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 Technology & Development Center |
| September 2000 | 2300 | 0023-2359-MTDC |
Bob Beckley, Project Leader
Prolonged exposure to sun, wind, and rain can take its toll on campground and recreation–site bulletin boards. Metal clips that hold messages on bulletin boards quickly rust and have to be replaced.
The Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC) conducted a market search to find a durable, low–cost, weather–resistant clip for outdoor bulletin boards.
Our market search found hundreds of clips. Unfortunately, few met our requirements. Most metal clips, including those that are coated with chrome or vinyl, will not withstand prolonged exposure. Plastic clips typically have metal springs or pins that rust.
Although inexpensive weather–resistant clips are not common, MTDC did find three products that met our requirements.
Figure 1—Two sizes of clips
produced by ACCO
Brands, Inc. The top clip is drilled for mounting.
ACCO Brands, Inc., produces a stainless steel banker's clip (Figure 1) in 3¼– and 5¾–inch sizes. The clip is not designed for mounting purposes. Holes must be drilled in the clip so it can be mounted on a bulletin board (Figure 2 and Figure 3). Three holes, two on either end of the back of the clip and one on the front, allow the clip to be secured to the bulletin board. The hole drilled on the front side of the clip allows easy access to the top mounting hole. It should be large enough for a screwdriver to pass through. Use stainless steel screws. ACCO stainless steel banker's clips cost about $1. They may be available through a local office supply store. If not, they can be ordered directly from ACCO. The order number for the ACCO 3¼–inch banker's clip is 72013; the order number for the 5¾–inch clip is 72015.
Figure 2—Drilling mounting
holes in
the ACCO 5¾–inch banker's clip.
Figure 3—The large front
hole allows
easy access to the rear mounting screw.
The Circle M Ranch, Plains, MT, uses steel banding for a rustic mounting clip that is well suited for bulletin boards. The banding material is not stainless steel, but it is weather resistant. The shape of the clip is designed to shed water and snow (Figure 4). These clips cost $1 each, plus shipping. They are available only through the manufacturer.
Figure 4—The Circle M Ranch
bulletin board clip.
A final option, called a card label holder, is used by the U.S. Coast Guard to post information on ships.
Card label holders are available from General Services Administration that have aluminum frames and Plexiglas covers. Messages are posted under the cover. Card label holders can be mounted with an adhesive backing or they can be drilled for mounting with screws. Be sure to use stainless steel screws.
The card label holder is better suited for posting campground regulations, rules, or other official information than it is for use by the general public. Card label holders can accommodate cards or memos up to 8 by 10 inches (Figure 5).
Figure 5—A card label holder
for bulletin boards is
available through the General Services Administration.
GSA's card label holders cost $2.81 each. Their national stock number is 9905–00–866–0334.
Other weather–resistant clips may be available through local office supply stores. Be sure the internal mechanism is made of stainless steel before buying other clips.
ACCO Brands, Inc.
300 Tower Parkway
Lincolnshire, IL 60069-3640
Phone: 800–989–4923
Website: http://www.acco.com
Circle M Ranch
Attn: Tom Mowery
545 Lower Lynch Creek Road
Plains, MT 59859
Phone: 406–826–5024
Fax: 406–826–5024
E–mail: pin024@montana.com
Bob Beckley received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Montana in 1982. He began his Forest Service career as a timber technician on the Nez Perce National Forest. Bob was a smoke–jumper when he came to MTDC in 1990 to work as a videographer, photographer, and Project Leader.
Additional single copies of this document may be ordered from:
USDA Forest Service, MTDC
5785 Hwy. 10 W.
Missoula, MT 59808
Phone: 406–329–3900
Fax: 406–329–3719
E–mail: wo_mtdc_pubs@fs.fed.us
For further technical information, contact Bob Beckley at the address above.
Phone: 406–329–3996
Fax: 406–329–3719
E–mail: rbeckley@fs.fed.us
Lotus Notes: Robert G Beckley/WO/USDAFS
The Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has developed this information for the guidance of its employees, its contractors, and its cooperating Federal and State agencies and is not responsible for the interpretation or use of this information by anyone except its own employees. The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this document is for the information and convenience of the reader and does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382(TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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| USDA Forest Service, Technology and Development Last Modified: 03/30/2013 03:04:22 |
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