PDA

View Full Version : **Guide on how to make cheap homemade signs**




Drex
02-19-2012, 04:46 PM
Sometimes money is tight. Some of us already have the official yard sign, but we can't control what they say. This guide will show you how to make cheap signs using poster board. Hope you enjoy!


Recommended Materials: Black & red spray paint, poster board, cardboard, x-acto knife, projector or printer, ruler, straight edge, razor blade, something to cut the poster board on, pencil,


Poster board is very inexpensive and can make 2-3 signs per board. All depends on how big you want your sign. A 100 carton of poster board is $39.95 at walmart (h ttp://www.walmart.com/ip/Pacon-White-Four-Ply-Poster-Board-28-x-22-100-Carton/15052202) I believe you can buy them individually there too. So around .40 cents per board, 2 signs per board. .20 cents a sign.


Of course you need a design. I used to ' Ron Paul RELOVUTION ' image.


https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS6ivUjtCPRIq_WDsLuPsVMtj1xUP0uO LYD5TdlqOOsJqtR7JJt


The way I used is by using a projector and projecting the image on the wall. After taping the cardboard to the wall, I then traced the image. If you don't have a projector, you can always print an image you want then trace it on cardboard. ( Sorry I don't have a picture of this stage )


Here comes the difficult part. Using your x-acto knife or even a small blade. Cut out the traced lines. This part is by far the hardest part, just because it takes a lot of patience.


http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/1863/70280922925124637120.jpg


Now you're ready to paint the poster board. I did it inside, but I think it's best to do it outside. From what I've noticed the poster board does not warp at all. You may also need either some extra small pieces of cardboard to place over the part you don't want painted at that time.


http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/7697/70280895325124627410.jpg
(Btw that's my cat in the bottom of the picture)


Like I said earlier you can either have 2-3 signs per board. After you spray paint, let them dry for 5-10 minutes. The way I cut the signs is to place it on a piece of plywood. I used a razor blade to cut them and used a ruler to measure so it would look neat as possible. Using a straight edge would be good to use as well.


http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/5395/70280873225124619930.jpg


Now there you go! You have cheaply made Ron Paul signs to either give away, hoard, or put them on stuff!


http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/1194/70280848825124611570.jpg


Places you can put your sign(s):


On trees.

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/9764/70280829925124604980.jpg


On a car hood.

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/8171/70280783125124589290.jpg


Top of your back windshield.

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/6933/70280756825124580520.jpg


You can even put them on telephone poles. Since they're so cheap you can put them places and not be afraid you'll never see them again. LOL.


Hope this helped some of you to make your own signs! Thanks for reading!

Drex
02-19-2012, 06:40 PM
BUMP

neverseen
02-19-2012, 06:53 PM
put a flat board under your poster board then lay your stencil on top. Get a 1" x 2" x 2' and use it to push the stencil into the base board making a poster board sandwich while you are spraying. Do it gently, not a lot of pressure needed. This will eliminate the over spray you have.


Some i did on vinyl:

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/400229_318247078217846_258744870834734_916614_1037 850472_n.jpg

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/426718_318246941551193_258744870834734_916611_1732 486071_n.jpg

Stick example here:

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/404500_314416695267551_258744870834734_907248_2072 99750_n.jpg

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/397101_309973929045161_258744870834734_896134_1902 780397_n.jpg\

These were stencils cut out of foam board:
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/381816_309974399045114_258744870834734_896145_9130 95224_n.jpg

The stencil for these was made out of a hard vinyl flooring type material. Cut pretty well with an exacto and held up amazingly
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/408636_309974815711739_258744870834734_896152_6251 88937_n.jpg

Various stencils made of paper, card board, and sign board:
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/376041_309975629044991_258744870834734_896169_7507 90184_n.jpg

You see the paper IRS on the ground? We would not spray the FED and then would lay the paper IRS where the fed was (after removing the stencil) and gave it a quick spray. Believe it or not but card stock paper will hold up for about 100 sprays on small signs:
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/408298_309974275711793_258744870834734_896141_1179 070935_n.jpg

neverseen
02-19-2012, 07:01 PM
For FREE sign board you can go to your local city brush dump and pick the old signs up that they collected. I recycled old campaign signs and house for sale and will buy junk car signs lol. Just primer over them and wah lah. Free w/ stands!

orenbus
02-19-2012, 07:10 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay70Q0dkess

neverseen
02-19-2012, 07:14 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRNj83QMdaQ&list=UU_01uhXMWsvArJ8rUH11lSg&index=12&feature=plcp


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN2k-y_rp7w&feature=related

J_White
02-19-2012, 09:38 PM
nicely done !