There is someone in my area that has a Craftsman sign making setup with manual up for sale. After about 30 years of woodworking I wonder if it's worth my time to learn, especially after seeing what can be done with a computer controlled setup instead.

Charlie, take a look here.

He does free hand sign carving. Lot less expensive than a CNC unless you have other uses for it. 

I have the Craftsman sign making set up. Haven't used it in years. It's very limited in fonts and there's no way to use it for really creative sign work. 

Charlie more about your sign making.... What size are you taking about and do you have a scroll saw.    I just sold some 3" brass letters and numbers cause I haven't used them for a half a century.

  The buyer has not came and got them yet and she being a daughter to my wife might want us to deliver them so there....

 If you are using Microsoft 10 or any others you have all kinds of letters and numbers and a bunch of fonts under Word. Its different depending on the number you are using but I think the name Word is used in all of them.

  A scroll saw will let you get as plain or as fancy as you want to get......

 

A scroll saw will also let you make fancy molding and trim without having to buy it. It does require a router and different bits but not necessarily the more expensive bits.

  Just explain more of your thoughts.

Also a cheap printer you will have to have. I just bought this Canon # MG2522 we just bought about a month ago was 19.95 at Walmart. 
Whups I forgot about having to have Rapid Resizer loaded in to your computer. This will let you make letters 1/2" or so small or the same letters a foot tall. Just what ever turns you on..

Free hand sign carving I believe is a talent that I probably don't have, but I do have a RBI Hawk Scroll Saw.

If you're wanting to dabble in sign making to see if it's something you want to pursue deeper Charlie, watch out for one of these. I bought one at a yard sale for $10, NIB. I've seen them at Flea Markets for $10-$20...Kinda old school pre-CNC but it allows you to do some creative things. You might watch CL or eBay for one as well. Pretty sure Milescraft still makes one very similar.

 

Milescraft Router Pantograph Assembly, Set-up and Use.

 

     

 

     

I have one of these pantographs and have made several signs with it. I mounted it on a piece of ply and did have good results with it.

Dave I have seen those in Sears since maybe when I was a kid, seems like... But the older I got the more I thought a machine like that was past my ability...When going there with my dad he always headed to the metal working machines. 

1 minute ago, Smallpatch said:

Dave I have seen those in Sears since maybe when I was a kid, seems like... But the older I got the more I thought a machine like that was past my ability...

I don't think so, Jesse.

Dave the Pantograph doesn't look like a bad route either. Whats nice about my situation is that I'm in no big hurry to get anything. Hi my name is Charlie, I'm a toolaholic. 

6 minutes ago, CharlieL said:

Hi my name is Charlie, I'm a toolaholic. 

Hi Charlie. Glad you joined us. We meet every week. Next meeting, please bring your latest tool(s). We're here to cheer you on.

55 minutes ago, Gene Howe said:

Hi Charlie. Glad you joined us. We meet every week. Next meeting, please bring your latest tool(s). We're here to cheer you on.

I'll just say that my garage that we still park our vehicles in / wood shop is getting very full, too full. I have a metal shelving unit and a Delta model 10 Contractor's table saw that I bought to flip that have got to get sold.

Edited September 23, 20187 yr by CharlieL

18 minutes ago, CharlieL said:

I'll just say that my garage that we still park our vehicles in / wood shop is getting very full, too full. I have a metal shelving unit and a Delta model 10 Contractor's table saw that I bought to flip that have got to get sold.

You still park in the garage?

Herb

22 minutes ago, Dadio said:

You still park in the garage?

Herb

Heresy! 

5 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

I don't think so, Jesse.

Agreed.

4 hours ago, CharlieL said:

I'll just say that my garage that we still park our vehicles in

 

4 hours ago, Dadio said:

You still park in the garage?

Herb

Parking vehicles in a garage...what a great idea...who would have ever thought you could do that. I guess that explains those big doors in the front. I always thought they were there to make unloading big tools and other junk 'er resource inventory easier. Hope my wife doesn't get wind of this idea.

4 hours ago, Dadio said:

You still park in the garage?

Herb

If you only knew how cold it gets up here in North Dakota. 

6 hours ago, CharlieL said:

Dave the Pantograph doesn't look like a bad route either. Whats nice about my situation is that I'm in no big hurry to get anything.

Best situation to be in Charlie...when you're not really looking for it or need it now, these tend to show up. After I bought mine some time ago, I've seen at least 2 or 3/yr for sale in our general area.

 

You can watch CL/Yard-Garage Sale listings for your general area besides any print publications you have available. Mine happened to be in a yard sale that listed "Tools." Sears must have sold thousands of these over the years. One will pop up when you least expect it.

Edited September 23, 20187 yr by Grandpadave52

28 minutes ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Best situation to be in Charlie...when you're not really looking for it or need it now, these tend to show up. After I bought mine some time ago, I've seen at least 2 or 3/yr for sale in our general area.

 

You can watch CL/Yard-Garage Sale listings for your general area besides any print publications you have available. Mine happened to be in a yard sale that listed "Tools." Sears must have sold thousands of these over the years. One will pop up when you least expect it.

How easy are they to use and what kind of router fits it? I have the lettering set with 2 boxes of letters you put in a frame . Do not really care for it.

I have one that I have never used. In the meantime I acquired a Wandel Mathius pantograph and use it a lot.  I have a trim router dedicated to it and my dremel will work on it too.

Just about any router will work on the Craftsman, might have to drill some new holes for it.

Herb

On 9/23/2018 at 5:00 PM, Gerald said:

How easy are they to use and what kind of router fits it? I have the lettering set with 2 boxes of letters you put in a frame . Do not really care for it.

My apologies Gerald...missed this somehow...I have a couple of old Craftsman's (single speed) that I have used...a 1 hp and a 1-1/4 hp. I've never used it with my VS plunge...matched up fine with Craftsman obviously, but would suspect PC's would be very similar...Per Milescraft version (which I think made the one for Craftsman), most any router should work.

 

As for how easy...took a bit to get used to...I have not done any "carving" with it so can't answer that...it's a bit cumbersome but probably not nearly as difficult as I made it to be...I'm gonna' guess someone with your abilities would adapt in no time. It's not a CNC by any means, so the perfection and repeat-ability lays in the hands of the user's skills.