Gabe Griffin, general manager of Clear Sign & Design in San Marcos, CA, shares more photos of and insights into the intricate sign package his company completed for San Diego’s New Palace Apartments, a project he covered in his first “Illuminated Signs” column for Signs of the Times, in our October 2021 issue.
This gallery illustrates the challenges Clear Sign faced and the outstanding results they achieved. In doing so, the company earned three industry awards for the project.
Gabe will be alternating the Illuminated Signs column with Mars Bravo (owner of Signs from Mars, Los Angeles), but for now, enjoy an example of Clear Sign’s motto, “We see the art in all we do.”
Photography and captions by Gabe Griffin.
Seth Long wastes no time facilitating the metal-to-metal fusion using his trusty MIG on the 2-ft. by 8-ft. rectangle tube aluminum frame and 4-ft. by 4-ft. horizontal projecting arms. On projects like this, Clear Sign prefers to use larger material stock to make for faster fabrication and a more rigid frame.
David Flores was tasked with making the four-piece custom cornice appear as one. In order to get the profile the client desired, Clear Sign designed it using SolidWorks, then handed it off to Seth Long for the careful bump-bending and TIG welding. David and team applied a filler blend and high-build primer to smooth out the details, using a block sander to keep the work looking uniform and flat.
As the final touches and hand cleaning wraps up, Clear Sign is able to stand by and admire the transformation. The client was very happy with the underside detail that not only covered some of the old building damage, but is now a focal point as the team fabricated custom 3-in., deep-folded ACM boxes and decorated with a .125-in. painted acrylic frame for contrast and added detail. The deep joints were intentional to hide the fastening means and to highlight the depth that was created to blend the canopy with the existing building.
With the prep work complete, Octavio Robles mixes the Matthews Ultra Low VOC and applies three generous coats using 3M PPS system before the final Satin UV clear is applied.
With the Matthews coats dry and the letters assembled, Josafat Barrera applies the custom dual-lit letters to the blade sign. Adam Solorio is on the back side helping to fish the CL3 wire and secure the ¼-20 hardware to keep things in place during the one-hour drive on the flatbed trailer.
Rey Cooper installs the machined aluminum replica logo with etch and fill decoration on the top of the blade sign.
Having survived transportation and with traffic control in place, Eric Gallagher and the team rig and lift the blade sign as they prepare to swing it onto its final resting place.
The owner requested a subtle but rich letter design to decorate the structure. Clear Sign believes these custom-machined, 1-in. acrylic letters with metallic gold paint, push-through acrylic faces and halo glow did just the trick.
With all hands on deck and Clear Signs’ cheer squad set up safely across the street, Eric Gallagher and Jessie Segura are able to make quick work of installation as the support arms were installed weeks ago during the electrical rough-in. All they need to do is slide the sign over the projecting structure and secure with two half-inch bolts. Thanks to the right team and equipment, the job was made easy.
With the final pieces being installed, Jessie Segura installs the remote power supplies. With tricky exterior access like this, Clear Sign goes to great lengths to ensure all serviceable components are installed at ground level. This makes future service work faster, safer and less expensive for the life of the sign.
The designers worked diligently to balance the need for modern materials and construction with the period-specific design requirements that complemented the historical building.
Rey Cooper and Adam Solorio discuss how the various designed layers will work together and to ensure that fitment is spot on, due to the short viewing distance of the canopy sign and architectural details.
The 1-in.-deep, machined acrylic letters left little room to not only house but diffuse the light from the internal LEDs. In this case, Clear Sign opted for Bitro’s Tracer product due to its durability and low clearance requirements. Although they require soldering and careful securing, the final fit and finish were commendable.
The responsibility of joining the corners of the custom bump-bent cornice fell on Seth Long. He opts to TIG the joint and also back up the splice with extra material to create a strong corner that will survive the test of time.
Although the blade sign’s push-though sections are small, Clear Sign prefers stud welding versus tape and silicone. It takes a bit longer, but the company believes the final product lasts much longer.
Nearing the end of the installation, Eric Gallagher installs the LED G16 dimmable, Edison-style filament globe bulbs into the custom light track built to mimic the existing fixtures found under the building’s canopy. These are small details that help bring the entire package together.
Clear Sign worked meticulously to achieve the right blend of dimensional layers, color contrast and period-specific design. The three industry awards and praise from the client and architect were all the validation Clear Sign needed to know it hit the proverbial nail on the head. “I believe our team is uniquely suited for challenges just like this – when the details and durability matter most,” said Gabe Griffin, general manager, Clear Sign & Design. “Perhaps it is because we see the art in all that we do.”
17 Photos That Show Why This Sign Project Won 3 Industry Awards
Gabe Griffin, general manager of Clear Sign & Design in San Marcos, CA, shares more photos of and insights into the intricate sign package his company completed for San Diego’s New Palace Apartments, a project he covered in his first “Illuminated Signs” column for Signs of the Times, in our October 2021 issue.
This gallery illustrates the challenges Clear Sign faced and the outstanding results they achieved. In doing so, the company earned three industry awards for the project.
Gabe will be alternating the Illuminated Signs column with Mars Bravo (owner of Signs from Mars, Los Angeles), but for now, enjoy an example of Clear Sign’s motto, “We see the art in all we do.”
Photography and captions by Gabe Griffin.