How to Hang Corrugated Plastic Sign on Chain Link Fence?

Looks like another job for baling wire!!!!

Thanks guys, I do like the foam idea too. The next step is to review some of these thoughts, make samples and see how the kids do with them, I will keep you posted.

Kramarat,

Out of curiosity, I attached a sign to a fence and tested it on my neighbor's two year old.

He tore it down out of frustration because he had not learned to read yet!

Hi Unredundant, My original set is made on cards and then hung from free standing pvc stands, they aren't really meant to be used without supervision. And hopefully will aid in learning in the outdoor environment. My daughter just turned 3, and she can count to ten and knows the abc's. Some of the hangers I'm playing around with she grasps immediately, others, not so much. I'm getting there. I'm also finding that the hangers themselves have to be something that they don't have to really think about. Girls tend to be a lot more patient at that age, (maybe always), so I have to find something the boys can handle easily too.

Thanks Randall,

Your version could be constructed by lamination.

A lot of people do not realize that using a heat gun, polyurethane foam can be fused to itself and the bond has full strength.

You can buy lightweight PVC plastic 'millwork' in the lumber section of Home Depot, similar to my sketch below. Mount mating pieces on the fence and on the signs as shown. (Mount two pieces on the signs on opposite sides if you want to be able to turn the signs around.)

Velcro loops/straps with hooks on one side and fuzz on the other.

Thanks for the ideas, I think the kids are going to have a tendency to want to hang on these. I would like to show you my latest incarnation. Can I just cut and paste my drawing into my post? Sorry,haven't posted any images yet. These cards are very light maybe one ounce. I want them to release if pulled on, without wrecking the hanging system and immediately be able to be rehung anywhere on the fence.

I envision two rubber hooks per plastic sheet, each shaped roughly thus, € , except that the horizontal bars extend further to the right. The plastic would be glued between these bars, with the upper/lower arms of the "euro" acting as hooks on either side to engage the fence. The two rubber pieces would be spaced to match 3 or 4 pitches of the chain-link fence.

And angled to match the 45° wires?

Either that or make the "arms" as a circular x-section. The "euro" is a bit loose as a description, but it was the quickest thing I could grab.

Will it survive, " small children 2-5 years old"? I have grandchildren that age.

I like the concept, but can you do it on the cheap?

_{(Picture small children hanging on plastic signs)}

Yes, I made my initial set for my daughter, which were signs hung from pvc stands in the yard, they were over $200. I've got them down to less than 10% of that.

Stainless steel "S" hooks available in a variety of sizes at most hardware stores for a buck or so apiece.

You, obviously didn't catch the part about 2-5 year old children.

Read the first post entirely.

That's why I recommended shower curtain S hooks, they have plastic nobs on the ends to protect against getting poked.

The S hooks are not bidirectional, unless swivels are added.

As for kids hanging on the signs, I guess there are two choices: the sign holds their weight, or the sign releases. I opted for the latter. A skookum enough hook would hold until the plastic itself ripped out. A flexible hanger would simply pull free, and then just as simply be rehung.

[Editor Crankshaft mode: We could have a nice little disquisition on "rehung" vs. "rehanged"]

I rehanged the children from the hooks.

The children were rehung after hooks failed.

All disquisished

Or just disquished? Oops, not quite the same concept. Too bad I don't have an inside track to dictionary publishers....

Install (2) 1/2" diameter brass grommets to the top or the sign, about 1" to center below the top edge and 1/2" to center from the side edges.

Attach a 2" long piece of plastic drinking straw (clear) at its mid-point to a piece of 1/4" brass chain, 6 inches long, with epoxy or some form of high-grade hot glue.

Run one end of an S-hook (large enough to fit on top of the fence) through the other end of the brass chain and bend it tight to the chain then secure with epoxy or the same high-grade hot glue.

Bend the straws and fit through the brass grommets.

The signs can be hung facing either way on the fence because the chain will allow the hook to be placed in either direction. It will never rust or corrode and it will break-away cleanly if any one tries to hang from them while allowing them to be immediately re-assembled and put back into place.

Is there anything wrong with a piece of cord or string, tied/attached/looped at each corner of the sign and then tied to the chain link fence in the same way they might tie their shoe laces ?

Wrong question. It should be "can you make it away from the fence in 2.8 seconds?"

