Can I get a photo or an etching on my HDU plaque?
Photos are not currently in our repertoire of offerings for HDU products but are available on our cast plaques. Etching is available through our Etched Signs Quote
November 2019
Can I change (x, y, or z) about the finish on my plaque?
We strive to be as accommodating as possible, and we love to experiment. However, our methods have been refined over time and produce what we feel is the best possible outcome. If you would like something different that we are able to do, please be aware that you may not like it as much and it may cause problems (such as less contrast leading to less readability). While we won’t say “I told you so,” we also probably won’t be able to fix it.
Can I get a HDU painted sign from you?
Kind of. We can include some color for a modest charge. We use One Shot Brand Sign Paint when we add a “splash” of color to our metal-coated signs. Metal coating is always the main part of the sign or plaque. Here is an example of a HDU painted sign https://atlassignsandplaques.com/product/crab-oval-plaque/
What is your shipping time?
We are usually able to ship in 3 weeks (“about” means “about”) after final design, artwork approval and payment. Our normal shipping method is FedEx, UPS or USPS, insured and trackable. Our signs and plaques ships from zip code 81416, Delta, Colorado. Shipping times are 1-5 days. Shipments to Canada can take up to 2 weeks. Shipments to other countries will likely take longer. We do not make firm promises of plaque completion time. We do not make firm promises of delivery date. Things happen. Our suppliers don’t ship, things break, power goes out, trucking company doesn’t show up, blizzards occur, tornadoes happen, people get sick, cars break down, life happens, etc, etc. We will do our best at our facility, but once it leaves us, we have no control of the shippers and customs whatsoever.
Where do I find a bracket for my hanging sign?
We make a fine selection of stakes, posts, hooks, finials, and brackets available on our website. When your order includes these, we will complete your sign so that final mounting will be easy. We have found a source for our mounting hardware that is Made in America. Atlas only uses products and materials that are Made in the USA, so we are reluctant to purchase from the chain home stores and, of course encourage you to use domestically manufactured mounting hardware. If you don’t purchase from us, we prefer that you support your community by contacting your local wrought iron craftsperson to have one made. Just let us know the dimensions and we will install “Eye” bolts or other hardware to match your mounting situation.
My sign got dropped or damaged. Can I repair it?
Starting with a summary: One, signs from Atlas can break when they are dropped or blown off the building by wind. Two, repairs will never be “as good as new”. Three, repairs don’t always work. If you chip the finish or ding a corner, try a little black marker, carefully applied paint, or whatever. Be creative, you will be surprised at what can disappear once the light colored HDU substrate is not glaring at you. If your sign is broken and you want to attempt a repair, here is what to use and how to do it: The only glue that will work is polyurethane adhesive, with the most popular and well-know polyurethane adhesive being the brand name Gorilla Glue. It is important to decide first how you will hold the pieces together so practice with clamps, straps, tape, or as a last resort hand pressure. Polyurethane adhesive has some [...]
Where do you get your artwork and graphics?
Our artists often create original art graphics just for you. To speed the process and keep our prices low, we use fonts and graphics from a variety of sources. We have our own extensive library and subscribe to a number of different services. Our fonts and graphics are original, licensed to us for use, or are in the public domain. We won’t intentionally cheat someone by stealing their talent and effort.
Are there limits on letter or graphic sizes?
Letters should be a minimum of .25(ish)” and lines should be minimum of .125″ width. Lines should should be slightly rounded or squared off. Due to our coating process, some distortion of extreme detail may occur in the finished product.
For those desiring to submit their own artwork, please read the following:
We love making signs and plaques uniquely yours, and we hate charging an arm and a leg to do it. We often receive artwork or ideas from clients who desire a personalized custom sign, but send artwork and files that we just cannot use. This is both disappointing and time consuming for all parties. There are two solutions for this. The option that no one likes is for our designers to totally recreate the submitted artwork in a file type that we can use. The downside to this is that we must charge $75 per hour, and impose a $75 minimum fee for this service. Firm quote will be given when you send artwork. The best option is for us to receive your ideas in a file format that we can use or convert. The following is a list of acceptable formats. They are: Adobe Illustrator (ai), EPS, or vectorized [...]
Can I supply my own artwork and graphics?
Yes. We can convert most any file type into a format that is usable to our equipment. Since each line is seen by our computer programs, the design and letters must be vectorized and made smooth. Additionally, we often need to adjust the letter kerning for a better look and to have a little separation between each, non-script, letter. Be aware that we often receive well-intentioned graphics that contain elements such as line over-laps, loops, or other issues that would not be a problem for printing, but are problematic for our equipment. We will do some graphic clean-up work for free, but will let you know if additional charges will be necessary to make the design work for a sign or plaque. Let us know what you are sending and we can work with you to get the look you desire. We can not use graphics, photographs, or elements that [...]
