[jrflat]

Wondering if any of you have any suggestions for me as to the best way to hang a sign I made outdoors. I made this sailboat sign for my mother about 7 years ago for her cottage and have it hanging outside. I hung it using eyelet screws as you can see by one of the pictures and over the years with the wind, rain and snow they did not hold and the sign came down. Now that it is down I am doing some repairs and repainting it but also want to attach the chains that I use to hang it a way that will last a little longer.

Does anyone have any suggestions as how I can hang the sign? The eyelet screws were just screwed into the sign about 3/4 of the way up the side of the sail. I am afraid if I do the same thing they are just going to pull out again so if anyone has any suggestions let me know. If it possible I may use the same process to attach the rest of the sail boat pieces together.

Thank you in advance for your help.

John

 

[cabinetman]

Wondering if any of you have any suggestions for me as to the best way to hang a sign I made outdoors. I made this sailboat sign for my mother about 7 years ago for her cottage and have it hanging outside. I hung it using eyelet screws as you can see by one of the pictures and over the years with the wind, rain and snow they did not hold and the sign came down. Now that it is down I am doing some repairs and repainting it but also want to attach the chains that I use to hang it a way that will last a little longer.

Does anyone have any suggesations as how I can hang the sign? The eyelet screws were just screwed into the sign about 3/4 of the way up the side of the sail. I am afraid if I do the same thing they are just going to pull out again so if anyone has any suggestions let me know. If it possible I may use the same process to attach the rest of the sail boat pieces together.

Thank you in advance for your help.

John

Pictures?

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[jrflat]

Working on the pictures, could not load them at work so I will loan them tonight when I am home.

 

[BernieL]

I'm chiming in to keep an eye on this post because I have a few ideas in mind - but like our forever helpful friend Cabinetman - I also need pictures as you plan to post.

 

[jrflat]

Pics

Pics have been added and the pic showing the side is where the eyelet was screwed in.

Thanks again

 

[BernieL]

Couple of questions - How is this attached to the post - house - tree...? I see the eye screwed into blue wood and I assume that is the boat part. Is it attached on the bottom only or is there another eye on top the mast? Usually a 3 point connection is best for a sign subject to winds etc. unless it is heavy, short, and on good chains (short so it only catches enough wind to sway).

My original vision pictured a boat secured by the top mast and stern and bow. I even pictured the boat with a wavy water base you could add and secure. Your pictures are very good for the details, but I can't see the big picture from them. Maybe Cabinetman can.

Another question is - can this sign be seen from both directions? If not, add a block on the back side and secure an eye into it. Your basic problem is the eye into plywood end grain which will not hold screws very well. If it can be seen from both directions - can you put the sir name on a block, eye screws into them?

Trying to help without confusing you is a bit hard because I can't see the big picture... sorry!

 

[jrflat]

To answer your question the sign is hung from a post at the edge of the driveway so it can be seen from both sides. The post it two parts, one vertical that goes into the ground and the other horizontal attached to the top of the vertical post. There are two chains attached to the horizontal post and I have the eyelet screws screwed into the sides of the white sales about 1/4 of the way down from the top of the sail. Hope this helps clarify, thanks for your input everyone.

 

[cabinetman]

I have a suggestion. You could drill holes along the sides of the sails (through holes), and lace up some twisted nylon cord to look like rope. At the top, you could hang the sign from a stainless open eye hook that you can get at HD. For a cord, take a look at a roll of masons line. That's the line they use to stretch for lining up block work. It's cheap, and could be within a scale to look like rope for the vessel.

EDIT: Or, you could just epoxy the cord along the edge of the sails.

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[jrflat]

Cabinetman

Thanks that is a great idea I am going to look into that. I like the idea of the mason line although I am a little concerned that it might not be strong enough to hold the weight of the sign since the sign is about 3 1/4 feet tall. Maybe I can look around and find line that can handle more weight since I think that idea will go well with the whole sailboat look.

Keep the ideas coming, I want to make sure I consider all options before I start drilling a bunch more holes.

Thanks everyone!

John

 

[hobbyer]

boat sign

please don't use nylon -- ultraviolet light will destroy it in about a year.
consider using stranded wire...so that it is flexible and will not be destroyed via light. corrosion is a possibility, so coat it with that black rubber coating used for protecting tool handles and to make the wire disappear from view.

drilling through the wood will require long drill bits or a channel routed along the edge to hide the wire. Painting the edges of the sign in a thin line with add the "cartoon" framing to emphasize the design a little and hide the black wire if you use the black rubber coating.

I like the idea of adding waves, but i think gluing on standing waves from
the bow to the stern would be an even better idea...with appropriate colors of course.
have fun!!

 

[HowardAcheson]

What species or type of wood did you use to make the sign? It looks like it may have been plywood. What failed? Did the screw eye just pull out of the wood? What secures the sign or does it just hang and flop in the wind? If this is the case, the stress of constant movement will probably caused the screw eye to "work" and over time it weakened and enlarged the hole. If you used plywood, screwing in to the edge of plywood makes for a weak attachment.

 

[yank]

Could you replace the mast with a treaded rod? And use it to attach it to the horizontal arm on the post? Painted white to hide it. Threaded rod all the way thru the horizontal would make it stationary and not move in the wind.

 

[cabinetman]

Could you replace the mast with a treaded rod? And use it to attach it to the horizontal arm on the post? Painted white to hide it. Threaded rod all the way thru the horizontal would make it stationary and not move in the wind.

That's a good idea. It could be sleeved with an aluminum tube, or PVC schedule 40.

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[jrflat]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. As I am reading through them I see some questions. The wood is pine and yes the eyelets were just screwed into the edges of the pine and the sign just hangs from the top at two points and I think with all the wind it was just too much weight on the eyelets and they just came out.

Looking back it was not the best plan but it was my first sign project. I hate to recreate the whole sign and to be honest I do not have the time to recreate it all over and my mother likes the way it looks she just wants it back up and I would like it to stay up this time.

I looked and had a hard time finding something like nylon that I could run up the sails. The nylon or rope like I found just will not last outside through all the elements of the Wisconsin seasons and anything metal I am afraid will just tear up the wood as it sways in the wind.

I was hoping to do something this week as the sign is all repainted I am just running out of ideas.

Thanks everyone

John

 

[cabinetman]

I looked and had a hard time finding something like nylon that I could run up the sails. The nylon or rope like I found just will not last outside through all the elements of the Wisconsin seasons and anything metal I am afraid will just tear up the wood as it sways in the wind.

I was hoping to do something this week as the sign is all repainted I am just running out of ideas.

Thanks everyone

John

I'm sticking to my idea with masons line. It's very strong, and you could braid it if you want it stronger. I've used similar nylon cord outside for years without it self destructing. Or, you could use monofilament, either some real thick stuff, or braid some thinner line.

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