouldn’t interfere with the lights.
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Yep it’s a standard lightbox made from Dual Case components. The existing acrylic panels are 5mm and I could get away with using 6mm to replace it.
The overall box is 15ft * 2.5Ft, 2 times 7.5ft * 2.5ft panels with centre join.
Text will read “N:HAIR:G” and will be super chunky font (to be decided), overall width around 10-12ft, ie. fairly large single letters and hence my concern about their weight of metal built up letters bowing the panels?
What do you think.
Cheers
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at that depth i dont see bowing an issue mate. i could be wrong of course, but ide be happy enough.
just be careful when taping into the perspex with your screws.
when you say super chunky, do you mean font or the return on the letter? -
Rob
I’ll soon find out as I’ve just picked the order up today – will post some pictures in the next few weeks.
Cheers
Macky -
Hi
If the stainless you are using is a standard 0.9mm thick, the weight is approx 7.23kg per metre. The span you say is roughly 3000mm, height? about 500mm? Even with returns they will not be that heavy.
Failing that, you could always use a polycarb based opal, they at least will not come off! lol
Good luck
Vince
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Hi Vince
Thanks for that advice – have found a really good supplier of these ST/ST built ups. It’s an amazing coincidence but he was almost as knowledgeable on these things as you are and he’s got a very similar name! I will have to get my PO over to him tomorrow!
Cheers
Macky
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