A couple of years ago, one of these “Shop Talk” articles was about a small billboard-type sign erected at the end of a local football field for a Ford dealership, which was created in small components and basically built on the spot by one man quite easily. That sign was a bit over a 6' x 12' creation, and it was a fun and straightforward job.
几年前，这些“店谈”文章中有一篇是关于一个小广告牌类型的标识，它是为福特经销商在一个当地足球场的尽头竖立起来的，它是用小部件制作的，基本上是由一个人很容易地在现场制作的。这个标识超过了6'x 12'的尺寸，这是一个有趣和简单的工作。
This rather massive double-sided all-metal sign was created as a shop-made kit where all the pieces would be small enough to allow onsite assembly by basically one man with a small bucket truck.
这个双面全金属标牌看起来虽然相当巨大，所有的部件都足够小，基本上可以由一个人用一辆小型斗式卡车进行现场组装。
Recently I was asked to build a much larger, double-sided road sign, much like a billboard, and since I have only two full-time employees, both female, projects like these that involve a lot of fabrication and later bucket truck work are mostly up to me to complete. So, this large sign, more than 8' x 20' in size and with faces on both sides, would be quite a project for just one man. But, breaking it down into manageable components, even the rather large steel posts, the plan would once again be to make a “kit” in which none of the parts would be bulkier or heavier than one man could manage, which requires a bit of planning to say the least.
最近，我被要求建造一个更大的双面路标，很像一个广告牌，而且因为我只有两个全职员工，而且都是女性，这样的项目涉及大量的制造和以后的斗式卡车工作，主要是由我来完成。所以，这个大标识，尺寸超过8’x 20’，两边都有画面，对于一个人来说是一个相当大的项目。但是，把它分解成可管理的部件，甚至相当大的钢柱，计划将再次是制造一个“灯箱标识”。
The concept at least is simple, and it wasn’t long until I was cutting, drilling, fabricating and welding all the parts to make this substantial “kit,” where every part of it would be assembled on the jobsite virtually solo. In the end, most of the site work would be done over the long Thanksgiving weekend, taking out some time to take part in feast and fellowship with family, but greatly enjoying the good weather we had and catching up on getting the project off my list.
这个概念至少很简单，不久之后我就切割、钻孔、制造和焊接了所有的零件，制造出了一个“灯箱标识”，它的每一个零件都将在工地上单独组装。最后，大部分的现场工作将在漫长的感恩节周末完成，因为还要抽出一些时间参加宴会和与家人的团聚。
The photos will mostly tell the story, and I am sure there are variations of what was done that would work just as well. In the end, I might have done a thing or two differently (and that will be described here), but as far as making a tinker toy-like kit assembled step-by-step with manageable pieces, that aspect of the project was fairly well accomplished. And it was very nearly a one-man job, a large one, so a lot of the photos won’t have anyone in them since I was the only one there most of the time.
这些照片将主要讲述这个故事，我相信，但就制作一个这样一个灯箱标识，我需要一步一步地用可管理的部件组装起来，项目完成的相当好。这几乎是一份单人工作，虽然它看起来是一份很大的项目。所以很多照片里都没有人，因为大多数时候就我一个人。
The start was to make the posts, which in one piece would be quite heavy and require a crane to erect, actually in three parts each (total of 6 parts). Basically, there was a 5' 3" section of 8" x 8" tubing that went in the ground, a 12' section of 8" x 8" sq. tubing above the ground, and a top section of 6" x 6" tubing that would be totally concealed by the sign face itself. No piece ended up weighing over 200 pounds, and four of the six weighed a whole lot less.
开始是制作柱子，一根柱子很重，需要一台起重机来安装，实际上每根柱子有三个部分（总共6个部分）。基本上，地面上有一段5’3”的8”x 8”管道，地面上有一段12”的8”x 8”sq.管道，以及一段顶部6”x 6”管道，完全被标识面隐藏。没有一块重量超过200磅。
With no one in the bucket at all, lifting 200 pounds, though surely not generally recommended, was easy enough to do. I know that since I weigh nearly that much and my life depends on it lifting me all the time. The foundation sections were set in concrete a bit over 5' deep in holes I dug by hand, which is good exercise for a 64-year-old. My tractor was down at the time, and we’d had quite a bit of rain, so how hard could it be? Well, it would be a good workout, that’s for sure.
