Hi Jim and welcome! I would suggest doing a search on the forum for free hand routing and sign making. You will probably find a lot of answers to your questions that way. But I am sure others will be along to point you in the right direction as well.

Deb

 

A good way to elicit lots of answers is to fill in your public profile but as a starting point click on "View harrysin's Gallery" at the left and look around page 124, the original photo shoot seems to have gone walk-about!

 

I have made a number of freehand signs with a router. I made them out of pine boards. I lay out the letters, usually in an old western letter style, and rout everything except the letters; i.e. I leave the letters raised and rout the background. I use a 1/4" straight bit, usually only 1/8" deep, or whatever I think looks best by eye. This small bit is easier to control while following the letter outlines. I can switch to a larger bit to take away larger areas of the background (where I am not following a line, just hogging out wood).
Larry
Here's an example:

 

Hi Larry,
Great sign for freehand work.
How do you support the router? skis or use spacer plates next to the workpiece?

James

 

Thanks. I just rest the router directly on the sign and hang on tightly. There always seems to be enough raised (unrouted) wood to keep it level and not gouging the background.

 

Larry, Thank you for this info, I've been trying a "V" bit with a very small router and as I said before, having alot of trouble following a line. I will switch to a 1/4" straight bit set shallow and see how it goes. I've been using cedar I'll try redwood as well as pine and see which routs easier. Thank you all for your input. Please keep posting tips and tricks as they are very helpful to me.
Jim

 

Thanks George.
I don't have templates. I lay the letters out by hand with a straightedge and by eye. I have a very old motheaten book full of different fonts. It is entitled "20th Edition Speedball Textbook for Pen and Brush Lettering". It was published by the Speedball Co. that made pens, brushes, inks, and accessories for lettering and calligraphy. I refer to the book and then do my best to make my letters look like what is in the book.
Larry

 

Thanks Larry,
I very much doubt I could find a copy of the book but I think I have a plan to draw the letters to the wood and then RST...(RST= Rip, Snatch and Tear). I will try on the dining room table and see how long anyone notices.

Regards,
George

 

Some use a wide base resting on the sign, others use skis. It's all personal preference.
I've used the computer to draw the sign up, print it, then use an engraver to transfer it to the sign wood. That's how I did these.

 

Mike,
I'm artistically challenged to say the least. What computer program was used?
I was thinking about buying a set of old western letters from the local artsie-fartsie store and tracing them to the wood for further gouging..

Thanks
George

 

I think that this may be the link to the photo shoot that I refered to.

http://www.routerforums.com/portable-routing/6225-making-my-first-free-hand-sign.html#post58497