More sign post questions

[bpfohler]

I live in an area where materials like HDU and Extira are hard to get.
I'm making a sign and would like to add some fluted post (similar to those Joe C has posted) and I'm up in the air about materials.
I've used MDO for signs in the past and sealed properly they seem to hold up fine.
If I use an epoxy wash and several coats of exterior paint I wonder if MDO will work?
They would only be above ground mounted over metal pipe or PT 4'x4' but will be exposed to snow.
I can't flute metal and Extira is not available in this area. I looked at some exterior grade ply on the web. Anyone ever use any of these plywoods?

[fleinbach]

Back in the early eighty's I designed and built satellite dishes using MDO. I constructed a total of 19 up to 16' in diameter before it became more cost effective to purchase them made out of aluminum. I simply painted the edge grain and I had the opportunity to see one nearly 12 years later. The paint was mostly gone but the ribs were still in fairly good shape. I guess my opinion is that if you used a good sealer and high grade paint MDO will last a very long time.

[joe]

Robert,

I've been looking at some of the siding materials at the local Lowes. There are several types available. Some look to be made with concrete, but there are others made from fiber materials.

These are exterior rated and come 1/2" thick and approx. 12"X12' and very affordable.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you do.

O, some of these panels have a wood pattern. I wouldn't be very concerned about this. It may be a bonus.

[sawkerf]

Joe, The stuff you're talking about sounds like cement board siding or "Hardy Plank" This stuff is extremely rough on carbide saw blades but virtually water proof, it is also very brittle. Kip

[garyb]

Kip, form previous conversations I believe what Joe is refering to is the skirt board for TimberTech, Trex, EverGrain and the likes. 1/2"x12"x12

Frank that's a hoot, I've seen a lot of things made from mdf but never a satellite dish. That would sure fit in at the Make a faire

[joe]

Gary,

Nope! Those materials are made from waste plastic and wood. I've tried every way to use this stuff but you can't glue it up or paint it.

What I'm refering to is a fiber board material. It's been on the market for years.

[fleinbach]

Gary,

They where made from MDO not MDF. MDO is plywood with a smooth hard surface on both sides.

I dug out some old pictures of a few of my dishes. The first 3 are of the 16' one. A parabolic arc was hand drawn on graph paper from which a template was carefuly made of the first rib. Then all the ribs where made following the template with my old Montgomery Wards router. It sure would have been nice to have a Shopbot back then.

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[ed_lang]

Frank,

They look good!

Even have polar mounts! Sure beats the Az/El mounts and two cranks!

I did that commercially way back. I used ADM solid panel dishes made in Poplar Bluff Mo. Jamie out there made silo caps and then when into the dish business. Sold Avcom receivers, made in Richmond, VA. Amplica LNA's and 1/2" hardline with RG-213 pigtails. Wow, I had not thought about all of that stuff for years!

[garyb]

Good looking dishes Frank, not only tedious but time consuming work without the bot. yes I seen you put mdo in your post typo on my behalf.
Would be curious if any have survived this long.

Joe were you refering to the textured smart siding? I remember the coversation re glueing timbertech

[joewino]

Cedar is also a possibility. I know several sign folks who use cedar to build up sign posts over either pressure treated 4" x 4" or steel tubing. We have used it several times and it holds up well if sealed and painted.

The man-made "wood" for decking certainly would be durable but I'm not sure about the painting.

[fleinbach]

Ed,

I also built my first receiver from a 4 stage kit. I was trying to get HBO for my own use before scrambling in 1980. I had read in Popular Science about Taylor Howard who built the first homemade dish (a Spherical) in 1978 from radio Shack parts. I decided to start with a parabolic since they have a smaller footprint. After people saw what I built they wanted one which eventually let me full swing into the satellite business. I designed my own motor before they were available commercially with VU meter positioning. My main electronics package was Houston tracker which later became Ecosphere.

Gary, I am curious myself but seriously doubt it since I put in over 2,000 dishes before quitting in 1995 and rarely see any of them anymore. Nearly everyone has gone to the small dishes.

[myxpykalix]

Ahhh, those were the days. I recall having a satellitte sales along with my video stores from the 70's and 80's I didn't manufacture them but i sold them. We thought that was great when they came down in size from 16' to 12' then came out with actuator arms. The last ones i recall selling were the 8' round "stamped out" looking one piece brand called "Birdview". Those were the days of 50% profit margins. I can recall making $600 profit on vcrs in the 70's. Thats how i paid for my first mercedes (i still have it)....memories, aren't they wonderful things?

[joe]

Ray,

I haven't had much luck with Cedar Posts. Many of our old signs lost those posts due to rot. Perhaps if they were treated with kind of perservative they might hold up.

Weedeaters are a disaster on wood posts. We place a 6" cut at the base. One of my favorites is good old left over is PVC scraps.

When fluting, I've found it helpful to space them far enough aprart to leave at least 3/8" flat area between flutes.

When material thickness varies or if it's difficult to maintain flatness the flutes won't look good. The give away is the space between the flutes. The depth of the flute isn't much of a give away. It's the spaceing.

[joewino]

Not cedar posts, Joe....cedar to cover the posts to make them larger and a smooth surface to flute.

Must have been Oklahoma cedar.

[joe]

Ray, your right as always.

Like you, I've covered plenty of 4X6 treated posts with cedar. Unfortunately the cost of cedar is at a all time high. Over here it goes for $1.90 to $2.10 a board foot. I'm using Extira as a substitue. After fluting, we textue with PB Hardcoat. "Looks good and last a long time"

Sometimes I think I learned everything from Ray. When I was just a yourg fledging sign painter, learning hand lettering, Ray was out there showing all of us the tricks of the trade. I'd attend Letterhead meets trying to learn lettering. There was Ray giving majic lettering demo's. He made it look so easy. I'd sit guietly over in a corner, slack jawed, in amazement. Those were the good old days.

Even now he gives me lots of gentle hints. Old masters act that way around kids.

[joewino]

Joe, I think your tongue is caught in your cheek, but it did make my head swell up.

[joe]

I finally made my way to Lowes and found the siding material I spoke of last week. It's "Temple Smooth Lap". Looks good for letters as well as face material on posts. It comes 1/2"X12"X16' and costs $10.03 primed and ready paint.

Will some one please try this material out and let me know if it's any good? That way I won't waste my time and money. HeeeHee