Depends on whose side you are on!

My side or your side, not the Doberman's side, which we already know [?] is 2.8 seconds. This is uncertain, because we don't know where the dog is to start with. Just bring a juicy steak, and thereby neutralize that variable....

What about the smaller size snap clip fasteners made from aluminum? Similar to d-link fasteners. Here are examples of what I'm suggesting:

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-piece-snap-clip-fastener-set-67563.html

l've purchased the smaller ones for key rings at 3/$. You should be able to get that (or better) especially if you can order a larger quantity.

Hello kramarat, Here an idea for you. Get a sheet or two of coroplast cut to size with a utility knife. One as a mounting and another for your sign. Now the mounting piece that attaches to the fence you can use four zip ties. Make two holes for each zip tie to be inserted then around the fence wire back through the coroplast then zip tight. Then use industrial strength Velcro with either the 4 corners or 2 strips one down either side.

Now for the sign take the other half of the Velcro and mach placement to what is on fence. You can do this to both sides of the sign piece so it's reversible.

The only thing to get the Velcro to stick good to the coroplast the surface should be cleaned with acetone or something similar just before attaching the Velcro.

This setup for most part is weather proof. The sign surface you could use something like water proof ink, or paint design for plastic. Just clean before using either method.

The Velcro can usually can be found in most big box home stores. Some even carry the coroplast in some pre-cut size packs. Or can also be found at most any sign shops. A 48"x96"x4mm should not cost more that $20.00 or less

(around here it runs for $12.00). The sign shop may even give you some info on what to use to paint the coroplast. Or talk to them about what your doing they may give you a good price for the printing and or cutting it to size.

The coroplast is durable can be bent many times, hard to tear. The Velcro once stuck on usually very difficult to pull off after about a day so long as the surface is cleaned.

The corners can be cut on a diagonal or rounded to be even more child proof.

Charles

1) hockey puck sections cut to shape and screwed onto your signs.

2) something like a tennis ball fastened to the sign that can pop into the diamond shapes of the fence. (with slight friction)

3) rigid wire (dipped) hangers wired into fence, so sign hangs on them.

4) find a way to fasten clamps (see pic) (or some version of) to the fence, and then they can easily move things around by opening/closing the spring loaded clamps.

I have just read all the posts and this seems cheapest and easiest. Clothes pegs and a strip of velcro 6" long. One end to the clothes peg and one end to the middle at the top of the sign. The velcro will let go or the clothes peg will come off the fence when a kid pulls on it and it is easily reversable. You do not have to put holes in the sign which could brake the sign when kids pull on it.

Hi Ed, The coro is about 1/8" thick. My original project will contain at least 26 signs, with capital letters one one side, lower case on the other. Price is definitely a consideration, they must be fairly inexpensive no more than .50 per. I want to spend as little time as possible, and hopefully none, if I can find something off the shelf that will work. The life expectancy of the signs themselves is probably going to be about 3 years if left outside continuously, much, much longer if brought in after each use, I would like for the hanger to roughly coincide with those numbers. I will be making the signs and providing the hangers. I want the end user to have to do very little to put them into use. Thanks for your thoughts.

OK, each sign will have 4 clamps 8 pop rivets and 4 backup washers.

Should only need 4 pop rivets: as each one goes through both hooks.

In fact I think he could get away with just two hooks either side in the top middle of the signs.

GA anyway.

Children 2 - 5 aren't all that tall. Couldn't you just hang the signs above their outstretched hand height?

Talk to parents / teachers to get them to explain why damaging someone else's property is wrong (it's never to early to start teaching that lesson).

Hang the signs on the side of the fence opposite to that where the children are.

Than the simple cable-ties-through-holes solution will be fine.

Use cable ties to bind the children's hands behind their backs so they can't touch the signs.

"small children 2-5 years old have to be able to remove and rehang them easily and repeatedly."

I read that as "small children have been able to..."

Thanks for the correction. I retract my previous comments!

A coil spring maybe with space between the coils sufficient to slip over the chain link?

mount coils to sign so to hang on fence...capisci

Screw some of these onto the back at random. Twist to clip onto nearest available bit of wire, whatever angle it is at.

