Custom designed wooden signs

[rogerjenkins]

Believe it or not, I have done these with my 1/4" Router FREE-Hand, without any form of lettering guide, something which takes heaps of skill, steady hands, and lots of patience, otherwise one slip, or wobble, and one has instant, "firewood."
( 1 ) For the Engraved designs on the Shop Sign board I used my power-carver attached to a Dremel Router base, and fitted with a 1/8" round-tip engraving cutter, set to 1/16" cutting depth. The Shop sign is made from what we call, In Australia;- Red Pine,- ( recycled ), which came from the USA back in the early 1900's up to about late 1930's. As to it's correct name, perhaps a member of this forum may know.
( 2 ) The Router-cut Sign, " Das Schulhaus, " is German for, " The Schoolhouse," which is cut from old recycled Oregon, ( Spruce in USA ), which used to be a popular construction timber here in Australia for many years, and the third photo is of a Coffee Table top for an Aussie Football, " Fanatic," He requested a suitable Logo type design of his favorite Aussie Rules Footy Club.
The Bulldog is engraved with my power-carver as described above, then highlighted with a fine Art Brush, and Artist's Acrylic Black with the writing simly done with an Artist's Brush, and Acrylic Black,,-Surface sealed first to prevent runs, allowed to hard dry for several days, Artwork applied, then allowed to hard dry, with several coats of Gloss Polyurathane applied to complete the top.
The table base is constructed the traditional way. Timber used is Radiata Pine,
which I think is called, " White Deal," in USA / Canada, ( correct me if I am wrong.). Have designed and made quite a few of these type of signs in recent months, as Hand-Crafted Wooden Signs here in Australia are fast becoming a popular product, especially for people with Holiday Houses. Recently have set up a separate website just for this range of unique of Wooden Signs, and have just completed a House name Board in script format,( handwriting style ), done on my scrollsaw, utilizing my new website address which will be quite spectacular when attached to the front of my house. Yes, Plan to take some photos of this new House Name Board, ( all 9ft.of it ! ), when it is finally attached to this house, then put the photo/s on this site.

[Forester21]

You did all those freehand? Fantastic!
T

[Gordie]

With the utmost respect to you Roger, I find it very difficult to understand your term "freehand". Any guide, be it ruler, square, or whatever changes the term "freehand". Your letters are PERFECT, as well as the graphics. I have a router driven sign making machine and I can't do perfect signs. No where in your signs does the human element enter the picture. My machine (hand-operated) is a router pantograph that follows templates. While I feel my signs are very good, there is always the opportunity for a "slip". It is driven by my hands.

The hobby CNC machines are outstanding for their purpose, but the word "freehand" doesn't enter the picture. I am also an amatuer photographer as well as carver & scrollsawer. None of those endeavors are "perfect".

After all this wind, I again say with the utmost respect to you & your work they are a bit TOO perfect to be freehanded.

Yours truly, Gordie

[Hawaiilad]

I agree with Gordie...I can not see how a person could do that "freehanded" I also make many signs with the router, and I am very impressed with your work. How in the world could you do this free handed? I can understand a bit if you were to draw the design and letters on the wood first.

[rogerjenkins]

By Freehand I meant I use the Router without any guides! The artwork is drawn onto the timber first, as I am NOT that good at seeing straight. Sincerely apologize for misleading you,- and being a bit on the tired side after a long day's work, I didn't stop to think at the original editorial, -perhaps I should have put a bit more thought, and better description choice into the original info.
As for, " stuff-ups," I have my share of embassasing moments,- Was halfway through setting up a sign today, & merrily cutting out the letters with the router, when I realized I had left a letter off a particular word,- luckily I hadn't got quite that far with the router, - otherwise it would have become an embassasing piece of firewood !!!!!
Anyway, Thank you all for the compliments.

[Gordie]

Roger, I appreciate your "return" comments, and the fact that you weren't offended by mine. Our purpose (as I understand it to be) is to learn and pass on ideas. Not to beat up other folks & their ideas. So, enough said and "rout on".

Regards, Gordie

[Hawaiilad]

Roger I have a bench attachment that I made several years ago that is just a raised platform that I route the signs on. I found my back and shoulders were killing me from bending over so much when routing signs. Now I can stand up straight and see what I am doing without bending over. I also dray the letters on the wood before I route them.

[Gordie]

Perhaps I should just push the template guided machine aside and try the "freehand" stuff for awhile. I like the sign making end of our hobby especially for family work/play. I have made signs for all eleven of our grandkids for their bedroom doors. Also carved silouettes of their faces. Also sawed Christmas bulb names for most of the family.

Saw, carve, burn, & rout on.

Best regards, and I appreciate all the comments. Gordie

[rogerjenkins]

Roger I have a bench attachment that I made several years ago that is just a raised platform that I route the signs on. I found my back and shoulders were killing me from bending over so much when routing signs. Now I can stand up straight and see what I am doing without bending over. I also dray the letters on the wood before I route them.

Larry, Just read with keen interest about your Router bench design for doing signs on without bending over, & avoiding the associated cricked neck, back, shoulder problems, etc. Qestion being, Would you be able to supply me, ( & most probably ), other sign-crafters some work plans of your invention ?

[Gordie]

Hey Larry, Can we see your attachment on the net? If not can you post pics??

Thanks, Gordie

[Hawaiilad]

Sorry Guys I just noticed the post. I will take a couple photo's and post them.

[rogerjenkins]

Here's another Custom made wooden sign for you

Recently made the below shop sign from recycled Queensland, ( Australia ), Kauri Pine. the signboard measures 2ft. wide x 3ft.long, ( metric;- 610mm.W x 915mm.H ). I did the small script type lettering and all the decorative artwork with a Dremel type machine, fitted into a mini-router base, and with a small round-end high-speed engraving cutter set to 3/32" depth, ( 2mm.depth,- I think that's correct !!! ). All the larger lettering was done with a 1/4" straight bit fitted to my light-duty Trend Router.
The artwork, & lettering was first drawn up on several sheets of copier paper, taped together to match the signboard dimensions, then when I was satisfied with the overal layout, I transferred the artwok to the signboard using a large sheet of Carbon paper,- and lots of patience !!
To make the sign, I simply began at the top with the little Dremel type machine, and worked my way down, line by line. As before, I use the machine Freehand,- Heaps of patience, and a steady hand is essential !!! *** I took note of Hawaiilads cutting height idea, by increasing the height of my homemade Routerbench by a good 5" by simply clamping a large block to the top, then the signboard, on top of that, which, ( believe me ), worked a treat as it solved ALL of my usual aching back, & neck problems. Upon completion of all the fine intricate artwork, I completed the rest of the sign lettering using the Trend Router, and the 1/4" straight bit set to, 1/4" depth, ( 6.4mm. ) After final sanding, then adding a decorative edge all round the face, I gave the entire sign 4 coats of Exterior grade Polyurathane clear. ( back, as well as the front ).

Have since done another sign,-this time for myself, using my new Website for inspiration,- With all the lettering being Scroll Sawn Cut from 1/2" Exterior Ply, using a modified Commerical Script lettering design,- the end result being a good 9ft.( 2.7 metres ), from end to end, and with an average letter height of
2 1/2" ( 60mm. ). Even though I did the sign in manageable sections, and joined it all together afterwards, it still took a while to cut. I am putting several photos of this sign also on this," Off Topic," section.
For most people it is a, B-I-G sign, but I dare say there's most probably bigger, & longer signs been cut on someone's Scroll Saw somewhere in this world of ours.