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I have received an antique Swiss Hiking sign as a gift, but it didn't come with any screws or mounts. The sign weighs 0.4kg and has dimensions of 300mm x 100mm, and it is 5mm thick steel.

As I do not particularly want to mount this sign on a large 2'' pole in my house, I'd like to design a mount which I can place on a table, desk, or clothing dresser, for example. I am struggling to think of a practical find a solution similar to the one pictured below with the round metal plate.

I would like something "off the shelf", but I also do not want the cantilevered load to tip over easily.

Any thoughts or recommendations on something that is physically possible, but also looks good?

I can get pole fixations at the following website, for example: https://www.bandimex.ch/wanderwege-shop/

enter image description here

Swiss Hiking Sign

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    Why not just stick it to a wall with removable double sided tape ("Command Strips")? If you want it to look authentic by being on a pole, but also be stable, you will either need a very heavy base (not authentic) or to make holes in the table or floor to attach it.
    – jay613
    Commented Jan 10, 2022 at 20:24
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    Are you willing to drill a small hole (say, 0.5 cm) through your table top for this? If so I have a suggestion.
    – jay613
    Commented Jan 10, 2022 at 21:01
  • Yeah, I think that's an option!
    – Gary
    Commented Jan 10, 2022 at 22:11
  • Is that your sign? It looks like it has a pole.
    – Willk
    Commented Jan 11, 2022 at 3:22
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    If you make the base heavy enough, then you don't have to worry about it falling over. For example, the one half of a dumbell. Even if the base is small, the right weight will keep it up right, so think small and heavy base with a very light, perhaps aluminum or painted plastic pole
    – Chris
    Commented Jan 11, 2022 at 4:47

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An easel stand or plate stand may do the trick. They come in many sizes.

enter image description here

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  • I LOVE this idea! Thanks Steve! Sometimes the best concept is the most simple :)
    – Gary
    Commented Jan 11, 2022 at 9:36
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If you are going for an authentic look mounted to a "pole" but want to keep it mainly decorative and on a desktop, try the following:

  • Buy a wood cylinder about 7cm diameter and 75cm high. Roughly. If you buy it from a fence supplier you can find one that has a cap available.
  • Spray-paint it with metallic grey paint to look like the metal pole in your picture, and use hose clamps to attach the sign, or stain/paint it to look more rustic and attach the sign to it with carriage bolts like this:

enter image description here

  • Pre-drill and drive a thin (0.5cm) hanger bolt or (or threaded screw rod) into the bottom of your "post".

hanger bolt

  • The "screw" part should be screwed entirely into the wood. Drill a suitable hole in your table, and attache the "bolt" part underneath the table with a nut and a large washer.

The above technique uses a small hole drilled all the way through the table top. It aims to use the large surface area of a 7-cm post and a large washer to spread the leverage of the post, and sign, and anyone leaning on it, so it won't just snap off the table the way a couple of small screws would. It's also easy to mend the hole later if you no longer want this.

If you don't want to drill through the table you could buy a computer monitor swivel arm with a table clamp, and modify its base to attach to your pole instead of the monitor arm.

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Screw one of these in your ceiling.

tab bolt

The screw can go into a joist. The tab is flat. You can glue it to the sign with epoxy (and never remove it) or use a magnet (and easily remove it). Or a wire or monofilament sling through the hole under the sign.

The sign will be high up and visible (like a sign!) but not taking up space on a desk or table.

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