Sign Design and Manufacturing Processes

How do we make our carved wood and HDU signs?

We have many website visitors that want to know how we design and manufacture our wood signs. Sometimes they want to assess the quality of our signs before they buy one, other times they want to make their own signs. We have written this article to answer these requests. A very brief description of how you can make your own carved wood or HDU sign with only hand tools and no computers is given at the bottom of the page.

We want to make it clear there are dozens of techniques that different manufacturers use; we use a very cost and labor efficient computer-aided-design and manufacturing (CADAM) approach that produces very high quality custom signs and plaques that are hand-crafted yet affordable.The current computer design software, along with numerically-controlled machine technology, has resulted in a large increase in productivity and quality, as well as a decrease in cost. We have taken full advantage of this technology by investing over $200,000 in the latest computer and Computer-Numerically-Controlled (CNC) machines and software. Despite this technology, making custom wood and HDU signs and plaques is still very labor-intensive and time-consuming; we go through 22 different steps, each using a different process, to make our custom signs. The minimum time to make a sign or plaque, from start to finish, is 14 days, because we use up to 5 different powered machines, perform extensive hand-trimming, masking, and hand-sanding, and require more than a week to dry the 8 to 10 coats of resin epoxy, primer, background paint, trim and lettering paint, and clearcoats.Although we use a paint spray booth to apply our coatings, all of the fine painting is done by hand with a micro-roller, airbrush, or artist brush, which takes many hours per sign.

Manufacturing custom signs is entirely different than manufacturing mass-produced products where millions of identical products are made on an assembly line with special purpose machines built for stamping out 5 to 50 identical piece parts per minute, and fabrication and assembly is usually fully automated. For custom signs, every one is different. Each sign requires a specific custom design different from any other sign we have made, and machines used for automation must be very flexible to accomodate a very wide range of material types, sizes, shapes, colors, text fonts, carving relief, etc. Since labor and overhead costs are 2/3 of the cost of a sign, the other 1/3 being materials, it is important to be very efficient in the use of skilled labor and concentrate our labor and time on creative, rather than repetitive "no-brainer" tasks.

We use an optimum combination of computer-controlled and hand-crafted operations to produce our custom, one-of-kind signs and plaques. We use the very best premium materials, including HDU, redwood, cedar , mahogany, paints, epoxy, and clear-coats. Our computer aided design and manufacturing (CADAM) approach works equally well with both HDU and wood signs of all sizes, on any custom design from simple text to large signs with elaborate and ornate 3D carved text and art. We rely on computer software and automation, but there are also many steps in the manufacturing process where hand-craftmanship is required to produce a high-quality sign or plaque, using hand tools such as chisels, knives, sandpads, micro-rollers, airbrushes and artist brushes.

There are three basic phases in making a dimensional (either 2.5D or 3D) sign or plaque:
1. Designing the sign, the creative process, and programming the Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) router/carver and sandblast mask cutter
2. Cutting and carving the sign using a CNC router, laser engraver, sandblaster/sandcarver, power tools, and hand carving tools , and precision cutting of metal using a CNC plasma metal cutter
3 Priming, painting, staining, gold-leaf gilding, and clear-coating the sign

1. Designing the Sign and Programming the CNC Router/Carver

All of our designs are done by creative, highly-skilled, innovative and artistic sign designers, with many years of experience. The designs are made with the assistance of the latest vector and image graphics design and CADAM (Computer Assisted Design & Manufacturing) software. We use Adobe Illustrator (AI) CS5 , Flexi 8, and Aspire 3.0 (for 3D designs) as our primary design software for the initial or preliminary design and proof development for our signs and plaques. We also use Adobe PhotoShop CS5 and Flexi 8 to prepare initial proofs to be sent to customers. For final production design, we use Illustrator or Flexi 8, Aspire, Vector 3D models, V-Carve Pro, Cut3D, and Shopbot PartWorks software packages. All of these computer programs have interchangeable files for seamless design integration, from the initial proof to controlling the CNC tool paths.

We start with customer inputs for a custom sign - how big, shape, text, art, location, how installed. Other inputs from the customer to our designer may be a photo, a rough or finished drawing, or a reference to a sign or art on our website. Using these inputs, our designers develop one or more proofs using Illustrator (primarily) , Photoshop or Flexi, and send them to the customer. After several design iterations between the customer and the designer, the customer will approve a color proof we send him/her through email. This proof is in a JPEG file with an underlying vector image. The customer can then order the sign. We guarantee the sign will look exactly like the approved proof (except for minor variations in color because of printing or screen display differences between the customer equipment, our equipment, and paint color matching, which is also computerized using a computer-controlled mixer which gives consistent and accurate color matches). generally we restrict our color choices to Pantone colors; however, we can match other paint colors, even a paint chip or unknown swatch.

