Product Line 7A - Solid Cast or Machined Bronze, Brass & Aluminum Plaques & Signs
Seal, Emblem, Logo, Award , Memorial , Address Number and Separate Letter/Number Solid Bronze, Brass and Aluminum Plaques & Signs
Welcome to our photo Gallery 7A which shows over 50 examples of cast and precision machined solid bronze, brass and aluminum plaques, signs, and letters.
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We sell solid cast and precision machined bronze, brass and aluminum 2.5-D and 3-D plaques, signs and separate letters, These are the only plaques we do not manufacture in-house. We design them, including interfacing with the client on custom designs, and we may paint them or apply a patina, and if required, we integrate them with wood, aluminum plate, or HDU signboards, which may include other text and artwork not on the metal plaque. These solid metal plaques are fabricated by well-known wholesale foundries such as Gemini. Occasionally we also use other metal plaque foundries and fabricators , depending on the type of plaque and lead times available from the foundry.
The photo on the left shows a solid cast bronze 3-D plaque, polished in the lighter areas. These solid metal plaques are more durable than metal-plated HDU plaques, and are suitable for locations on an outside building or memorial wall where people will rub it or touch it. Some can even be installed on a floor where people may walk on it.
Solid cast or machined metal plaques will last a lifetime. However, 3-D cast plaques are considerably more expensive and take longer to make, up to 10 weeks, than the bronze, brass and aluminum-plated HDU plaques described in Gallery 7, which look virtually identical to solid metal plaques. Solid metal plaques are also 3 to 10 times heavier than the metal-plated HDU plaques described in Gallery 7, which is an important factor when installing on a interior wood wall or drywall. We recommend solid metal plaques rather than metal-plated HDU plaques for most outdoor installations because they are more durable in cold or wet environments, last longer without maintenance, are less likely to be damaged from graffiti or vandalism, and are very resistant to people rubbing or touching them repeatedly. However, because they are much less expensive and lighter, we recommend metal-plated HDU plaques for most indoor locations (although they will last many years outdoors) , and they should be mounted out of reach of people repeatedly touching or rubbing them (e.g, in a courtroom above a judge's bench, or in a home), because the thin metal veneer will eventually wear through when the plaque is repeatedly rubbed.
TYPES OF SOLID METAL PLAQUES
The four different types of solid bronze, brass and aluminum dimensional signs & plaques we sell are described below, as Type (AA) through (DD). Sometimes we use two or even three of the techniques together to create a plaque or sign , or we can install a solid cast metal plaque on a wood , flat aluminum, or HDU sign board which may have its own artwork and text.
Type AA - Solid Cast 3-D Bas-Relief Metal Plaques. These plaques can be made of bronze, brass, or aluminum. A 3D geometric model of the plaques is first designed in software using a 3D graphics program. This computer model is then used to carve with a CNC router a urethane or other plastic replica of the plaque. Alternatively, a sculpturer can carved the replica out of clay. This replica is then embedded in a casting sand mold which forms the obverse of its shape. Then, metal (bronze, brass or aluminum) is heated in an electric furnace to its melting point, and is poured as a liquid into the casting sand mold. After the metal casting has cooled, extraneous protuberances are ground off, and the plaque is cleaned and polished. A patina or paint may be applied to the background to enhance contrast. The entire plaque can also be painted different colors, but this is unusual, because paint hides the natural beauty of the metal. Most 3-D bas-relief plaques which have complex dimensional art are cast, rather than machined described below. See an example above right.
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Type BB - Solid Metal Precision Machined Plaques & Signs. Precision machined metal plaques usually have 2.5-D raised relief or engraved relief, cut by a CNC router in a similar manner to our HDU and wood plaques. These are cut and carved out of flat sheets of brass, aluminum, or bronze which are typically 0.5 to 1 inches thick. These plaques last longer and are stronger, more rugged and heavier than metal-plated HDU plaques and signs, but they look very similar. They are excellent choices for outdoor monuments, memorials, buildings walls, and gravestones. Finishes include brushed, oxidized, painted, patina, and polished. Most plaques with a lot of text and simple artwork are precision machined, instead of cast. AQn example is shown on the left.
Type CC- Etched Metal Plaques (Line Art or Photo Halftone Images) . These are thin plaques which have text, line art and half-tone photos chemically etched into the surface of the plaque. They can have either recessed or raised graphics. Premium etched plaques in brass, bronze, copper, stainless steel, or aluminum and can be produced as thin as 1/16″ thick.. Etched photos are created with halftone images to provide a permanent, exterior-grade solution. These finishes have been tested and have withstood thousands of hours of exposure to salt, fog, moisture, heat cycles, and UV light, .
