Next Time Someone Wants Routed Metal Letters...

[tuck]

...think about this: http://www.ultraboard.com/ultraaluminum/

Comes in chrome and gold (polished and brushed), 4 x 8 sheets, various thicknesses. I haven't used any although I have cut tons of other Ultraboard. Ultraboard is waterproof but very lightweight (foam core), and this may not be the best choice for some exterior applications, but for interior signage it could be a great alternative and it cuts like butter.

[knight_toolworks]

like dibond but thicker and less durable.

[tuck]

like dibond but thicker and less durable.

Exactly. It's less durable but you can get it up to 3" thick. Like I said, this stuff would be primarily for interior signage in my book, where durability shouldn't be a big issue. Combined with some other substrates and some imagination, it could make for some real eye-grabbing displays I would think.

[Brady Watson]

Did a bunch of letters for a dept store in that stuff. Cuts pretty easily as long as you watch getting AL chips from embedding in the sides.

-B

[scootie]

Mark,
We've used the Signabond board with metallic finish for interior graphics but mostly use PVC with a metalized polyester foil for interior letters. You can stick the pressure sensitive foil on any thickness PVC, mask it, cut it, paint the edges and get really nice graphics. It's a cost saver compared to aluminum covered foam and looks great, it's easier for us to stock a few different colors/finishes rolls of foil and thicknesses of PVC out here in the sticks than to pay shipping on just one sheet of specialty materials.
As Brady says about the foam core, it's so delicate you can destroy the edge too easily, the PVC holds a nice smooth edge for us.