How to Hang Corrugated Plastic Sign on Chain Link Fence?

From the original post:

"Alright guys, this might be kind of fun to ping around in your heads. I need a hanger to hold a piece of 9"x12" corrugated plastic on a standard chain link fence. Here's the rub, there are going to be lots of them and small children 2-5 years old have to be able to remove and rehang them easily and repeatedly."

Don't be such a jerk!

Like I said originally Hose Clamps, easy, safe and quick. Now who is the fool?

This is why I don't post on here often, jerks always have a rude comment to make after almost every post.

Other than my 3 yr old grandson, who does have a full tool box complete with screw drivers etc., not many 2-5yr olds would be able to manage the installation and removal of a hose clamp...IMHO

Ok, here's my take...

First off, I haven't seen anything suggested so far that addresses and solves all the problems of your initial post. Children's ability to hang them, pulling down without damage to sign or children, light weight, safety, etc....these are all concerns when dealing with children.

Bailing wire, hose clamps, clips, clamps, foam, etc... The problem with all of these, IMO, is they fall short of practicality to achieve all the above requirements of the job. Simple is KEY here.

My suggestion is that everything or almost everything should be off the sign and on the fence. To achieve this, magnets are the best option. Magnets come in different "pull strengths" and some sampling of these strengths would have to be tested to find one that achieves a kid friendly release. There are very small magnets with very strong pull strengths. The reason this is important is because ideally the only thing mounted to the sign would be a small metal strike like the many available here http://www.mcmaster.com/#magnetic-catches/=bwkvcy. One directly in the center or two on the edges if you prefer them to always hang straight). The clean room version at the top of the page (6680A12 and 6680A15) would be ideal because it's encapsulated in thermoplastic making it corrosion resistant and the strike is 316 stainless steel, so rust won't be a concern. These versions have 6.6 lb pull strength so two at the top on the sides may work better giving you 13 lbs of pull. To remove them, the kids would simply pull down on them with their weight and the would easily be removed. The signs could effectively be turned over and latch on the strikes mounted to the reverse simply by holding them close to the magnet(s). These would have to be creatively mounted with fasteners probably sandwich the corroplast between strikes on both sides making sure the surfaces are flat so not to interfere with the magnets/strikes or these may be able to be glued with an all weather, all material industrial strength epoxy. http://www.mcmaster.com/#general-purpose-epoxy-adhesives/=bwmhji

Increasing the pull strength of the magnets will make it easier for kids to hang them easily. But the smaller the magnet the easier it will be to remove. Ideally high pulll strength and very small size is ideal....should allow the ability to snap them up easily but be overcome easily when pulling down. Shear strength (sliding the sign down off the magnet) will always be less than the pull strengths of the magnets. The pull strengthsare the force it takes to pull them apart straight up off of each other with no sliding motion.

No gawdy things sticking off the signs to interfere with or break or cause injury!

On the fence, a small bracket would have to be constructed to attach the magnet(s) securely. There are sign brackets available for fencing like these... http://shop.printing-sign-banner-supplies.com/product.sc?productId=340&categoryId=33. Instead of the bolt, a washer or short piece of PVC flat stock would need to be installed behind the magnet on the front side of the fence to span the fence opening on the front (so it would be magnet-flat stock or angle-fence-black bracket). There are a million ways either of the two clean room magnets could be mounted to the fence inexpensively. You may need to stand them off a little so the magnets protrude toward the kids to make it easier to snap them up. You just need to make sure anything you use on the fence is corrosion resistant.

Something that just came to mind. short PVC angles, cut from a longer 5' piece http://www.mcmaster.com/#pvc-angles/=bwllll could span 2 or more fence openings and could be easily drilled on the horizontal leg to mount the magnet (would use the 6680A15 in the first link above.) You could inexpensively use galvanized or zinc cromate fender washers on the back side of the fence to secure the angle to the fence cheaper than the black brackets in the above link too.

It all sounds complicated but really isn't. Most things that work very well and are properly designed usually cost a little more initially to create....however, if you don't have enough money to do something right the first time, where will you find the money to do it 2-3 more times after the cheap options fail? I believe the total cost would be around $15 per sign with one magnet or about $20 each utilizing two. But the end result would accomplish everything asked for in the initial problem.

Again, this is the concept, not the blueprint. You will still have to evaluate magnet pull strengths and mounting particulars to effectively pull this off (sorry, no pun intended!)

Hope this helps! Let me know what you ultimately come up with.

