• I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...

Looking to upgrade the print films I stock and I'm not sure what's overkill.

S

signstopstatecollege

New Member
I've been doing lots of research and I've more or less landed on 3M IJ180 or 40C. I currently use IJ35C, which is a huge step up from Orajet 3640. I used that for years for permanent outdoors signs. I learned from someone else who tried to cut corners everywhere possible and I'm just now finding out how many options are out there. I run a small business so I'm trying to find a balance between upping our quality and not overspending on something that's excessive.

Long story short...It seems like people trash calendared vinyl left and right, but I've used it for years and had relatively good results. I only make flat signage, mostly outdoors, and maybe a third are meant to be permanent. Can I get by with 40C if I use the right laminate? IJ180 is nearly double the cost and it seems unnecessary for window graphics, real estate signs, yard signs, generic parking on .080, etc.
 
White Haus

White Haus

Not a Newbie
Yes, cast is overkill for most applications, and literally anything would be a step up from 3640, that stuff is junk as far as I'm concerned.

We use IJ180cv3 for all fleet graphics, otherwise we use General Formulations 201 HTAP (Calendared high tack) for just about everything else. We'll use 40C for wall wraps and some decals.

90% of our work gets laminated with 3M 8418G. Personally I don't trust any calendared gloss laminates, and the only calendared matte I'd trust/use is Avery DOL 2080 matte.

For cast matte we use Arlon 3220 laminate.

That's all I can think of, that's our short-list of go-to trusted materials.
 
Boudica

Boudica

I'm here for Educational Purposes
signstopstatecollege said:
I've been doing lots of research and I've more or less landed on 3M IJ180 or 40C. I currently use IJ35C, which is a huge step up from Orajet 3640. I used that for years for permanent outdoors signs. I learned from someone else who tried to cut corners everywhere possible and I'm just now finding out how many options are out there. I run a small business so I'm trying to find a balance between upping our quality and not overspending on something that's excessive.

Long story short...It seems like people trash calendared vinyl left and right, but I've used it for years and had relatively good results. I only make flat signage, mostly outdoors, and maybe a third are meant to be permanent. Can I get by with 40C if I use the right laminate? IJ180 is nearly double the cost and it seems unnecessary for window graphics, real estate signs, yard signs, generic parking on .080, etc.
Click to expand...
Don't listen to those people. Cast vinyl is for contours and it's way overkill for flat signs. You don't need to use 40C unless you need to remove it.
If your experience with how you've been making signs so far is good, why fix what isn't broke?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top