基础部分设置在混凝土中，在我挖的5英尺深的洞里，这对64岁的人来说是很好的锻炼。在没有人协助的情况下，我需要安装200磅左右的标识部件，当时我的拖拉机坏了，并且还下着大雨，这对我肯定是个不错的锻炼。
My son Slade showed up to guide the second stage main posts in place over one-inch studs protruding from the first section, resting on adjustable leveling nuts. The final upper piece of each post did not weight much and was easily lifted. A 10-foot step ladder got me to the point of connecting the two. With studs and leveling nuts used everywhere, getting things straight and true was very easy.
我的儿子斯莱德将会指导第二阶段的制作与安装，我们会把主要位置超过一英寸的螺柱进行螺母调校，每根柱子的最后一块上部重量不大，很容易被提起。一个10英尺长的梯子把我带到了连接这两者的地方。由于到处都使用了螺柱和校平螺母，所以很容易安装。
Except for the face panels, I brought the entire sign structure over to the job site on one trailer, reduced to manageable pieces and already powder coated. Each frame consisted of an upper crossmember of 3" x 3" aluminum tubing, and a lower crossmember the same size, and “C”-shaped frame members at each end defined the rectangle. The top cross member was attached first to fittings pre-welded at the top of the posts, then the “C” shaped ends were attached, and lastly, the lower crossmembers were secured to the posts, and the ends of the crossmembers mated to the ends of the “C” units.
为了减少不被遗漏这些标识的配件，除了面板，我把整个标识结构带到工作现场的一辆拖车上，每个框架由一个由3“x 3”铝管制成的上横梁和一个尺寸相同的下横梁组成，“C”形框架构件在每一端定义了矩形。顶部横梁首先连接到立柱顶部预焊接的配件上，然后连接“C”形端部，最后，下部横梁固定到立柱上，横梁端部与“C”单元的端部对接。
The upper and lower crossmembers were about 12' long, and the large “C”-shaped units at each end were overall 4'3" x 8'6" plus a half inch or so. The long members and the ends were made of 3" x 3" tubing, with 1" x 3" tubing screwed on the back, making a lip of about 1" for the sign faces to screw to. We were basically creating our own extrusion. The photos will better show this, but the lip allowed plenty of room to secure the faces around the edge of the sign, and vertical and horizontal cross members were secured to the edge of this 1" x 3" tubing using a box full of shop-made brackets.
上下横梁长约12英尺，每端的大“C”形部件总尺寸为4'3“x 8'6”左右。长构件和端部由3“x 3”管子制成，1“x 3”管子用螺丝固定在背面，使标识面上的边缘大约为1“。我们基本上是在创造我们自己的制作方法。照片将更好地显示这一点，但边缘允许有足够的空间来固定标识周围的面，垂直和水平横梁通过支架安装固定在灯箱标识1“x 3”管道的边缘。
Except for the internal crossmembers, which were all aluminum and required no finish, everything else was blasted and powder coated in advance, including the six steel post sections. Nothing was over 12' long, and I was able to do all the pieces on two racks. The entire kit would be carefully packaged with bubble wrap between layers. No welding would be required on the jobsite, and nothing was too bulky to handle by one man or assemble from a one-man bucket.
除了内部横梁全部为铝合金，不需要表面处理外，所有其他部件都预先进行了喷砂和粉末喷涂，包括六个钢柱截面。我们把所有的部件控制在尺寸不超过12英尺长，我能在两个架子上完成所有的工作。整个套件将被小心地用气泡包装在两层之间。工地上不需要焊接，也不需要任何笨重的工具，一个人完成所有的操作组装。
The one mistake I made was in making the “C” units at each end of the sign frame so large. Being a bit over 4" x 8" in size, their own weight caused them to sag a bit beyond 90 degrees. To keep them perfectly square, I had to pull them up with a tie-down strap attached the corner until a diagonal brace could be put in place, which solved the problem. When I do another job like this, the horizontal members of the “C”-shaped end units will be quite short, eliminating any noticeable sag in advance, and small diagonal braces will be included.
我犯的一个错误是把标识架两端的“C”单元都弄大了。由于尺寸略大于4“x 8”，它们自身的重量使它们的下垂度超过90度。为了使它们保持完美的方形，我必须用系紧带把它们拉起来，系紧拐角，直到对角撑杆可以安装到位，这就解决了问题。当我做另一个类似的工作时，“C”形端部单元的水平构件将相当短，提前消除任何明显的下垂，并包括小的对角撑杆。
On the jobsite, piece by piece the job went together, building a sign 20' tall and more than 8' x 20' in size, with aluminum laminated faces in five sections on each side. Frances had applied all the graphics back at the shop, marked one set “A” and left the other set unmarked. She did well and the graphics lined up perfect up in the air.
