I also print my signs on white cardstock. I bought a package years ago from a big-box office supply store. I'll never run out. I do mine on my computer's ink-jet printer.
I usually attach them with Aileen's Tacky Glue. It's an adhesive and will not soak through the sign or discolor it. My layout is in an air conditioned upstairs room, and I don't smoke or use smoking steam engines, so the signs stay pretty clean. Just in case, I keep all the signs on the computer so I could reprint them right away if necessary.
Wayne's suggestion of putting a border around the outside of the sign is a good one. It highlights the sign and defines the edge. This is also a good idea if you're making decals for walls and you paint a white background on a building to get good food balance. A border on a decal gives nice clean edges.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
My brother makes most of my signs, and in most cases, has them printed by the same commercial printer who does his wife's business printing.They're done on cardstock, which appears to be about 12 mil in thickness (same as .012").
I usually mount the signs on sheet styrene of varying thicknesses, depending on their size and the method that I use to mount them.
For small signs, like these...
I use contact cement to mount them on .020" sheet styrene, and usually add a frame, made from suitably-sized strip styene, around them. If they're to be mounted on structures (mostly styrene on my layout) I use liquid solvent-type cement, such as Testors or MEK, to fix them in place.
For larger signs that will be attached directly to structures, the procedure is usually similar, although I might use thicker sheet styrene - I have a good supply of Evergreen sheets, from .005" up to .040" in thickness, but I have a much cheaper and larger supply of .060" material, as I buy it in 4'x8' sheets.
Here's some affixed to structures...
For large signs that will be free-standing, either on a billboard or a roof-mounted, I use the .060" sheet styrene, and also add a frame...
I sometimes airbrush the signs using Testors Dulcote, but haven't noticed any yellowing of any of the signs, Dulcoted or not. The fixative in your link appears to be an adhesive, which might work for affixing the signs on structures, but there's no telling how long that bond might last.
Wayne
Hi all,
I am after some advice on how to protect and fix labels and signs into place.
I am referring to things such as station labels, yard signs etc. that I would print on white card with black ink that don't need further processing (ie. not decals).
I am thinking of sealing the card paper with something like this:
https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/micador-for-artists-fixative-spray-450g-mipca045#reviews
Which would then let me use a small amount of general purpose glue (ie. PVA) to glue to building sides or station signs.
My concerns are the card warping from the sealant or glue and the longevity of the card depending on sealant so it doesn't fade or go yellow etc.
I am interested in hearing your experiences.
Thanks!