Signs Never Sleep

Hobo Railroad Engine

Right before we left on vacation Lee lettered one of the engines that had recently been repainted at the Hobo Railroad.  I think our train-yard work is some of the most enjoyable vehicle lettering that we do...  When we moved up to the White Mountains, I really had no idea that I would be working with trains on a weekly basis, and it was a pleasant surprise.  Yes, it is amazing how much fun it is to do just about anything related to trains...   

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Polly's Pancake Parlor

DSC01643, originally uploaded by SignsNeverSleep.

 

This is one of the first tasks that I need to tackle on my first day back (yes, I am going to work all this weekend!). Polly's is going to be open for Mother's Day and I need to get them this sign as well as some directional signs for the parking lot as well. Going to flip this monster of a sign over this morning and get the other side finished painted. About 6 hours of labor left on this project...

We're back from vacation...

Literally just stepped through the door and unpacked the car...

Doing a quick check of e-mails, phone messages and such before dinner and then bed.  We had a fantastic vacation but I am ready to get back to work as of tomorrow morning.  Spring, is of course, a very busy time for a sign shop, and we have two big dates coming up which tend to be the "deadlines" for just about every project we currently have on the table.

The first is Memorial Day, naturally, and I can feel it breathing down our necks already.  The second is the 4th of July, which is actually when the summer tourist season heats up for Lincoln.  So until the parade on main street, all of us at Lincoln Signs are in for one hell of a ride!

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Secondly, happy anniversary to us!  Today is the one year anniversary of our moving in to Lincoln Signs.  The past year has been terrific, and we are looking forward to many, many more,  We would like to thank our wonderful customers for the past year, as well as Lee, Chris, and everyone else who has worked with us or lent a hand.

Thanks

Pollard Brook Room Signs

DSC01557, originally uploaded by SignsNeverSleep.

On vacation

We are on vacation this week, away in beautiful Erie, PA, visiting family and doing some resting and relaxing just prior to the busy, busy summer.

The big surprise for this vacation was the fact that it has snowed the last few days here, and although I know that the weather in Lincoln hasn't been any summer paradise either (rain and cold mostly) the snow has really been an unwelcome treat.  Two little boys, cooped up inside, need I say more...

Luckily, Vicki's mother has been a terrific host and we have had a wonderful time regardless...

Currently I have been on a dial-up connection to check e-mail and to blog, and I just need to say  "how does anyone actually use a dial-up connection?"  Yes, I used to use dial-up as well, but I am now beyond spoiled, and watching a web page actually  L........O........A..........................D    is incredibly painful and perhaps psychologically damaging.

Woodwards Resort Sign

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This is probably one of my favorite signs in town, and it was originally done by Chris and Rick Weissbrod some number of years ago.  As far as I am concerned, this is everything that a great sign should be.

Fire Safety Week at Lincoln Sign Company

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Finally got around to putting the fire extinguishers up that I purchased ages ago.

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This is the cabinet we keep out 180-proof whiskey in for "medicinal purposes".

It just is not possible...

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We are going on vacation next week, and one of the things on the itinerary is a picnic at Vicki and my Alma Mater Allegheny College.  We are having the picnic on Sunday with a bunch of people at one of the pavilions at Robertson Field, and I thought I would just to see how nice the weather was going to be, and     it     is    going    to   SNOW!

That part of Pennsylvania has always had a reputation for weird weather.  Vicki and I once attended  the wedding of one of our classmates, it must have been May or June, and it snowed then too.

I will take pictures and keep you posted.

Maybe I will go up to the fraternity house and shovel "my" section of the sidewalk for old times sake...   Ah, it was fun being a Pledge...

Oh, and just for the record, I am NOT going to visit the fraternity house while I am there (at least I am not going inside).  You know what I walked away with the last time I visited?  The sudden and appalling realization that WE ALL LIVED IN FILTH FOR THREE YEARS!

Bad, BAD, Cheesers!

Lettering the Dumont Construction Van

Here is the vehicle I was lettering yesterday and the picture progression gives you an idea of how the various graphic elements are built up to create the complete package.  We use some techniques for vehicle lettering that are pretty unique (as you can see from the "General Contracting" line of lettering that looks like it is V-Carved).

Believe it or not, whenever we are doing any type of vinyl lettering, our #1 concern is to make it last as long as it possibly can.  There are limits that are determined by the colors being used, and the effect the customer wants to achieve, but when I talk to a customer about a job, I almost always give options based on outdoor life.

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The Thunderstorms had very bad timing today

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My luck ran short lettering the van I was working on and I was caught in the pouring rain mid-project.  When I can, I really prefer to letter vehicles outside as it gives me an excuse to work outside.  I didn't do too badly however, as I got about 80% of the truck done even though I had to "letter in-between the raindrops".