在工地上，一个接一个的工作一起进行，建立了一个20'高，超过8'x 20'大小的标识，铝层压面在每边五个部分。弗朗西斯把所有的图案都放回了商店，把一套标为“A”，另一套没有标。她做得很好，图像在空中排列得很完美。
The internal frame that the face panels attached to was mostly made of more 1" x 3" aluminum tubing, plus a stringer of 1"x1" tubing running horizontally across the entire sign. All of these parts were secured using a quantity of shop made brackets, CNC cut and formed on a brake.
面板所附的内部框架主要由1“x 3”铝管和1“x1”铝管的桁条组成，这些桁条水平穿过整个标识。所有这些零件都是用大量的工厂制造的支架，数控切割完成的。
These were simple triangle parts with holes already in them, and self-drilling screws were used to hold everything together.
这些是简单的三角形零件，里面已经有孔了，用自钻螺钉把所有东西固定在一起。
Near the end, my nephew, Jeremy, showed up to hand me the face panels so I could stay in the bucket. The securing of the face panels took a lot of screws, self-drilling wide flathead screws that had been bead blasted and powder coated white in advance. These worked extremely well, and I like oversized screw heads when working with a soft material like aluminum laminate. Previously powder coating them saved the time of having to touch up heads, which would not last like a powder-coated finish anyway.
在接近尾声时，我的侄子杰里米出现了，把面板递给我，这样我就可以内部安装了。面板的固定需要很多螺钉，自钻宽平头螺钉，这些螺钉已经预先进行了珠击和粉末涂层。超大的螺丝头便于安装，粉末涂层可以节省修补磁头的时间，不会像粉末涂层那样耗时。
Perhaps the best thing about this tinker-toy creation is that except for the main posts themselves, all of the sign framework was aluminum, with a powder-coated finish in black that will outlast the signmaker who installed it. The graphics will face or wear out, but faces can be easily replaced with a pile of self-drilling screws by one man in a bucket.
除了主要的柱子本身，所有的标识框架都是铝，所以需要用黑色粉末涂层完成，这样可以预仿这些图形会被腐蚀或者磨损，如果一个人在灯箱标识内部，在里面很容易上紧这些自钻螺钉。
The last step was to fully enclose the edges of the sign with strips of black .040 aluminum to keep out birds, bugs and rain, too. The customer decided he might light it like a billboard, so I had to return to weld electrical fittings in place to give his electrician the means to install the lighting.
最后一步是用0.040铝条将标识的边缘完全封闭起来，以防鸟类、虫子和雨水进入。然后焊接好这些电气配件，让电工安装照明设备。
The completed sign, way too big to miss, will be a local landmark for decades to come, but few will know that this large structure was basically a solo performance. It was a lot of work, of course, but it was straight-forward and fun, and the kit approach used can be modified easily to fit any sized sign of similar construction.
这个灯箱标识的完成，将成为当地至少几十年的地标，但很少有人会知道，这一大型结构基本上是一个独奏。当然，这是一个很大的工作，但它是直接和有趣的，类拟这种灯箱标识的制作方法，可以很容易地应用在适应任何大小的标识相似的建设中。
In the end, the client was very happy with his new plus-size sign and will continue to be satisfied with the years and years of advertising his initial investment will continue to provide.
最后，客户对他新的加大尺寸标识非常满意，他认为最初选择投资建造这个灯箱标识广告牌实在物超所值。
The starting point as far as fabrication goes was cutting six pieces of steel tubing to create two strong bolt-together posts, each in three sections.
制造过程的起点是切割六根钢管，形成两个牢固的螺栓连接柱，每根柱分三段。
The only welding in this job was the fabrication of the two three-piece posts with their plates, gussets and studs for leveling nuts.
在这项工作中，唯一的焊接工作是制造两个三件式立柱及其用于调平螺母的板、角撑板和螺柱。
The upper-frame kit for this large double-sided sign was made of lots of 3” x 3” and 1” x 3” aluminum tubing, most of which is shown here.
这个大型双面标牌的上部框架套件由大量3“x 3”和1“x 3”铝管制成，其中大部分如图所示。
With a wood template ensuring 90-degree angles, the assembly of one of four “C”-shaped end pieces is shown here.
使用确保90度角的木模板，此处显示四个“C”形端件之一的组装。
Viewed from the back, the 1” x 3” tubing is offset from the main 3” x 3” tubing to form a lip to secure the sign face panels to as they sit inside each main frame.
从后面看，1“x 3”管道与3“x 3”主管道偏移，形成一个边缘，将标识面板固定在每个主框架内。
Some of the main post sections and two of the “C”-shaped end units are waiting to be loaded on a trailer for transport to the powder coating shop.