After the proof is approved, the designer produces a production proof for the shop (dimensions and tolerances, materials, exact color specifications, manufacturing notes, hanging hardware locations) also using AI. The designer also develops the CNC cutter/router/carver manufacturing software files that will drive the CNC router and vinyl cutter machines.This requires transferring the Illustrator or Flexi 8 EPS file into Aspire/V-Carve, and then into the Shopbot tool path control software (PartsWorks). We can design either 2D, 2.5D or 3D carvings (2D is a flat painted or vinyl applique sign with no relief (smooth surface); 2.5D is carving the sign into many raised or carved plateau-like areas, such as letters, borders, art, each with flat top surfaces; 3D is carving the sign bas-relief with curved top surfaces) with our software. We have library of over 1000 3D art models that we can use "off-the-shelf" at a very small additional cost compared to 2.5D or flat art; alternatively, if necessary, we can create new custom 3D object software models at an additional setup cost above the price of a standard sign; or a third alternative is to hand-carved the 3D art. We can create true 3D text (rounded , prismatic, V-carved) at a small additional cost compared to 2.5D text (flat top) . We can also create 2.5D and 3D art from our 30,000 pieces of 2D vector clip art, or raster JPEG images, if necessary, but we always prefer to be provided vector images..

If the sign is to be sandblasted as well as cut/routed/CNC carved, which is usually the case, the designer must also create a 2D sandblast vinyl " rubberized" mask on a computer-controlled vinyl cutter using our software interfaced with a CNC driver. After the flat and raised surfaces have the mask manually applied to them, to protect them against the abrasive blast; the sign background is blasted with a high-capacity air compressor which sprays abrasive particles (they are not actually sand, but rather aluminum oxide) on the sign to create either a sandstone texture or wood grain texture using a wire screen to create random grooves in the background caused by shadowing of the abrasive blast.

The design process must be very efficient .Our highly skilled and experienced designers can create a new custom design, from an initial proof to CNC router 2.5D/3D and vinyl cutter 2D files, in an hour or so.

2. Cutting and carving the sign using a CNC router, sandblasting, power tools and hand tools

Compare to designing the sign, actually cutting and carving the sign is straightforward. We manufacture our signs in a 4000 ft2 facility in Murrieta, CA, where we have our CNC routers, sandblast booth, vinyl cutters, paint spray booths, drying racks, and design facilities co-located. Usually we start with either a 5 ft x 10 ft or 4 ft x 8 ft sheets of either HDU, Redwood or Cedar. The Redwood or Cedar sheets are 1.5 in thick strips laminated together under pressure; the HDU sheets are usually 1.5 or 2 inches thick. Thicker signs use two or more sheets laminated together with epoxy. For small wood signs, we may use a single plank of Redwood , Cedar, Mahogany or Oak up to 12 inches wide and 1.5 inches thick.

We put the sheet of raw material (wood, HDU, PVC, or MDO) on the CNC router table and usually make several signs(4 to 50 smaller ones, or one very large one) from a single 4 x 8 or 5 x 10 ft sheet. These can have different shapes and sizes and patterns, We load the design data into the CNC computer and press "go", and voila, the automated router/carver cuts all the different signs out, and carves each them to their prescribed 2.5D or 3D designs. It may take several hours to cut all the signs on a full sheet, but only about 15 minutes for a single small sign. There may also be several tool bit changes on the spindle during the carving of a single sign.

We also do precision cutting of metal, usually aluminum or steel, but sometimes Titanium Nitride, using a CNC plasma jet cutter. We can make precision metal text faces, separate dimensional letters and art, and channel letters, and elaborate and decorative metalworks for the sign. We have full welding, cutting, bending, and forging capabilities.

After the router is done, each sign is punched out of the sheet, its edges sanded, and top surfaces hand-sanded where needed to provide a smooth finish. If the background is to be sandblasted, the sandblast mask is cut on our CNC vinyl cutter machine, applied manually to the protected surfaces, and put into the sandblast booth to be blasted by an operator wearing an oxygen mask and protective clothing. A CNC routed sign is only lightly sandblasted just to give its background a surface texture (sandstone or wood grain); nearly all the required background material has already been removed by the CNC router (up to 1 inch deep). Use of the CNC router gives a much cleaner, sharper dimensional look, and much deeper relief than sand-blasting alone can achieve (typically 1/4 inch relief). It is also much faster so the blast operator need be inside the booth for only 15 minutes instead of hours for a typical completely sandblasted sign.

After the sign has been routed and sandblasted, any drilling or planing is done, and the sign is inspected for any defects and then fine sanded by hand, ready for the final phase, application of all its coatings.

