Free Hand Routing/Sign Making

[ptt49er]

I have two brother in law's who are 9 & 11, I have decided to make signs for their bedrooms for Christmas. I want to make train themed signs for one and animal themed for the other. I'd like to make a sign to hang on their door with their name and some catchy saying like "Nathan's Train Room" or "Andrew's Animal Preserve". Does anyone have any tips or pointers on making these signs? I found a post by Splinter here. That seems to be exactly what I'd like to do.

Will particle board hold up well enough? or do I need to use something like oak?

TIA!

 

[Splinter]

I would not recommend particle board. I don't think it will work good for signs carving (but I have not tried it). I think the edges of the letters would be likely to chip when routing. The signs you saw in my post are red oak. It worked great for the raised letters I did on those signs. Maple also works well. Cypress does not...the edges of the letters tend to chip off.

 

[DaveO]

I would 100% agree with using solid wood. There are many ways to go about getting lettering on a sign. You can do it the way Splinter did, and remove the back ground. Or you can just cut the lettering into the surface (recessed) or you can also apply the letters to the surface of the wood after cutting them out with a scroll saw.
I have done the later two methods -

This one way done using a sign making template from Woodcraft. The only drawback is that you are limited to the size of the lettering and font style. Other than that it's really easy.

This was made by cutting out the letters with a scrollsaw and gluing them to the surface of the plaque. With this method you can use any lettering style you can come up with but it is easiest to use a font that is attached.

A great way to get a pattern is to print out whatever you are wanting to put on the sign using Word or something like that, then use spray adhesive to stick your pattern to the wood and remove what you don't want with your tool of choice.

Dave

 

[WoodWrangler]

Phillip

I have a router letter jig you can borrow if you choose that route. Just let me know. It's not the best thing, but works fine if you're patient.

Jeremy

 

[Splinter]

Philip, Let me hedge a little on my comment about cypress. This sign was made with edge glued cypress.

It was routed out with a Freud Dish Carving bit and did okay.

But using cypress with raised letter signs the edges do chip off and don't leave a sharp edge like I wanted.

I printed the letters and numbers on the computer and spray glued them to the wood and free hand routed the sign. The sign is now on a Habit For Humanity house that I worked on. This size letters would probably be to large for a sign for a bedroom. I made these large so the sign could be seen from the road.

 

[Makinsawdust]

Phillip,
I haven't done a lot of sign making but I've tryed a few. I have found V bits easier to control by hand than round nosed bits like a core box. You might want to try each and see what you think before doing a sign.
I would vote for a hardwood like, oak, walnut, ash or mahogany. You might be able to use MDF. CNC folks make signs out of it. Just be prepared for lots of fine dust if you do use MDF.
Rob

 

[ptt49er]

Thanks guys! Like Jeremy said in another post, I know someone here always has helpful advice!!

I think I'm going to follow Daveo's advice and glue a page on the wood and try freehanding some stuff on scrap oak I have.

Would a straight bit work ok? That's all I have in my limited router bit collection and I am trying to make this work w/ what I have.

Jeremy, Thanks for the offer!! I'm gonna try it freehand, as I'd like to include some other pictures in the signs as well.

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[DaveO]

Would a straight bit work ok? That's all I have in my limited router bit collection and I am trying to make this work w/ what I have.

Almost any router bit will cut into the wood, but some will leave a nicer result. You can do it with a straight bit, but your letters might look like crooked dadoes :-D And it might be a little difficult to plunge a straight bit into the stock (unless it is meant for that application).
If Woodcraft is near by you they generally have both a round nosed core box bit and a V bit in their $5 bit collection. A little bit of expense, but much better results.

Dave

 

[MikeH]

A little bit of expense, but much better results.

Dave

No pun intended! :rolf:

 

[ptt49er]

You can do it with a straight bit, but your letters might look like crooked dadoes :-D

I was thinking about doing it the opposite, leaving the letters raised and removing the rest of the material, like the sign in my first post.

 

[DaveO]

Well then a straight bit would work pretty well.:icon_thum You might want to drill a small starter hole just shy of the final depth if you don't have a plunge router.
Dave

 

[air force 1]

Phillip
Route around your letters with a "V" bit, cut a grove around the edge of the sign board, then route the background with a straight bit, take off 1/8", then set the straight bit down another 1/8", now cut straight down into the wood making a circle, do this all over the background the create a background design. Pick a straight bit that leaves a little rise in the center for a better design. Use Fur wood for stabillity and it cuts nice. Spray paint the whole sign with flat black paint (do not use brush), let dry, sand with belt sander (this is why you cut down that extra 1/8", so you won't cut away your background), after it dries, SPRAY varnish, if you use a brush the paint will come off all over the sign.

Joe