Insert / Plate Color Selection
Making allowances for my photography; these photo’s illustrate what the different color inserts look like mounted. We use UltraBlack: a 10+ year exterior aluminum and anodized aluminum. The engraving shows silver, or is darkened with natural or brass colored anodized.
Plaque Trim Color Selection
This is the color on the edges of your plaque and recessed areas.
It’s baked enamel and applied at the foundry.
Black is standard
Selection applies to 1/2″ thickness plaques only.
STOCK LOGO’S
Scouts / Memorial
Added at no charge
FINISH
After our plaques are cast they’re run through a grinder that creates a flat surface on the raised borders. Finish refers to that flat surface. Standard is brushed, or satin aluminum. Also offered is Holly Bronze. Holly Bronze is a registered finish; a bronze look-a-like for aluminum plaques. Brass colored inserts are normally used with Holly Bronze plaques.
FONTS
Our plaques serve many purposes and the fonts chosen should reflect that. We have far more fonts than are shown on our pages. We can engrave most true type fonts as well as regular engraving fonts. Trying to display them all hinders selection rather than helps. There’s simply too many.
So unless you’ve indicated to duplicate a layout, we’ve made selecting initial fonts a part of our service. The screen shot we send to you will show our selection. You’ll be able to see exactly how your wording & art will look. If our selection doesn’t suit, we can make any changes you like. Production isn’t done until you approve the layout.
If you have a preference for a particular font please pass that along; we may have it.
PAYMENT
We conduct our transactions by sending a sales invoice after you’ve approved the layout. We accept cc payment online through secure Paypal checkout, and checks through the mail.
PHONE NUMBER
The ML Brown Co is, at present, a one-man operation and that man is hearing impaired; so I communicate via email. Accuracy is paramount with engraving – no mistakes allowed. So while it’s not as fast or convenient, typed out is far better anyway.
TIME FRAME
My lead time is 1-2 days for all plate orders and all stock plaque orders. We ship everything priority mail which is a 1-3 day transit time for most of the continental US from our location in Louisville, KY.
The exceptions to that are 1/2″ thickness plaques and custom foundry work. 1/2″ thickness plaques offer a choice of 9 plaque trim colors. These are finished to order. Turn around time for the foundry to finish your plaque and get it to me is normally within a week.
CUSTOM MOUNTS
Our standard mounting is screw mount or stake mount, and includes the mounting hardware. Also standard is hidden stud mount for 1/2″ thickness plaques. Hidden studs mount the plaque from the rear and show no screws.
However, there are other additional mounts. The foundry makes available the hardware to allow for a number of these. For example, a plaque can be ordered with a mounting bracket welded to it that allows mounting on a post. Several std OD size brackets are offered to include their 1″ solid aluminum post pictured below. Brackets for mounting on a flag pole are also avail.
DURABILITY
We’ve recently added UltraBlack aluminum to our stock of anodized aluminum for both plates and plaque inserts. UltraBlack is a 10+ year exterior aluminum and replaces our black anodized. You can expect long term service with this material, but nothing lasts forever. Anodizing is a chemical process for aluminum that changes the surface; not a paint or finish that’s put on it. It’s resistant to scratches & temperatures. Non-stick cookware is made of anodized aluminum. Most vulnerable is the dye used to produce the colors. Over the years that will fade. Plaques mounted in the shade last longer than mounted in direct sunlight. The engraving, however, will last as long as the plate does.
Our plaque castings are solid aluminum, produced at a foundry, and made for outdoor use. The castings are run through a grinder for uniform thickness that also produces a flat surface on the double raised borders. This flat surface is finished as brushed aluminum or Holly Bronze. The sides and inset areas are painted in enamel and then baked. As a final step the entire plaque is given a top coat. They’re made to last.
MOUNTING BRICK/STONE
To mount on brick the foundry suggests you first pre-drill the mounting holes. Then tap in the provided anchors, squeeze Silicone Adhesive into the hole, then the screws. The anchor & screw will cause the silicone to completely fill the hole & it will dry firm.
For those mounts where screws can’t be used then silicone adhesive is the way to go. All 1/2″ thickness plaques can be ordered sans screw holes to accommodate this.
Still have questions?
Feel free to contact us.