Signage 2.0

It's funny to look back and see who things develop and come to be.  From a random encounter to a friendship to an idea to help someone out, then a design, and finally into production.

The concept design was pretty sick if I do say so myself.

This is basically what the DXF file looked like. From this one file I selected just the anchor points and the background and saved a base file.  Then I reopened and selected the anchor points and letters, saved this as a letters file.  I had to adjust a little bit of the pipes because the distance between cuts was too narrow.  With Plasma cutting the kerf is still pretty small, a little over 1/16".  So when two lines are closer than 1/8" that will pretty much destroy the line.

The base cut out with out a hitch! a good size sign base.

Then I had a break for lunch.

DO NOT LOOK AT THE ARC!    

  

The Letters are cut out and displayed for your enjoyment.  So what you have to be aware of, is that this is a relatively hot process.  The effect that heat has on metal, especially thin, metal is pretty dang gnarly.  The entire 30+ minutes I have a squirt bottle and damp paper towels to cool off the metal as fast as possible, if I don't the metal will warp really bad.  I think I did a good job at this the metal only expanded a little. 

This is the left over piece of 4x8 16ga. metal, it's pretty cool I think.

And a rough layout of the finished product.  We still have to drill out the holes and get this think cleaned up of all the slag and coolant, then get it powder coated.  I need to talk to Brady and finalize how we are going to mount this thing all together.

Well I hope you like the feet added in.  Sorry for the so so pictures, taken on my not so so camera phone.

laters