Thanks for the responses guys, (even the funny ones), give me a little while and I'll get a drawing up. As far as getting the printed material on the coroplast, I've got that done, I designed and made stencils that have no breaks in them, to be combined with paint that is made for plastic, so numbers, letters etc. look exactly as they should. My prototype signs have been outside for over a year rain, snow, sun, dirt, etc. and are still fine.

You mentioned the children may want to hang from the signs and would like the signs not to take damage. They need to be easy to pull and re-hang.

I'm sorry if this seems too simple, but I like it!

Float toys sold cheaply at many discount stores sounds like a possibility. Cutting the long piece into roughly two inch segments and fastening the segments to any number of positions on the sign could make a peg for a huge pegboard.

Four points on the sign may be too difficult for small children to align, but one centered in the top on both sides should make it a lot easier.

As far as fastening, hot glue might be an option. For one mount point on both sides, looping two zip straps in the sides of the foam pieces and through the sign would work.

You may need to bevel the end for a fit into the chain link fence hole.

It's not fast, but I think safe, and durable enough for the children.

Better yet.

GA: I've seen those flotation aids in poundland in the UK (that's about $1.50 land US). They use them for teaching swimming to quite a high level over here so they might take exception to you calling them toys.

They are petty tough so I think they'd last.

Even at the normal price of about £6 ($9) you'd get a full set of 26 from one float (they are 6 foot long).

This solution, very like Nigh's, has a nice sort of "feel" to it for young children.

Thanks Lab Rat, I like your thinking, and there is no such thing as too simple. My concern is if the kids pull down, as opposed to out, I think that material might be thrashed in short order.

Hey guys I'm back. I actually came up with this after my OP. I was grinding coffee at the local warehouse club and there happened to be a 5-6 inch piece of stranded wire laying on the shelf. I started playing with it, bent it into a U shape and what do you know. I hooked it over the edge of a box and pulled down on it probably 60 times, it was rigid enough to retain it's shape, but flexible enough to release when pulled on.

Sorry for the crude drawing, but I think it's pretty self explanatory. The U shape could be either non corrosive stranded metal or plastic, and exhibit the properties above, and could be either a clip on or on a self adhesive back. Has anyone seen anything like this in real life applications? There would probably be two of these on each sign, spaced to coincide with the bottom of the diamonds in the chain link, they would be self leveling and would easily pop on and off. I've found lots of plastic hooks and clamps, but none specifically designed to release under a given amount of pressure. I should mention, that this is one aspect of an outdoor educational system that I have developed and patents are pending. This is something I am planning at this stage to make and sell out of my home.

Don't overlook the possibility a kid may try to hang it on another kid, then what could the wire do?

Poke out an eye probably. My little clip picture below uses a piece of cord for a weed trimmer instead of wire. Fortunately all of these ideas are easy to test, I've got the corrugated cards and am testing methods now.

You may have blown the patent on this by sharing it on an open forum, if the concept isn't already included in the existing patent application.

Good luck with it, I hope it all works out to your advantage.

Thanks for your input, I am reading every post that comes up, and there are some good ideas coming in. I'm concerned about the longevity that will come with repeated use. Also, I'm hoping to put these to use in preschools, all of which here in the US are surrounded by chain link fence. Another of my concerns is the ability of the teachers to take these down quickly at the end of the day, I'm not sure if they will go for anything being left on the fence that could be construed as clutter. One more quick off topic funny eureka I had this morning. I have been going to this site since I started, using the Chrome browser. The tool bar at the top of the post page does not exist in Chrome. I opened in IE this morning and it was there! All of this time I've felt like an idiot, not being able to figure out how you guys were making paragraphs, posting pictures, smiley faces, etc. Duh

"Also, I'm hoping to put these to use in preschools"

you might consider making "Wearable Letters" for the kids.. where the letters are 2 feet tall or so, and the kids just put them on like a jacket (tie-wraps for arm loops?)... and 'become' the letter.. and then later become a different letter. brings new meaning to 'B Boy'. Just think how fun it would be for the kids to make words together... less fighting maybe?

Chris

I like that idea, but, it's been done, I don't know why its not used more.

Yeah, but give kids the letters CFKOUUY, and see how long it takes until what happens.

thats half the fun I'm sure!

we had chalk... (and the neighbors house ... could never figure out how the parents knew it was us??)

What do they call that? Graphology or graphanalysis or something? Lettering styles can sometimes be pinned down to the suspects, partly by recognizing idiosyncratic features and errors.

