VINYL SIGN MAKING

[Marken]

Since this is my first post I hope I don't get into trouble for posting this link...

Rick, have you tried using Microsoft Excel? It will do what you want to do with your signs. I use it 99% of the time for making my signs and it works very well. I wrote a small tutorial which will get you going. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Here is a recent example...it's the one on the upper left.



The tutorial...

http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11853&SearchTerms=Excel,for,Signs

[NORCALLOGGER]

Hello Marken,

Now that is what I'm talking/asking about.

Thanks a bunch for posting that.

I have read all through the tutorial and think I understand it.  I don't use Excel
much at all but I did take an evening class at the local JC a few years ago and
they covered it pretty well.

My first question would be how do you resize the cells so that they are 1:20 scale?
1:20 would be about 9/16ths to the foot in round numbers. 

This has great potential for me, I have made a few basic signs using Word and printing
to the vinyl "paper" but this will take it up to a whole new level.  Once I get into the program
I'm sure I will have further questions, hopefully you will be available/willing to spend the time to answer them.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond.
Rick Marty

[Marken]

Glad I could help Rick. I've done a few diorama's in 1/25 scale (1/2"), so your just a tad larger.

To change the cells, open your workbook and left click on the box right of cell A and above cell 1. The work area should be highlighted. Now, click Format, column and width. Set that to 6.57. Click Format again and click row, height and change that to 39.75. It will get you close.

I'll keep checking this thread for any questions you might have.

Ken

[NORCALLOGGER]

Hi Ken,
Started through your tutorial and it went well up to a point in the second installment, putting a colored border on the cell.

To start with I'm using Windows Vista so it is a little different than your pictures.  At the top I have CELLS, FORMAT and a drop down window with a (format cells) choice, this brings up the window with Border as one of the choices.  Under borders I choose a heavy line a yellow color (for instance) and check (outline)  and the preview shows just exactly that so I click OK and get a beautiful dark blue border on my cell.  If I choose red I get yellow, if I choose blue I get black.  The interesting thing is that if I click on another (smaller)cell the correct chosen border color comes up on that cell.

Oh well, I'll keep clicking away at it, I'm sure it is something I'm overlooking or missing.  Up to this point it has worked well.  Maybe I'll just skip over the border color for now and try the fonts  and see what colors they come up with.
Later
Rick Marty

[Marken]

Rick, when you click outline and choose a color, it doesn't know where the colored lines should go. What you need to do after you pick a color is click on the outline and you'll see the color change to the one you chose. You'll have to do that for all four lines.

Same thing with the fonts. You'll have to highlight the text before choosing the font color.

Try that and let me know how it worked.

Ken

[RoughboyModelworks]

Interesting approach Ken and it does work for you. But as a veteran graphic designer, I can't help wondering if there is a specific reason you're using a spreadsheet application for an imaging solution? There are many excellent imaging applications available, though they can be and most often are more expensive than MS Office. This does however provide an alternative approach for anyone with a business computer who doesn't want to fork out the investment for the Adobe suite or something similar.

Paul

[MrBrownstone]

there are alot of free graphics editors out there also...

try this search: http://www.bing.com/search?q=freeware+graphics+apps&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=IE8SRC

might help... but hey if your content with excel...

BTW most newer computers today come with some form of office productivity platform, there are free office suite apps too.(i.e. Open Office has an excell type app and the whole Office suite is free and runs in windows or mac... works with MS Office created files also) ( I use Office 2007 Ultimate, but I am also running Windows 7 Pro RTM) alot of older graphics apps do not function well with the new windows OS (I have adobe photoshop and jasc paintshop pro working on it but had to do some custom config to work right)(warning to future windows 7 users.. heads Up for those who wish to keep their current graphics apps...an upgrade to windows 7 will limit what older apps you can continue to use.)

Mike

[Marken]

Paul, you really answered your own question.

Your a graphic designer, I build diorama's. You need powerful software, I don't. Excel does everything I need it to do and it works well.

I originally started using it at work as a statistical tool about 13 years ago. I can do more with Excel than I could with Minitab, and I don't need a license. Excel is a very powerful software in it's own right, and I'm very comfortable using it. The graphics portion of it was a pleasant surprise.

It is an alternative to high priced software and the learning curve is much less. Besides, it just plain works for me.

Ken

[RoughboyModelworks]

I didn't mean any disrespect Ken, that's pretty much what I thought and it certainly does the job for you. It's good of you to share the tutorial here. I'm a firm believer in resourcefulness and using what you've got, especially in these economic times.

Paul

[NORCALLOGGER]

Rick, when you click outline and choose a color, it doesn't know where the colored lines should go. What you need to do after you pick a color is click on the outline and you'll see the color change to the one you chose. You'll have to do that for all four lines.

Hi Ken,
Yes, I agree that is what should be done and that is what I have been doing but it seems that the computer doesn't like that idea.  After going through those steps, selecting yellow, and clicking OK
I still come up with a nice bright blue border on my "working" cell.  An interesting new developement this evening.  On my work page with the blue border on my "working" cell I can click on some other random cell and it will outline in heavy black, as I assume it is supposed to do, but it will also change the border color on my "working" cell to the desired yellow color.  The minute I click back into my "working" cell the border will revert to blue.  Strange huh?

Paul and Mike
Thanks for the input and knowledge.  The whole idea of this "quest" was to find something simple and inexpensive to make a few signs for the railroad, preferably with some program already on the computer to keep the learning curve to a minimum.  I know, naive.  For me, nothing on a computer ever turns out simple.

Thanks for the help.
Rick Marty

[Marken]

Rick, that is strange What Excel program are you using? I started with Excel 97 but have 2003 now.

Let me know and I'll do some investigating.


Paul, no disrespect taken. I find it hard to invest in a graphics program that will be barely used.

Ken

[NORCALLOGGER]

Hi Ken,
Thanks for sticking with me on this.
I'm using Windows Vista Home Premium.
I have also ran into difficulty with the text deletion and the
clip/picture import.

So far it seems that the program I worked out in MS Office is working
better/easier for me.  It seems the only thing the office program lacks that this one
has is the graph/scale paper background.

I'll keep playing with it though.
Later
Rick Marty

[Marken]

Rick, what version of Excel are you using?

I'll help you through this and you'll be making signs like a pro.

Ken

[RoughboyModelworks]

Paul, no disrespect taken.
Ken

Good Ken, thanks... certainly none was intended and I can readily understand not wanting to invest in an application that wouldn't see enough use to warrant the expense.

Paul

[NORCALLOGGER]

Hi Ken,
Sorry, I missed that, it is MicroSoft Office Excell 2007.
I sure admire your determination for sticking with this,
hope it doesn't wear you out .
Thanks
Rick Marty