Yes…I buy it by the 4x8 sheets for round $550. But we sell 5"x14" homeowner name signs for a community $300. So we recover that cost fairly quickly. And honestly as we do larger signs, those smaller signs are cut out of the scrap.
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Looks great! What did you end up doing to create the texture?
I have the texture bug now … just need to figure out which of my saved projects would look better with a textured background.
You gonna share that texture file with me? 
It’s actually a built file using deformed circles as opposed to a texture. Took me a while, but got easier as I went.
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Well done. Just keep posting and stealing good ideas and you’ll get it quick.
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I have an opportunity to bid on a couple of 4x7 signs and the want texture on the background. They get it sandblasted from their current supplier. I figure replicating that at a large scale would take a ton of cutting time. Maybe I can sell them on a larger texture.
Are they HDU signs?
Yes this will be a beast of a carve, but if it turns out the way I hope it will be worth it. Still a long ways to go. I’m not really satisfied with the texture yet. I photographed it in a strong light to show off the texture, but it’s VERY shallow.
Yes. These would be HDU.
I think it looks fantastic. Would love to learn how you did it once you work out the bugs.
What software did you use to build the texture ? Did it make an image or a mesh ?
Tried something I made up prior to getting the machine. Used Walnut, turned out ok however it had a lot of fuzzies and some of the v-carve turned out extremely thin.
Any tricks on reducing the fuzzies?
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You can try running the Vcarve path twice.
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Your project turned out great, good job!
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So this is what Richard has been doing for the last 6 months…Two projects:
First one. Flush Floor Vent. 30 Inch X 15 Inches…Made from Maple, reenforced with a TIG Welded Steel Frame that Mounts to another inner Steel Frame mounted to the home’s floor joists. Because it needs to support humans…AND I’m an engineer…I did a full FEA (finite element analysis) that dictated the size of the steel and hardware… Homeowner was ecstatic… (Located across the street from Albert Einstein’s old Pasadena Home…so it HAD to be right. Vent tool Five months…Lots of design and math…it HAD to be right.
Finish product, less some stain matching on the perimeter trim.
Ten years into my Shapeoko ownership and STILL amazed at the precision.
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Second project was for me. After a minor cancer scare which turned out to be a benign growth on my appendix (YAY). I said F it… And bought myself a Porsche.
I did not know that Porsche does not have a sliding sunvisor. It might have 600 hp but it doesn’t know how to do a sliding sunvisor… WHY? Toyota does it, Mercedes does it…and I’m almost always driving West at sunset…and there it is blinding me…
(Sheet Metal was purchased with a matte black anodized and the 6061 was Power Coated (also matte Black)
So as a maker, I did what a maker does:
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My first HDU cut. This stuff is unbelievable to cut. Nice edges.
Now to find a painter …
This is the same data and scale as the purple etching from earlier.
Lake Placid NY - 1 meter data, 9.8 square km.
The STL file is 781 MB. 16 million triangles.
My 32 GB Dell laptop using Fusion gets swamped ( memory ) , luckily its an SSD so the swapping memory is not as painful. I guess I found the max model for my setup.
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Once you get a coat of paint or primer on it then it feels less fragile. I think that may be a psychological phenomenon just based on the gritty texture feeling like it will slough off.
I am waiting for my customer to finish’s paintings mounting the one I did for her and then I will post a final pic of it. I think it looks really good and am planning my next HDU project.
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Do you use the FSC 88 WB primer I keep seeing ?
The pro sign maker mentioned latex may peal after time. Maybe the NE weather range.
EDIT: Looks like the Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 works for HDU.
Trying to keep costs for freebies down.
From Google
High-Density Urethane (HDU) sign foam requires a specialized high-build, water-based, or acrylic primer to fill its porous cell structure and ensure paint adhesion, commonly applied via brush or roller. Recommended primers include FSC-88 WB, HDU Prime-All, and Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3, typically applied in 1-2 heavy, “creamy” coats and sanded with 220-600 grit paper for a smooth finish.
Top Recommended Primers for Sign Foam/HDU
- FSC-88 WB (Water-Based): A high-build, water-based primer/filler specifically designed to fill, smooth, and seal HDU for maximum adhesion.
- HDU Prime-All: A medium-bodied, water-based latex designed to prevent peeling and fill voids.
- Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3: An easily accessible, versatile primer that adheres well to HDU.
- Chromatic High Build Primer: A recommended option for high-build requirements.
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I tried some automotive primer from a rattle can but wasn’t impressed. Then just used some rustoleum I think.
The customer then used acrylic on top of that. She did a little research which led her to using this as a sealer:
She said though that pulled up the acrylic paint in spots and she had to retouch and then have thinner coats.
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You had me at maple.
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