Project Profile: Plasma-Cut Copper Sign by Yevgeniy Parfilko
Rasa Spa in Ithaca recently opened a new location in Watkins Glen, and they asked Makers in the general area for help in making a custom sign, which would have their name and logo made out of sheet metal with a warm copper finish. I reached out to them, and they were happy to work with me. My original approach was to cut out the logo and letters out of 24 gauge aluminum with a nibbler, but the marketing director at Rasa wanted to have a sturdy, long lasting sign. So I asked Cliff Burger, the current TCMS Vice President, if it would be possible to use the plasma cutter at TCMS for this purpose, and he helped me get my letters cut from 2 sheets of 16 gauge steel. Next, I had to create a textured copper finish that would also look both worn and warm. So I went hardware store hunting, and luckily found copper sheet flashing, which was significantly cheaper than copper plating or solid copper. I glued the copper to the metal letters and applied epoxy to the edges to prevent fraying of the combined materials. Finally, I rubbed the copper down to create an imprinted texture, and applied a patina using a sulfur-based aging solution from a hobby store. Now it was time to mount the sign! I did not want to spend a lot of time out in the cold, so mounted modified wire crimps on standoffs to the back of the letters. That way, all I had to do was put three screws into the signboard, and my letter would snap right on. All in all, I spent two hours outdoors, most of which was spent climbing up and down a freezing ladder. All in all, the project came out to about $150 worth of materials, which is pretty good for a custom sign made out of textured copper! You can easily spot Rasa Spa’s new location on N Franklin St in Watkins Glen. Photo Credits: All photos courtesy and property of Yevgeniy Parfilko.