3. Priming, painting, staining, gold-leaf gilding, clear-coating, etc

Putting finishing coatings in the carved wood or HDU sign or plaque is the most time-consuming and labor-intensive step, and represents about half the cost of the sign. Typically we put 8 to 10 coats of different materials on our signs.

For painted HDU signs and plaques, these include first spraying a two part epoxy resin overcoat (similar to fiberglass boats) to provide greater toughness , hardness and ruggedness to the HDU surface. For painted wood signs, we use instead an acrylic primer on the entire sign, front and back; then spray on two coats of background color (either Mathews polyurethane sign paint or Sherwin Williams premium exterior latex house paint); then roll on artist-brush painting two coats of 1-Shot sign lettering oil enamels; then use a fine artist brush and/or airbrush to paint fine details; and finally spray on two coats of a Mathews two-part automotive type urethane clear-coat for UV protection. We use only low VOC paints to minimize environmental effects.

For natural wood signs, we brush on one to three coats of stain; one coat of primer and two coats of Mathews sign lettering enamels on text, border and art; and finally spraying on two coats of Mathews clear-coat for UV protection on the entire sign. For very rustic signs, we do not apply the clear-coats so as to let the sign age naturally.

We also may create other special effects, such as scorching wood signs with a torch for a rustic appearance;making a driftwood effect by sandblasting and a special stain; and bronzing plaques. We use a fiberglass resin epoxy undercoat instead of a primer on HDU signs to give them a harder shell , which gives extra protection when signs are placed in areas where vandalism is likely to occur.

We use several tools to do the coatings. For primer, background painting and clear-coats, we use a high-performance spray gun in a large paint spray booth. For raised text, borders and art, we use specially-designed mini-rollers. We use artist brushes and airbrushes for fine detail. We use hand burnishing tools for gold and silver leaf. Stain is applied with a large brush.We also have a drying room to reduce the time between coats, which is typically one day, so the entire coating process may take 8 to 10 days after the sign has been cut and carved.

All of our top-coats have an anti-graffiti capability. It is relatively easy to remove sprayed-on graffiti paint using paint thinner..

How do I make a wood sign by hand without computers and expensive equipment?
Of course, custom wood signs can still be made the old-fashioned way, by hand-carving with hand-tools and/or by using hand-held power tools (saws, routers, sanders). We used to make signs entirely this way, but we no longer do so, because we would have to charge at least 3 times as much to cover the additional labor required. Furthermore, completely hand-crafted signs (i.e,no computers or computer-controlled tools) do not have the precision or professional look that computer-designed and manufactured signs do; they are acceptable only for very rustic looking carved signs.However, if you wish to make your own dimensional wood or HDU signs, it is a noble but time-consuming and exacting endeavor, and we wish you the best of luck.

Smaller signs are easier to make than larger signs, especially to design and lay them out. The traditional way of handcrafting wood signs without benefit of computers is to first lay the sign design out with pencil, ruler, french curves, protractor on a large sheet of paper equal to the size of the sign. Then, using carbon paper, trace the drawing on top of the signboard with carbon paper so that the shape, text, border, and art outlines are shown on the wood. Cut out the outline of your sign and route the edges with a hand-held power router. You can also use a power router with a stop to remove the signboard background to leave letters, borders, and art raised. You can then do 3D carving with chisels, knives, rasps and veniers .

Alternatively , you can buy sandblast mask by the roll (it is $100/roll) and using the paper design template, transfer the design onto the mask using carbon paper. You can then cut out with a knife and scissors the mask containing separate letters, art pieces, borders and adhere the mask with its adhesive back onto the signboard. If you do not have a large sandblast facility, you can contract this operation out to an automotive or metal sandblast shop (only if the operator has lots of experience sandblasting wood or HDU signs) or better, a sign manufacturing shop with sandblast capabilities if they are willing to do it (most will not). You must be careful to have the right ablative materials , air flow rate and pressure, otherwise you will damage the wood or HDU or cause unattractive unevenness (ripples) inthe background..

Painting or staining will be similar to Phase 3 above. It will be helpful to have a high-quality paint spray gun for primer and background colors, and mini-rollers , airbrushes and artist brushes for text, borders and art.

It is very impractical to build a large dimensional wood sign with raised letters and art with only hand tools such as chisels, knives, rasps and veniers. Too much wood must be removed and it will be removed too unevenly.It will also take many days to weeks to carve a large wooden sign, whereas we can do it in half an hour using the right automated equipment. It is like digging a swimming pool with a spoon - it can be done, but who would want to do it?. However, engraved (incised) text and art signs are more amenable to hand-carving. V-carved letters, art and borders can made in a reasonably short period of time using chisels and sandpaper only, but it is much faster to use a hand-held power router with a V-bit or flat-bottomed bit.A router requires a very steady hand and preferably a template..