Briggs Signs chooses SignBlock for diverse applications

“When it comes to making a lightweight, yet durable 3D sign, SIGNBLOCK is my first go to product” says Sam. “I love the way it cuts and how easy it is to finish. It’s so versatile and allows you to create 3D shapes you would otherwise struggle to create out of other materials and as you can paint finish it, you can make it look like something much heavier such as the huge nut and bolt I did last year.”

The Nut and Bolt sign:

Sam explained that he “used a 45 degree router cutter to get the bevel on it, and then cut it out afterwards with an 8mm cutter. Each thread of the bolt was cut from 38mm sheets glued together.

“The bolt head is three 38mm pieces glued together. You don’t see the joins because you glue them together, sand it down and then spray it with plastic primer, which fills the pores and stops it absorbing the normal automotive paint which is sprayed on.”

Illuminated 3D signs for Sabur:

When Briggs Signs was approached by one of their good customers, Sabur for some eye catching illuminated 3D signs for their building, Sam Briggs chose Indasol’s 75mm SignBlock mint grade 3D board for the project. Sam said “The mint grade is almost half the price of the peach grade. It is more porous but the pores won’t be visible unless the product is really in front of someone. After it’s cut and sanded, it is primed and then painted with automotive paint.”

Built up Letters:

Sam continued “A recent project was making built-up letters with 50mm returns using 50mm sheet of SignBlock. Sam did this with 1 pass with with an 8mm cutter, cutting down to 49mm and then did another 2 passes with a 4mm cutter afterwards to tighten the edges and therefore reduce the radius of the inner corners which is only necessary when the font requires it i.e. in the letter ‘t’ you can see right angles. The reason for 2 passes was that the 4mm cutter has a cutting depth of 38mm despite having a 60mm shank. Therefore the first pass cut down to about 25-30 mm, and then the 2nd pass cut down to 51mm to go through the material.”

When asked why he didn’t do it straight off with a 4mm, Sam said he “used an 8mm first to get rid of most of the excess material and then went round with a 4mm cutter doing a 0.5mm skim, also the 4mm only comes in a 38mm cut (depth).” The 4mm cutter has a 60mm length shank.

Sign Block is a plastic derivative made from polyurethane, commonly referred to as High Density Urethane Foam (HDU). It comes in a range of sheet thicknesses and two densities. Sam has worked with both and understands which performs best for each application. ‘If the sign is going be low level or has a lot of intricate detail, then I go for the heavier peach grade, but for most exterior signs the mint product is perfect’.

www.indasol.co.uk/signmakers