Name Plaque

[Jezmaster]

hello, i been asked to make a name plaque for somone who has recently passed away. i have some sapeli 18mm about 4 5 inches wide. would this be ok to cut out each letter indivaully to spell Craig, and mount it on to a board.


wht size letters would be best?
what finish would be best, as its for outside?


thinking of cutting letters on bandsaw, sanding them, then rounding over edges.

thanks

 

[Smudger]

I would use a scroll saw - no easy way to do the internal cuts on a bandsaw, and the scrollsaw will follow the curves better. And if you are anything like me, allow for significant wastage!

 

[Gary S]

What about considering using a router to rout out the letters from the solid board, rather than cutting them out individually and mounting them on a separate piece of wood?

Just a thought...!

 

[woodbloke]

What about considering using a router to rout out the letters from the solid board, rather than cutting them out individually and mounting them on a separate piece of wood?

Just a thought...!

I think Mailee is a dab hand at this sort of thing...might be worth a PM - Rob

 

[gasman]

I have had good results when 'signwriting' in wood using the following technique:
Decide on the font you want (use MS Word or similar to look at all the possibilities and font sizes)
Print out the actual size of the font you want on adhesive paper (I use ordinary A4 labels paper)
Stick the labels with your printed letters on the actual piece of wood
Cut out the letters from the labels using a scalpel or similar
Now cut out the waste to make the letters using a burr mounted in a Dremel or similar, particularly if you have the extension for it.
This enables you to take your time, go as deep as you need and get it as perfect as you want. With practice it is quite quick
Gasman

 

[Smudger]

I think the OP was asking about cutting letters out and appliquéing them. I agree about the paper patterns, very helpful. I would cut and then sand back.

 

[pren]

Hi.

I'd also vote for the scrollsaw. I did something similar from 18mm MDF a while back using a scrollsaw. It's surprisingly easy, after a bit of practice.

HTH.

Bryn

 

[Smudger]

That's a cracking job. Max kudos!

 

[mailee]

This is one of my signs I made:

I use a hand held router to cut it out and as has been mentioned printed letters from the computer. PM me if you need more help. :wink:

 

[Jezmaster]

hi guys, thanks for opions, i dont have access to scroll saw, so im gonna print letters of pc, stick um to wood and bandsaw and free hand router the internal curves. then sand back,



whats my best way of fixing these to the back board?

just a dab of wood glue and a few naul from back of board,???

 

[Derek Willis.]

Use a decent piece of board, produce a pettern on the computer and raise the font to 350 or 400 or thereabouts, print it out and stick it on the timber. Rout with a rouded bit by following the pattern, rub beeswax over the router base and the paper pattern to make it easier, sand off the paper, seal and then fill the letters with black paint, sand again and then varnish to finish.
Derek.