First time for this type of job... any advice?

[Tim Aucoin]

I am quoting a big job this week. Medical clinic wants all new window perf & building mounted signs. Window perf is easy, I've done it lots. This will be my first time for the mounted signs higher up. The signs themselves are simple... vinyl printed, mounted to DiBond (or similar). They are mounted with stand-off in each corner. On the current ones, the vinyl is lifting from the top... look terrible. I don't want that to happen with new ones. I don't have the option to direct print, so will be printing & mounting vinyl. I'll likely use IJ40C with 8509 laminate. Will remove old signs and use as template for stand-off holes. Will provide new DiBond (or similar). I'll be renting a scissor lift to do the removal and install. Should not be that difficult.
Just wondering if anyone has any further advice or tips/tricks I could use to simplify the job? I'm thinking I'll use a bonding agent (forget what it's called... used in 3M car wraps) on the edges of the composite so the vinyl doesn't lift.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Baz]

I would use a 2mil. vinyl for your panels and not have to worry about the vinyl shrinking or lifting.

 

[TXFB.INS]

I can see several ways to do this

• Cast vinyl stick and trim
• Get the ACP already in blue and add the wording
• if using calendared, print the blue to the edge and then wrap the film around the edges and onto the backside with several inches of material on the backside, making sure the back material is without ink

 

[Tim Aucoin]

I did neglect to mention... the upper panels will have images on them with main services and the bottom (windows) will be listing all the services. So, they're sort of switching it around!
I think I'm better off using a cast vinyl for sure... I'm gonna price it with cast!

 

[Andy D]

Am I seeing correctly, did they apply their prints to raw aluminum?

 

[Andy D]

I don't know if it's in their budget or if it's an option, but I would try and sell them replacing
with acrylic, printed on the second surface and a luster finish on the first surface...
To me, it would be much more vivid and professional looking.

 

[T_K]

• if using calendared, print the blue to the edge and then wrap the film around the edges and onto the backside with several inches of material on the backside, making sure the back material is without ink

This is what I was thinking. If the material is wrapped all the way around to the back side, IF it lifts, it at least won't be visible. But I would think that not having the cut edge of the vinyl on the edge of the board would help it not lift.

 

[T_K]

Am I seeing correctly, did they apply their prints to raw aluminum?

This is probably painted white dibond, not raw aluminum. But it's hard to tell from the pic.

 

[Baz]

I don't like printing on calendared vinyl and wrapping it around edges of boards.

The vinyl will shrink and crack along the edges and look worse over time than a standard edge lifting.

Do it right with cast vinyl and don't worry about the edges at all.

 

[James Burke]

Totally off subject, but I'm curious about their claim for helping you lose between .5 and 1.5 pounds per day.

That rate is consistent only with a good case of intestinal flu.


JB

 

[Tim Aucoin]

Totally off subject, but I'm curious about their claim for helping you lose between .5 and 1.5 pounds per day.

That rate is consistent only with a good case of intestinal flu.


JB

Hahaha... I'll have to ask them about that. Maybe I can lose a few pounds while I do the install! :ROFLMAO:

 

[Andy D]

This is probably painted white dibond, not raw aluminum. But it's hard to tell from the pic.

Could be, but whatever they did was a complete fail, cheap vinyl, cheap laminate or wrong laminate.

 

[fixtureman]

I would sub out printing the Dibond

 

[eahicks]

Flatbed, or cut vinyl on blue dibond.

 

[Baz]

Laminated cast vinyl will outlast direct flatbed printing by a long shot.

Cut vinyl will drastically increase production time. There is to much weeding involved. Digital print is way more efficient.

 

[GVP]

Have you considered having the background spray painted? Don't know how the economics would compare, but it would totally eliminate any risk of the background vinyl failing? Perhaps a local body shop would give you a price. You could even roller the paint, depending on how particular your customer would be on the finish.

 

[visual800]

fist thing I noticed is, they have too much crap on their building and its trashy looking, other than that....

I would use aluminum panels, .063 i would run digital prints on them and have it so there was a 1/4"white border around the edges as to keep prints away from edges, since they are up so high i would use matte lamination instead of gloss as to not catch glare

 

[WB]

you could also Direct print to the DiBond and clear with automotive clear coat. No chance of peeling there

 

[Tim Aucoin]

Laminated cast vinyl will outlast direct flatbed printing by a long shot.

Cut vinyl will drastically increase production time. There is to much weeding involved. Digital print is way more efficient.

I will be quoting using laminated cast vinyl. I have no intention of having them flatbed printed because THE TOP PANELS WILL HAVE GRAPHIC IMAGES as opposed to text. So... that eliminates the suggestions of cut vinyl on blue media! :Big Laugh

 

[Tim Aucoin]

fist thing I noticed is, they have too much crap on their building and its trashy looking, other than that....

I would use aluminum panels, .063 i would run digital prints on them and have it so there was a 1/4"white border around the edges as to keep prints away from edges, since they are up so high i would use matte lamination instead of gloss as to not catch glare

This is the reason they are having me quote on re-doing it all. They want to eliminate the text on the upper panels and have simple images (with a word or two). There is a major traffic thoroughfare that has a direct line of sight to those upper signs. Too many words for moving traffic to read. All of those upper panels will be replaced with an image of some kind and ONE service depicted in that image. All the wordy stuff is being moved down to the window panels.

I like your suggestion regarding matte lamination. I was thinking lustre, but matte will be even better.

Going out to measure today or tomorrow...