"CCHS" outside sign

[Geoff]

One option for a sign is to get one made, so I got a quote.

//================================================ 

Letter size: 80cm (this would make a sign length of about 3m).

DS-1 Stainless Steel frontlit Letter sign 

The font of the letters - This is the lettering we are using on the website (http://www.hackmelbourne.org/).

CCHS

We would like the sign to do be a sign and to light the area outside in front of our workshop as there is no lighting in the area. 

We would like the sign to be long lasting.

And we wish to keep the cost down without affecting the above criteria.

Your DS-1 Stainless Steel frontlit Letter sign looks like a good option for us. We are after a price on a say white and Super high brightness RGB colour LED letters with programmable controller. We would like the option to develop our own controller.

//================================================ 

It turn out to be a bit expensive with the cost of the fright almost costing almost as much as the sign (see attached file). 

[Paul Szymkowiak]

For those who remember, I still have 3 of the outdoor/ weatherproof, "programmable" signs, one of which I brought to Andy's garage many moons ago. a bunch of us hacked the thing open and tinkered around with it.

I'd be happy to give one to the Kent lane space, - if we thought that would be useful in helping solve the signage problem. I'd just need a little help getting to Kent lane (it's awkward: last time, Andy and I only just managed to move it in the jeep).

I don't have pictures handy, so for those who weren't there, here's a rough explanation:

Basically, they are a large lockable metal light box, single sided, with fluorescent tubes for the light source. From memory, they run on 240V mains power. I recall they're roughly about 4 - 5 foot high by 2 - 3 feet wide.

There are some electronics in the unit: a couple of stepper motors that move a sheet of striped plastic membrane back and forth beneath the light source and the signage artwork. This, one would assume, would either create the illusion of movement or would enable multiple images to be displayed.

There's is a circuit board within the unit, accessible externally via a programming port. Presumably you could upload a sequence of Stepper movements and have that run on a loop.

Unfortunately, I don't have a programmer, nor do I have access to one.

So:

 - They'd be fine to house signage printed on something similar to 3/16" or 1/4" white acrylic (plexiglass) or polycarbonate/ lexan (probably much cheaper), an run using the fluro's. The other electronics can be stripped or just be ignored.

 - They could be hacked in numerous ways: LED's to replace the fluro's, replace the controller with an open-source equivalent to play around with the Steppers, possible hacked to be double-sided, etc. 

Although they are quite robust, the downside is they're quite heavy. We'd also need to find a way to mount them (I recall there might be mounting holes, but I don't recall any existing brackets.

Cheers,

Paul

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[Stuart Young]

HI Geoff,

On 16 July 2012 19:45, Geoff <geoff.le...@gmail.com> wrote:

DS-1 Stainless Steel frontlit Letter sign 

The font of the letters - This is the lettering we are using on the website (http://www.hackmelbourne.org/).

CCHS

Thanks for getting us a quote.

Fortunately for us, John Spencer has a CNC Router and is going to make us a CCHS sign (or 3).

In regards to having a LED lit sign...

Turns out that if we want an illuminated sign we need to get a permit from the council (at a cost). As such, we'll not be going down that path.

Instead, we are making sure that our security illumination will show the sign up well enough that people will see it.

FWIW: I'm trying to co-ordinate signage stuff. As soon as we have something sorted (re: design), I'll update the group on what we're doing.

At the moment we're making 3 signs:

 1. A large sign that says "CCHS" in big letters and 'Connected Community HackerSpace' underneath in smaller letters. This will most likely be 1.2m long as that turns out to be a nice length for John Spencer to work with.

 2. A logo sign that will sit next to this (to be made later as the logo is currently getting a 'refresh' by the original artist).

 3. A small sign that will sit near the letterbox, and that will say something like:

 Access to CCHS

 via side Entrance

 <<<<<<<<<<<<

Will let you know how things progress soon.

--
Stuart Young (aka Cefiar)

[George Patterson]

On Jul 16, 2012 7:45 PM, "Geoff" <geoff.le...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> One option for a sign is to get one made, so I got a quote.
>
> //================================================ 
> Letter size: 80cm (this would make a sign length of about 3m).

80cm??!! Heck, you'll be able to read it from the Monash! Okay not quite but that is overly large. 20cm would be more than enough as you will need to be adjacent to the front of the building to read it.

> DS-1 Stainless Steel frontlit Letter sign 

Front lit or backlit?

> We would like the sign to do be a sign and to light the area outside in front of our workshop as there is no lighting in the area. 

What's the council restrictions on illuminated signs?

Would it make more sense to flood light the front rather than just the sign. Might make the lane a little  more inviting.

It would be worthwhile having a chat to a local signwriter and get a quote there.

Cheaper solution might be to have a thin frame welded up which is then bolted to the wall. The signwhite sign is then pop riveted or screwed to the frame. Sign white is single sided powder coated sheet steel. Save the stainless for the Marine hackerspace. :-)

Regards

George

[Tim Krins]

Wowee!

That is one pricey sign - I am in the wrong business! (the unemployed traveller business...)

I have been thinking about the sign situation and would also be interested in checking what the relevant laws are.

What if the sign itself was unlit, but lit from a selectively focused LED beam nowhere near the sign... motion activated and stealthy like...

;)

Also - is CCHS satisfied with it's current logo / signage?

I know some say if it's not broken, don't try and fix it... but I'm not that sort of person.

I had been thinking and travelling around visiting different hackerspaces, and I thought it would be cool to have a logo that represents our location.

Melbourne... famous for... being wet? Being colder than Sydney?

Then I remembered, trams! The largest tram network in the world...

Well, it's no Opera House... but I'll attach my idea.

Looking forward to getting back to the space!

Tim K

in Denver, Colorado.

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