Just drill holes in the corners and hang them with S shaped shower curtain hooks. I'd use shower curtain hooks because they are safer than using bailing wire and you can get about 20 of them in a box for about $5 at Walmart.

Strips of magnet about 1/2" to 1" wide x 4-6"s long, glued to both sides of the board. Totally child safe and would be very easy for then to hang. The kind of magnet they use for Fridge clips,and magnets or small message boards.

A simple, but not entirely inexpensive route, would bt to punch holes in the top corners of the signs and use carabiner clips.

Another route would be to use screws, about 1/4-20 size, nuts, cap nuts, and Loctite. Punch holes in the top corners. Use about a 2 inch screw through each hole. Have a nut on each side of the sign with about 1 inch of screw extending out each side, and put a cap nut on the threaded end. Hold all nuts in location with Loctite.The screw head will hook onto the chain link, or the cap nut will, if the sign is turned around. If you need the signs to hook onto the fence more securely, use two more nuts, one just under the screw head and another under the cap nut, to capture a washer on the ends of the screws. The washer will hook more securely onto the fence.

Thanks again, Magnets add too much weight. Hooks will work, but, it has to be simple enough that preschoolers are able to remove, rearrange and replace without much dexterity or thought. The kids will have a tendency to pull down on the cards as opposed to out, so any type of hook will have to be able to release, and go back to its original shape, if it is rigid it will either break or elongate the holes over time. I like the foam, but again, if it is repeatedly pulled down, I think it would shred pretty quickly.

I would use the magnetic strip that comes on a roll and can be cut to any length. You can get it with a pressure sensitive backing. Assuming the fence is steel.

Thanks for the reply Ron, self adhesive magnetic strips were one of my initial attempts. Unfortunately, they add substantial weight to the sign. The chain link fences are indeed made of galvanized steel and are magnetic, but there is not enough fence to create a magnetic field strong enough to hold up both the weight of the sign and the magnetic strips. Thanks for your input my friend. Part of the reason I have not posted this question months ago, is that it seems embarrassingly simple. And it might still be, but I have burned up a lot of brain cells on this project that could have been dedicated to alcohol.

Ah, you need the adult version;

Something about the points on the fence and the empty bottles... I don't know, it kind of gives me a headache.

1. Tie a length of nylon cord (~6") through the corner of the sign (I would use brass grommets in the corrugate to ensure the plastic does not break).
2. Tie a galvanized nut or similar weather-resistant weight to the other end of the cord.
3. Total cost ~$0.31 per sign.

The child simply drops the nuts through the mesh. As long as the weight on the string is heavier than the sign, it will stay in place. When the sign is pulled, the cord slides through the mesh opening until the weight pops out. Because the cord has no stiffness, it will work the same for both sides of the sign.

For slightly more money, you could use brightly colored balls (plastic beads, drilled golf balls or similar) for weights.

Thank you, I sincerely appreciate the thought you have put in. That makes taking them down a snap, I'm not sure about putting them back up though. Let me know what you think of my next post.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this. It's a very inexpensive all plastic clamp. The hooked part is the plastic string that goes in a weed whacker. I heated it to get the bend, it's got plenty of give in it to release, but holds the curved shape to hold the fence. I'd love to find something that is already being produced, that I could buy in bulk. This is far from being a finished product, unfortunately, whatever I use has to look somewhat finished and not too hokey.

Do away with the clip (peg whatever): just push two semicircular bits of plastic through the top corners and glue in place.

Buy a plastic slinky

Clamp it and cut it in two down the middle (could be tricky) to supply the semicircular bits of plastic.

Good point, I do tend to over think things. Just poke two holes, the same distance apart as the bottom of the diamonds in the chain link fence, hell, I might get away with one, directly on the top and centered. I do like the cord for the weed eater, because it comes in different diameters, it's tough, and it's uv resistant. Thanks, I'll give it a try. I'm not dismissing any of the other ideas either, I have to make samples, put them in the hands of some kids and see what happens.

As was my thought in post # 30 but you give explanation too. But using a coil spring may afford closing the protruding end for safety too.

Playing the ends in an open flame (cigarette lighter) should round them off.

Good point, Don't need any poked out eyes.

Thanks, bwire, I'm not ignoring you or anyone else that's posting. I'm in the process of creating cards, implementing some of these ideas, to see how they work in the real world. Time to collect some hard data!

