> You could also letter the sign as usual with
> the vinyl letters, and spray over the whole
> thing with a contrasting color. Then pick
> the letters off yourself. Beat the
> "little buggers" to the punch as
> it were. You could use cheaper letters too,
> as they wouldn't need to be the 7-year
> variety.
Actually, picking off the letters isn't an easy task. Once they are on and have dried (about 60 seconds), they are on TIGHT. It's only the stray loose corner that might be easy to pick, and even then it tends to tear the letter rather than take the whole thing. I know this all too well, having found a few errors after I completed a sign and had to remove them. There is a removal fluid available, but of course I haven't bought any because, after all, lawyers never make mistakes (only our clients do.....).

Kevinmccabe@avenew.com

> We talked about magnets, but
> getting ones strong enough and still
> reasonably small is expensive and not
> practical.

Um, have you fellows looked into reusing old speaker magnets? they're strong, and have a nice flat back to adhere the sign to.
I got a bunch of them at my local auto salvage yard for practically nothing (Okay, I had to pull the speakers myself). I epoxied them to a board to hang wrenches, and small parts on, but there's no reason they couldn't be used to hold signs. (the large, thin 3" dia ones are VERY strong)
Justa thot....

This had been an interesting thread. At the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis we began a program to put good signs on our exhibits about five years ago. We use aluminum signs about 36 x 48 inches in size, covered with a vinyl surface that includes the text and edge design as part of it. This avoids the removal letters some have referred to as the material is one piece and bonded to the metal. We used yellow as a background color with black lettering. One of these signs from a local supplier costs us about $100 each. Most are posted on 6 foot, "u" shaped posts like the highway department uses, which cost $10 each, for exhibits that will not move. Others are attached to locomotive handrails using strapping material and bolts. Enough space is left for crewmembers who use the locomotives and so we don't have to remove them when the loco is used or moved. A variety of other mounting methods are used and no real standard method has attempted as the cars differ so much. You can see several of them by visiting our web site. The "visiting us" section has a few words about the signs toward the bottom of the page. We have had nothing but complimentary remarks about these signs. Not all visitors will read them, but they can at least get the date of the item and a few words from them. And a surprising number can be seen reading them, some from across a track or similar distance. We still have some items that need signs due to funding and it does take a real committment to make, install and keep them looking good, but it is worth it. More complicated signs with photos or diagrams on them cost us about $300 due to the time needed to make them. We have several of these now to explain various features on items. We also have smaller signs to identify parts of our "cut-away" diesel loco or in our open cabooses and milk tank car that visitors can go through.

Museum of Transportation
rdgoldfede@aol.com

I got some magnets from a friend who got them from either dead computer hard drives (at least I think that was where they were from). I made a set of portable 12 volt tailights for my restored world war 2 army trailer that is 6 volts. I've driven 65 mph and they dont move a bit. Should work good for signs as they are about 3 inches in diameter and 1/4" thick or so.

Richard

richard.s.wilkens@boeing.com