一些主要的支柱部分和两个“C”形端部单元正等待装载到拖车上，以便运输到粉末涂料车间。
Here I am hanging prepped parts onto a powder coating rack before spraying and baking on a powder coated finish.
在这里，我将准备好的零件挂在粉末涂层架上，然后在粉末涂层表面进行喷涂和烘烤。
Hot out of the oven, the newly coated parts are about ready to go to the jobsite.
热出烤箱，新涂层的零件就要准备好去工地了。
Two substantial holes were dug by hand, a bit wider and deeper than what is shown here, already swallowing up a 5-foot tall pair of post hole diggers.
两个大洞是用手挖的，比这里显示的要宽和深一些，已经吞下了一对5英尺高的桩孔挖掘机。
Except for the sign faces themselves, virtually every part of our sign “kit” arrived at the jobsite on one carefully loaded trailer.
除了标识本身，几乎我们的标识“套件”的每一个部分都是通过一个小心装载的拖车到达工地的。
The post sections that went in the ground would be set more than 5’ deep, and have large studs welded to them for attaching the main post sections and leveling with adjustable nuts.
进入地面的支柱部分应设置超过5英尺深，并焊接有大型螺柱，用于连接主支柱部分并用可调螺母调平。
Slade helped set the main posts in place once the concrete was set on the base sections
一旦在基础部分设置了混凝土，Slade就帮助将主要支柱安装到位。
The top horizontal member is set in place at the top of the sign posts, and fittings are put in place that will help hold the end “C”-shaped members, but are also screwed to extensions of the 1” x 3” tubing on the back of the horizontal pieces.
顶部水平构件安装在标识杆顶部，配件安装到位，有助于固定末端“C”形构件，但也用螺丝固定在水平件背面1“x 3”管道的延伸部分上。
The “C” units that define the rectangular frame at each end were fairly large, and ended up needing a diagonal brace to keep them square.
在每一端定义矩形框架的“C”单元相当大，最后需要一个对角撑杆来保持它们的方形。
This photo shows how the offset 1” x 3” tubing created a lip to attach the face panels to.
这张照片显示了偏移量为1“x 3”的管道是如何创建一个边缘来连接面板的。
In this image, the top cross member and one “C” unit is in place. After fighting with the first one, I made a temporary truss to hold the end units until the lower cross member could be installed.
在该图中，顶部横梁和一个“C”单元就位。在和第一个抗争之后，我做了一个临时的桁架来支撑末端单元，直到可以安装下横梁。
This photo shows the top of the three sections post, and a temporary strap and permanent diagonal brace holding the “C” shaped end unit perfectly square.
这张照片显示了三个部分的柱子的顶部，以及一个临时的带子和永久的斜撑，将“C”形的端部单元保持完全方形。
Here the structural framework is all complete, and it is time to create the internal stringer system that will help hold the face sections in place and seam them together.
这里的结构框架都是完整的，现在是时候创建内部桁条系统，这将有助于将面部分固定到位并将它们缝合在一起。
A box full of shop-made brackets are used to secure all the aluminum tubing of the internal frame.
一个装满车间制造支架的灯箱被用来固定内部框架的所有铝管。
Self-drilling screws, hex head #10 x .75” were used to attach all the internal framework pieces together using a considerable quantity of aluminum brackets.
使用自钻螺钉，六角头10 x.75“，使用大量铝支架将所有内部框架件连接在一起。
The 1” x 3” vertical frame members are in place on one side, and the smaller horizontal stringer, made in five parts is being installed.
1“x 3”垂直框架构件位于一侧，较小的水平桁条（由五部分制成）正在安装。
The framework on both sides is shown complete in this photo.
两边的框架在这张照片中显示得很完整。
Frances was diligently working back at the shop, right side up, and upside down, applying vinyl graphics to these large five-section sign faces.
弗朗西斯在商店里勤勉地工作，从右上到下颠倒，把乙烯基图形应用到这些大的五部分标识面上。
Starting from the middle, and working to each end, lightweight aluminum laminate sign face sections are secured in place. A calm day is best for this step.
从中间开始，工作到每一端，轻质铝层压板标识面部分固定到位。平静的一天最适合这一步。
Many large-head screws were used to secure the 10 sign face panels, and the powder-coated finish on the screw heads will probably outlast the faces themselves.
许多大螺钉被用来固定10个标识面板，螺钉头上的粉末涂层表面可能会比表面本身更长。
Almost done, but quite a few sections of 10-inch wide black .040 aluminum would be installed around the perimeter closing and protecting our sign from the elements and pests.
几乎完成了，但相当多的部分10英寸宽的黑色.040铝将安装在周围的封闭和保护我们的标识，从元素和害虫。
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