Type DD - Cast and Precision Machined Metal Letters & Numbers. We sell a wide variety of cast or machined stainless steel, aluminum, bronze and and brass individual letters and numbers. We also make and sell letters made from other materials, such as plastic, HDU, metal-plated HDU, and wood, but solid metals have much higher strength, last longer and require less maintenance than any other material, and are the recommended materials for outdoor signage. Aluminum, bronze and brass cast letters can have complex surface shapes such as prismatic, outline/recessed, and ornate font styles. Aluminum and stainless steel precision machined letters usually have flat surfaces. Letters are available in 45 different font styles. They can have a combination of narrow strokes and deep returns (i.e., thickness), from 1/2" to 6". Letter heights range from 2″ up to 120″ high. Metal letters can have a wide variety of finish options including: brushed, polished, titanium coated, painted, or anodized. These letters and numbers can be stud mounted on a building wall, a monument base, on a sign to provide dramatic dimensionality.
TYPE EE - Aluminum and Wrought Iron Silhouette Signs. We make silhouette aluminum and wrought iron hanging signs of any size from 10 inches to 8 ft wide. These are cut with a CNC water jet or laser cutter into any shape. They are usually 2-D relief, but they can be engraved using a CNC router, or they can have two or three layers welded together so they appear as 2.5-D two-level relief. These are made from 1/4" to 1/2" thickness aluminum or steel plate, depending on size. They can be painted or even gold-leaf gilded. They can be made from unpainted Corten weathering steel to give a rustic look. These interesting signs can be hung from an overhead wood beam mounted between two posts, or a wrought iron scroll bracket mounted on a post or a building wall. These are inexpensive compared to TYPES AA and BB above. A simple 24"x36" painted aluminum sign with eyehooks has a price of $540, plus shipping. An similar 18" x 24" sign has a price of $330.
CONTENTS IN GALLERY 7 . This Gallery 7A contains over 80 photos of our solid metal plaques & signs in the following order:
Type AA - Solid Cast 3-D Bas-Relief Plaques (Bronze, Brass and Aluminum) - top of page, beginning with M7700
Type BB - Solid Metal Precision Machined Plaques & Signs (Bronze, Brass and Aluminum) - middle of page, beginning with M7800
Type CC - -Etched Metal Plaques (Line Art or Photo Halftone Images) - middle of page, beginning with M7900
Type DD - Cast and Precision Machined Metal Letters & Numbers - near bottom of page, beginning with M7950
TYPE EE - Aluminum and Wrought Iron Silhouette Signs - bottom of page, beginning with M7980
PRICES. Solid brass and bronze plaques have higher prices than to metal-plated high-density-urethane plaques because of material and additional labor costs. For example, 18 inch diameter 2.5-D solid brass or aluminum precision machined plaques (Type BB) have prices of $1000 ; bronze or brass-plated HDU plaques have prices of $650 , and they will look nearly identical to the solid ones.
Our plaque prices depend primarily on their area, their design (e.g., complexity and fine detail of artwork and carving , amount of hand-polishing and burnishing, etc.). Solid cast 3-D bronze and brass plaques (Type AA) are the most expensive. Their prices are typically 3 to 4 times the prices of the same design made in 3-D carved HDU bronze or brass-plated HDU. Their prices range from $2000 to $8000 or more, depending on size.. Very large solid metal plaques, greater than 48 inches in diameter, are very expensive and very heavy. There is a limit in size to solid cast plaques because of the foundry physical limitations. Etched plaques (Type CC) are the least expensive and weigh the least.
Please call us 951-698-8484 or email us at info@artsignworks.com for prices on any of these solid metal plaques or letters
PLEASE CONTACT US. Please call or email us for a price quote on a specific sign. We will work with you to design and build the exact sign or plaque you want. Our knowledgeable and helpful Customer Service Representatives, Liz, Christie, Regina and Natalia will respond to your request promptly. Call us at 951-698-8484 or email us at info@artsignworks.com. Or, you can fill out and submit our on-line Request an Estimate Form. We would like to make your sign or plaque, and we are confident that you will be pleased with it. We take great pride in every product we make for our valued clients. We offer a 2 year warranty on all our products.
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