Lee came back at the end of the day and he has a bit more to do on the engine at the Hobo Railroad.  (I would have been embarrassed if he had gotten his vehicle done before mine, considering the "vehicle" he is lettering is SLIGHTLY larger than the van I am doing.

 

Getting ready to letter vehicles today

DSC01568, originally uploaded by SignsNeverSleep.

We do things other than carved signs here at the Lincoln Sign Company, and one of the things that we really enjoy is lettering vehicles.  Today both Lee and I are going to be very busy doing just that.  I am going to be doing graphics for a van, but Lee is the lucky one, as he is going to be going out on-site to letter a locomotive for the Hobo Railroad.

When we letter both signs and vehicles, we use something called "pressure sensitive vinyl" which is basically rolls of color with an adhesive on the back, that we run through a computer controlled cutter and it cuts the graphics for us.  Pretty much everything you see out there that you think is painted letters, is most likely done with pressure sensitive vinyl.  The above photo is what it looks like when yards and yards of this stuff is running through the machine.  Has a nice "ribbon candy" look doesn't it?

Mmmmmmmmmmm..... ribbon candy........

 

 

DSC00212

DSC00212, originally uploaded by SignsNeverSleep.

 

Spring has arrived and we have become very, VERY, very busy.  This is always the challenge, juggle all of the various projects, get the jobs out, the quotes done, keep all the appointments etc, AND try to occasionally have a life outside of work and get some time to spend with the family.

Glue Ups

DSC01565, originally uploaded by SignsNeverSleep.

Late Friday afternoon Lee was working on glueing up some boards and I snapped a quick photo.  I always need to be careful going out to talk with Lee while he is using the noisy power tools as it is very easy to unintentionally "sneak up" on someone when all the racket is going on.  Startling a person working with power tools is not a good idea.

Also over the weekend...

One of our clients, Richard Tessier, stopped by to meet me for the first time while I was in the middle of my painting marathon.  It was terrific to meet you Richard...

 

 

The weather is about to change...

For those of you keeping up with this site that are not lucky enough to live in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, I thought I would bring you up to date with the current weather situation.  During the day it has generally been getting up into the upper 50's, low 60's for the past number of days, but right around 4 O' clock in the afternoon the temperature falls again like a steel curtain and keeps everything well below freezing. 

I have still been making fires every morning, both in the shop and in the house, but they are generally short-lived fires meant only to take the chill out of the air.

Just looked at the 10 day forecast and it looks like as soon as we get into next week, it will be staying in the high thirties even through the night, so ! guess spring really is here.  Oh, and the phone has been ringing off the hook with "I need a sign", so yes, winter is over!

I have told Vicki that I would like to go camping at least 50 times this summer.  I think she is reserving the right to dial back that request a bit, but she has assured me that we will be getting some camping in this summer.

OH MY GOD! WE CARVED THE SIGN UPSIDE DOWN!

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No one panic.  This isn't really a big issue.  We will use an inverted installation procedure and the customer will never know...

It is the end of a VERY long week and I am taking a few minutes of blogging time to relax and unwind.  Spent the majority of the day priming signs, yes, lots and lots of fun with boring gray primer.  It was like painting battleships all day.

This weekend is actually going to be more of the same for me, as we have alot that needs to get painted and currently not enough hands on deck.  We'll catch up however...  Never fear...

 

 

Carved Sign for Polly's Pancake Parlor: In Progress

POLLY, originally uploaded by SignsNeverSleep.

 

 

One of the many projects we currently have running is the main sign for Polly's Pancake Parlor.  They are a local attraction here in the White Mountains and they have excellent breakfasts, lunches and yes, pancakes.  Their website is here CLICK

We are just finishing all the woodworking on the sign as of Thursday, and if all goes well it will be hitting the paint shop on Friday.

One of the things I really enjoy about this business, is being able to help out these local landmarks.  As you can see from Polly's site, they have been here in the area since the 1930's, and it is great to think that Lincoln Sign Company will be slowly wrapped up in that history, heritage and lore.

Bishop's Ice Cream menu board

DSC01561, originally uploaded by SignsNeverSleep.

OK, this is a great example of a "before and after" type scenario (I am not going to point out which is which OK?)

Many times, I feel that people underestimate what a sign can do for their business or their lives, any type of sign.  Here is a great example.  An Ice Cream parlor, which is obviously a busy, food-service business, needs to communicate the message of "clean, orderly, efficient, and well thought out".  Think about it, who would your rather buy a cone from, the one on the left, or the one on the right???

This really comes back to my basic philosophy, that every business is a "themed" environment (just like Walt Disney World) and until every ice cream business can afford audio-animatronic figures telling "The Story of Ice Cream" and doing a little song-and-dance number, it is largely going to be signs that create the theme.