Scott

Hi mrwizard,

I appreciate the input. I attempted something with magnets, as well as playing around with a lot of the ideas on here.

In the process I came to realize some important aspects that weren't included in my original post. Namely, weight, size and cost. At some point I want to be able to ship these, and the basic set will consist of all of the letters of the alphabet, along with numbers, each on a roughly 9" X 12" card.

Magnets, even small ones, add significant cost and weight to the final product. You're right simplicity is key.

At this point, the best, simplest, least expensive method that I've found, is the nylon string trimmer cord. Approximately 3" pieces are heated and bent into a U shape. From there, I simply glue them into the top, center of the vertical flutes on the coroplast cards.

Besides the obvious price/weight advantages..........it works great! Kids figure it out very quickly. When the cards are placed against the fence, they hook and hang very easily. The cord is rigid enough to hold the cards in place, but releases very easily when lightly pulled on, enabling them to be quickly moved and manipulated for spelling games, etc.

At this point I have my cost down to less than $1 per card plus my labor, which is where it needs to be if I expect to sell them and make a profit. Now I just need to figure out how to make them faster.

Thanks again.

Sorry, I was hung up on a solution to the problem and didn't realize these were going to be mass produced.

I'm not sure the trimmer string, although working for your use, would get approval from any kids protection governing body most likely needed for many child care facilities to place them in their schools for use by small children.

I would assume it would also bulk up the packaging of these "cards" with all the strings poking out perpendicular to the cards.

Don't give up...good luck!

Scott

... and I think it represents quite a discipline on your part to seek and accept the cheapest rather than the 'best'.

I'm not sure I could have such control.

keep us informed of any progress Mark.

chris

It does work the best of anything I've tried. It requires almost no thought on the part of even little kids to see how it works, it's weather and UV resistant, it's safe and it comes in neat florescent orange and green colors. The fact that it's cheap is a bonus.

When doing this many cards, the options almost have to be inexpensive. It wouldn't take much to get the price point above what people would be willing to spend.

It's been quite a learning experience. At one point I thought I could bring in a third party to print the cards for me...................wrong, way too expensive.

Originally, I was hoping not to do any manufacturing at all...........that was back before I knew how unwilling the larger companies were to talk to any outside developer. They just won't. So here I am.

kramarat Erico www.erico.com makes a flexible conduit/cable hanger part #'s WMX3 and WMX6 which may work for your application.

Thanks, I'll have a look.

I'll probably get some rude comment from Lynch but, how about zip ties. They are cheap, safe, easy to install and easily to removed.

It would appear that you have not understood the requirements of the design. He wants the kids to be able to move and rearrange the letters. How will they do that if you ziptie them to the fence?

just curious...

I was thinking more of the kind that goes in the hole and snaps in place, but you're right that's probably not the easiest way out there. Just trying to help out.

More ideas might spark the right one to come up.

sorry. Randall got that idea. nothing wrong with it.

I think that being able to take the whole package with you when you go makes for a better design. (in one unit)

1. letters won't get scattered all over the yard, and stepped on.. get muddy, get lost, etc.
2. its easier to transport... only one unit to pick up
3. less susceptible to wind / environment
4. kids won't have fights over the letters as much.
5. it can be used indoors too, without a fence.. great for kindergartens on rainy days.
6. it makes a better commercial product for people running daycares, but have wooden fences or no fences.
7. the frame can be painted in primary bright colors to attract the little rugrats.

Chris

Sorry for taking this in an unseemly direction. The project desirves better.

mrclean, thanks for the input.

Hey guys, I'm still reading your posts, and appreciate all responses, including yours mrclean. I've got some sample components ordered and am buying off the shelf stuff at walmart, home depot, etc. The only lab rat I have right now to test ideas on is my 3 year old daughter. I will post when I've got something substantial to report, in the meantime, "Can't we all just get along". Mrclean, the banter that occasionally happens on here is part of the fun, at least for me, especially if you're not in it and get to sit back and watch someone else go at it, don't take it personally, I'm sure no harm was intended. Thanks for the post.

I thought about a tube or bottle brush type arrangement, while your out shopping, take one from the brush department over to the chain-link fence department, in fact, load everything in a cart and haul it over there.

Make sure to have someone get you on video doing this, so I can watch it on you-tube!

Good thinking.

Did you get round to asking the kids for their suggestions?

No, I think I need to give them a starting point and then they can tell me why it isn't any good.

For completeness kramarat got his patent on this idea.

See this follow up thread:

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/84425#comment936771