Help Identifying a product and a supplier

[Wayne Grecco]

Hell all....

I have a customer that is looking for some engraved signs for his business and he gave me a couple photos of ones he wants. I am not sure what they are made from and where to get the materials. Can anyone help me out with this?

Thanks!
Wayne

[Tony Lenkic]

That is aluminum composite material sold by sign supplier. Typically vinyl cu lettering and graphics.
Dibond, Alupanel and other manufacturers.

[Darryl Hazen]

It looks to me like it is acrylic, reverse engraved. Look at the 2nd photo. The light is shining through the edge of the clear acrylic.

[Scott Shepherd]

It's 2 pieces of acrylic. One black for the back piece and 1 clear, painted gray and reverse engraved, filled with white paint on the letters. Stuck together with adhesive tape.

[Dan Hintz]

I don't see black, but either way, two pieces seems like a tough way to go.

If I was recreating it, I'd use a single piece of acrylic reverse painted in gray. Laser off the lettering and reverse paint white.

[David Somers]

I have seen this before, and I believe there is some in my building. But I won't be down there again until early Monday, Pacific Time if that is OK. I have company this weekend so it would be awkward to go running to the office. Wayne..if this is urgent I can try but no guarantees.

Dave

[Kev Williams]

It's a piece of reverse-laserable acrylic, looks exactly like the IPI stuff I just bought. It's a matte clear with a microthin color layer on the back. After you laser etch or engrave it you paint the etching. Comes in several colors. Rowmark, New Hermes and whoever else probably has similar stuff.

As for what's BEHIND that sign, no clue, possibly an old sign, with the gray sign taped to it.

[Wayne Grecco]

Thanks to all who replied so far...

It is not a vinyl lettering. I just saw it in person and it looks reverse engraved to me. It also does look like 2 pieces together with the back piece being black. David... I can wait till you go back to the office on Monday if you remember that would be great.

Kev....you mention it looks like the IPI stuff you just bought. What did you buy? Is there a name for the product?

To me it looks like it was just engraved and Im not sure if it was painted at all. Is there anything that comes a solid color like that and you just can engrave the lettering without painting?

Thanks for all the help!
Wayne

[Mike Null]

I think it's a single piece of 1/8" acrylic reverse engraved and color filled. It could have been clear then painted with gray engraved and painted white. It's not hard to do.

[Dan Hintz]

It also does look like 2 pieces together with the back piece being black.

Where the heck are you guys seeing black? I see a reflection through the acrylic of something black (shadow?), but I don't see anything black along the top corner... it should be a consistent black stripe, even in the corner, if it's there.

[Mike Null]

I wonder if they're being confused by the sloppy wall painting which partially covered the edges of the sign.

[Dan Hintz]

I wonder if they're being confused by the sloppy wall painting which partially covered the edges of the sign.

Ah, now I see it... what I thought was corner glare through a clear piece now looks like a drip of white paint that drooled down the edge. Now it looks like a layer of black with a clear layer on top.

It's like one of those optical illusions where you have to answer "is the pole dancer spinning clockwise or counterclockwise?"

[Keith Outten]

One of the reasons that most use two layers of acrylic is because these types of signs are normally attached to the wall with a couple pieces of double sided tape and some adhesive. The tape holds the sign to the wall long enough for the adhesive to cure, after that it serves no purpose. Using two layers of acrylic means that your tape and adhesive are not joining a painted background to the wall which is also a painted surface.

This is a low quality mounting technique but it is used more frequently than any other system because its fast and cheap. I have replaced tens of thousands of these types of signs. In all fairness this install technique is fine in some areas and horrible in others, it depends on the building function.
.

[Kev Williams]

Kev....you mention it looks like the IPI stuff you just bought. What did you buy? Is there a name for the product?

Below is page 13 of the current Marco Awards catalog, left column, laserable reverse engravables- the color I have, and what is pretty close to the material in your pictures is the "gray flannel"--





This is a 1x9 piece-- not engraved, sorry, all I have is spoken for and I'm waiting on an order!
This the front--





and I bent it around so you can see the back--




It lasers nicely from the back, and I just spray paint the engraving. Looks screen printed UNDER the surface.

[Wayne Grecco]

Guys,

Thanks again for all the input.

Kev... THANK YOU!!! I will look into using that material.

Wayne