I doubt you will find cheaper than wooden clothespins, and all you have to do is paint them... it is technology that the kids can handle and understand. the spring strength is likely equal to the plastic one you show. I would consider fastening a board 10 feet long to the fence, with all the clothespins attached at one height.

Even simpler than all this might be some boards fastened to the fence that capture the letters top and bottom, but allow them to be moved horizontally to desired positions. this way they are not getting lost, blown around in wind, and if there is a back board, the whole assembly can be taken inside in one piece, letters and all.

Thanks for the reply, I'l give it a try. Once the kids get their hands on some of these ideas, after I make some samples, we'll see what happens. I wonder what would happen if I asked some kids how I should hang them. They might just whoop us all!

It's worth asking the kids, the suggestions might surprise us all.

I've only just noticed that your post said that these signs are corrugated plastic, the sort of thing estate agents (or realty agents for non-Brits) use for their 'for sale' boards.

If the corrugations are vertical you could thread a cord through a little way in from each end with a hook at the top & a button or something at the bottom.

Thanks for the reply, yes that is the material that I'm referring to. I believe that would work. there are many good ideas here. One of the things I have to take into consideration, is that, not only does it have to work as advertised, but, I have to be wary of anything that could be construed as a choking hazard, since small children are involved. I should have included that in my original criteria.

Would these be suitable for an economical and functional solution;

or,

Probably around 25 to 50 cents a piece, in quantity, and you could even colour-code the kids.

After 70-odd replies it is perhaps time to ask an awkward question:

• Is this the fence that goes around the last earthly remains of Kris' cast iron bath?

You mean the shooting range?

I'm apologising in advance for yet another idea: you've probably got enough to try out, but, here goes.

I've just played tennis (extremely badly), but I noticed that tennis balls stick in chain link fences really well.

Get a tennis ball; put a tie wrap round it really tightly; bend the pointy end of the tie wrap so that it sticks away from the ball at right angles; put lots of glue on the pointy end, and, poke it down one of the corrugation holes in the top middle of the sign.

Used tennis balls can be bought for about $30 for 50 (and I'm sure you can get them a lot cheaper in bulk).
14½" tie-wraps are just over $2 for 26 if you buy them in packs of 500.

Please don't apologize, this is the reason I posted. Don't forget, I had wrestled with this for months before posting here. Quite a few of the ideas I had tried in some way, shape or form. There are lots, including your latest that hadn't occurred to me. It's kind of a fun project. The answer seems like it would be simple, But once you put it into the context of a two or three year old being able to use it and understand how it works, really changes the dynamic. Thanks for the post, I'm positive that this will not be an exercise in futility.

How about attaching a wooden clothes pin at the top center in swivel fashion so that it can clip over the angled fence wires? If the sign is pulled, the clothes pin simply disengages. This should be pretty intuitive for kids, with at most a single demonstration.

Thanks Tornado, As I put these ideas into concrete form, I am coming to another realization, these kids become so fascinated with the way the cards attach to the fence, that they are completely missing the point of the cards, which is to teach numbers, letters, etc. I may very well have found the ultimate conundrum. When my cheese finally slips completely off my cracker, I would like to post it here, that my helmet size is extra large.

If I may, another drawback could be that the kids would devise a means of escape from the impoundments, leaving ravaged candy stores and overturned ice-cream trucks in their wake.

Does cheese fall under the "10 second rule"?

I will look into it, thanks for the post. I'm closing in on a solution, hopefully, and these posts have been extremely helpful. When I get to the point that I think we've got it, I'll start a new thread to show it to everyone and see if it needs any further refinements.

very innovative idea! ga.

YES!!!!

Or trimmer string?

You need one in each corner.

Kids just want to have fun.

Try drilling some holes and using hose clamps to fasten the sign to the upper rail on the fence. That's what I would do.

Try reading the first post. That's what I'd do. Then you won't look so foolish.

Bailing wire and hose clamps are two different things. I was just stating that I would use hose clamps. If you can't tell the difference then that makes you the foolish one.

Bailing wire is post #1.

Try reading the first post. The one that asks the question.

I'm sorry if a hose clamp is so difficult for you to use. I just stated my opinion which is what the forum is about not all the childish name calling and insults. I take it you must be the child their proofing it for.