When you see this sign in person, the colors and type-styles make you think "I need a banana split right now!"

Sadly, I worked on it all day, and I did not get any banana split.

 

 

The New Yankee Workshop sent us a DVD

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This was waiting for me in my mailbox the other day, and is obviously a DVD copy of the New Yankee Workshop episode that we were in.

It is also a great reminder for me...   Anyone who might be interested, this episode is going to be on New Hampshire Public Television Saturday, May 7th @ 3pm.

 

Skiing on Loon Mountain

DSC01551, originally uploaded by SignsNeverSleep.

Vicki and I took two brief hours yesterday and went skiing at Loon Mountain.  Yes, we can ski in April up here and the conditions were great!  (They are actually open until Sunday, and just for the record, this was the first time we made it to Loon this year).

I actually fell twice, which is good, right?  Means I am pushing the envelope?  Trying to learn new things?

Tried out my famous "riding the chairlift of peril" routine, which Vicki has never seen before since we have actually never skied together before today.  As you know, the chairlift is connected to a cable that runs through pulleys on towers, and every so often, you go through this network of pulleys and the chair shakes.

Well, if you time it just right you can do the following:

"Hey, there is something weird going on up there!"

"It..looks...like...the...cable...is...going to snap"  (bump, bump, bump)

That is big, BIG fun.  And the great thing is, you can do it, depending on the length of the ride, like 25-30 times in a row!

Just a tip for you guys on "ski dates".  Save this great joke for when you actually trick her into marrying you.  That way she is trapped... 

 

 

For all of you crazy cats who care about the Blogging thing

Just wanted to mention that I have been really happy with my decision to move all of my stuff over to TypePad.  It seems to be a really well thought out, really fast platform to use, and I am glad I made the switch from Blogger.

The #1 reason that I moved over, believe it or not, is that I am able to pay money to use TypePad, whereas Blogger was free.  Make any sense?  (Trust me, I rarely make sense).  I have a immediate distrust of anything you can get for free (you will never catch ME at Sam's Club taking one of those free samples).  Actually, you can catch me doing this, all the time, but in theory I don't.

I want to pay someone to keep me as a happy customer, and by paying TypePad, I am basically making a deal with them that they will keep all the content on my blog safe, right? Right.

Riddle: How do lumberjacks find wood at night?

Ce-dar.

We just got a load of Cedar in from Washington State, and it is probably the nicest cedar we have ever gotten in during my short tenure here.  People outside of the biz have no idea how had it is to get really nice wood for signmaking.  Years ago, redwood was the norm, but you can pretty much forget about getting any good redwood anymore, and I am pretty sure the cedar is going to be going away soon too.

Yes, we are, in fact, running out of trees.

That's why we need NASA to get its butt in gear, invent interstellar travel, find a planet that has more trees so we can invade it and steal all their trees with blue death rays or some sort of tractor-beam device.

Sorry, too much coffee...

 

TypePad is the new home of Signs Never Sleep

Just wanted to write a quick note and let everyone know that I am going to be making some big changes the the Lincoln Sign Company weblog over the next few months.  I am using a new weblog engine (TypePad) that is much more "feature-rich" and I should be able to do alot of really nice stuff in the future.

One of the things that I am looking forward to the most is the ability to put Portfolio pictures into the weblog so readers have a nice photo album of our past work that you can browse through>>> over there >>>  to the right  >>>  scroll down and you will be able to see them

Another nice thing I can do now is order all of my posts according to subject matter so, for example, if you cared enough, you could read all the posts having to do with "Carved Signs" or even one particular project all at one go.

It was a wood stackin' weekend

As this was the first really nice weekend since spring has crept up on us, we were all outside just about every second this weekend cleaning up the yard, washing cars, and stacking wood like maniacs!

The great thing about stacking firewood, is that you never seem to run out of wood!  This weekends wood stacking is especially futile, because I am actually moving wood FROM ONE PILE TO ANOTHER!  And the worst thing about it is that it was actually my own idea!  Yes, I must be an idiot!

I'm just glad firewood is something I really only have to worry about twice a year.

After I finish sorting all this wood, I am going to relax by playing with my huge and heavy rock collection.

 

Another piece of the large Comfort Inn Project

hobo golf, originally uploaded by SignsNeverSleep.

This is the Hobo Hills Adventure Golf portion of the sign that is going to be gracing main street in Lincoln

Sugar Run Lodge

sugar run, originally uploaded by SignsNeverSleep.

This is a two sided, carved Everwood sign for Sugar Run Lodge.  The mountain scene is a 3D carved relief and Vicki did an outstanding job painting the pictorial (especially the snow).  The lettering is gilded with 23K gold leaf.