Project - Hanging Sign for Waipahu Liquor Co.

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Photo 1 Copyright 2020 Nicholas Kalis
O scale model under construction

Photo 2 Photographer Unknown
 I am working on replicating this liquor store sign

Photo 3 Copyright 2020 Nicholas Kalis
Curved end attached with CA glue

Photo 4 Scratch-built canopy under which the hanging sign will be attached -
made from coffee stirrers and painted white
A bit of weathering applied.

Project

The Waipahu Liquor Company is a real business located in the town of Waipahu on the island of Oahu. I sought to replicate it in 1:20.3 scale as best I could their hanging under-canopy sign. I assume this sign was fabricated of sheet metal, possibly enamel or porcelain (same) coated and possibly neon gas tubes forming the letters. Notice the underside of this canopy is white - a detail that should not be missed as this project progresses.

Challenges to using Microsoft Word here included
Determining the right type style - I used Agency FB
Determining the font size - 
Determining the letter spacing - Under "Advanced" in Font the Spacing was set at "Expanded and then set by points 
Determining the line spacing - In Paragraph setting the Line spacing (two windows)

 In this color photo I saw what could be a pinkish neon color to the lettering; I sought to replicate this Hawaiian scene with MS Word and picked a light reddish/pinkish color for some of the lettering.

 I sandwiched three sheets of sheet styrene to get a believable thickness - I am only guessing at the thickness - thickness dictated by the tubing I had on hand that I think makes a believable round end. I used sandpaper to level the slightly mismatched styrene sheets.

I am using 5165 label paper - ran it through twice to save on the label paper - it is about one dollar a sheet 

 I was in a hurry to get its paint dry and I warped the Plastruct Tube I had cut in half when I used a heat gun. Luckily I had its sister remnant to replace it. Yes, I could have actually had the model sign hang as the prototype sign appears to do but I just made the decision that gluing it to the side of the building was good enough - particularly since this building will be far away from the layout's fascia so this short-cut will be almost impossible to detect.

 Materials

 Sheet Styrene
Tube Styrene
5165 label paper

Revised December 5 2020

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