I’m looking to make Large letters ( 24"x24") for a Farms name that he can put on his Barn. Need a material that’s basically Maintenance Free because it will not be very accessible. I’ve never done any Metal on my Shapeoko. Was wondering about UHMW or some type of Plastic? It will be on the North Side of the building.
I’ve been using a bunch of PVC for signs, decorations. I bought a sheet of 1/2" x 4’ x 8’ from Home Depot for ~$80. Super easy to machine, lightweight & weather proof.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-2-in-x-48-in-x-8-ft-White-PVC-Trim-H120AWS6/205309788
Looks like price went up a bit, but still much cheaper than UHMW.
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Most home box stores sell this PVC Board. It is 3/4 inch thick and comes in 5 1/2, 7 1/4, 9 1/4 and 11 1/4 widths and 8 or 12 foot lengths. You can also buy it in 4 x 4 sheets. I use it all the time for outdoor signs and it cuts great.
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Have you considered Richlite ? Not (quite) plastics, it’s made from recycled paper and phenolic resin, and is advertised as fitted for outdoor cladding. I’m not affiliated to them in any way, I just had the opportunity to mill some richlite on my shapeoko and absolutely love the material. It is somewhat pricy though, PVC should be cheaper I guess, but just so you have options.
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Richlite looks great but at $72 for a 24"x24" piece not including tax or shipping I wonder how anyone could afford to do a building exterior with it. I guess it’s in the name what kind of customers use it.
I wonder if any counter top or cabinet makers around my area use it so I could possibly score some affordable drop cuts to try it out.
The search begins!
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What about ACM (aluminum composite material)? It cuts like plastic with a polyethylene core. Might be cheaper than PVC in some cases.
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I believe Richlite is mostly used in RV and boat applications for the countertops and vanities. Maybe check a local boat shop or rv company. I work with solid surface but we do all commercial work so I haven’t really used it.
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I really like the pvc board idea. It looks like it will fit the budget better then the other options.
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