2022 Sign Contest: Best In-House Design and Fabrication, Illuminated


FIRST PLACE
Open-face aluminum letters, LED cove lighting, carnival-style LED bulbs and a programmed flasher come together in this sign for a drive-thru coffee shop that operates out of an Airstream trailer. Set on an adjacent building, the sign’s LED perimeter illuminates the sequins placed on its interior backs.
Fabricators
Ace Sign Co. | Springfield, IL
acesignco.com | Shad Eskew
Designer: Ryan Swaar
Installer: Tyson Horacek
Clients: Ashley Kochniarczyk | The Coffee Can
Fabrication Equipment/Tools: Laser, CNC, Matthews Paint
Installation Equipment/Tools: 35-ft. Elliot
Materials/Components: Sign sequins, open-face fabricated aluminum letters, LED cove lighting, carnival-style LED bulbs, programmed flasher
Software: Adobe Illustrator


SECOND PLACE TIE
Designed to replicate the 1928 marquee, this project involved building a new structure that could support a combined 14,162 lbs. — including a 42-ft.-tall blade with service ladders and bump bars that mimic the original. The lower marquee is home to two EMCs, a hand-carved HDU centerpiece, stained-glass boxes illuminated by low-lumen LED modules, and a multi-level bulb raceway ceiling.
Fabricators
Wagner Electric Sign Co. | Elyria, OH | wagnersign.com
Designer: Eric E. Larsen
Installer: Wagner Electric Sign Co.
Client: Capitol Theatre
Fabrication Equipment/Tools: CNC routers, shears, hand tools, welders
Installation Equipment/Tools: 140-ft. crane, 35-ft. service truck
Materials/Components: Aluminum, steel, acrylic, HDU, LED marquee bulbs, electronic message centers
Software: CorelDRAW

SECOND PLACE TIE
The team crafted this entrance monument sign with an Onsrud CNC router and a metal brake. Natural stone veneer and stained wood boards provide rustic textures, while aluminum routed in the form of a buck, tree and leaves was painted for an iron look. Routed, push-thru acrylic letters with an opaque black vinyl inset help the text stand out. LEDs light up the silhouette at night.
Fabricators
Bakers’ Signs & Manufacturing | Conroe, TX | bakerssigns.com
Designer: Thomas Turner
Installer: Bakers’ Signs & Manufacturing
Client: Desert Rose Properties
Fabrication Equipment/Tools: C.R. Onsrud CNC router, Computerized Cutters Accu-Bend channel bender, metal brake, HP digital printer, plotter
Installation Equipment/Tools: Two crane trucks, footer auger, concrete truck
Materials/Components: Steel pylons, concrete, aluminum, white acrylic, white LED modules, digitally printed and laminated graphics
Software: Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, SAi EnRoute
Other Components/Tools: Commercial paint equipment
PHOTO GALLERY (13 IMAGES)