Ok guys....help me out here. I have a customer who wants me to redo there signs. They want to save on the cost of plexi by having me strip what is there now. I am new to the business and have only ever stripped vinyl off a sign. By looking at these signs it looks like it is printed on the back of the plexi or something. almost looks like the plexi is clear not white. I haven`t taken it down yet so I can`t be completely sure but it is definatly not vinyl. Does anybody know what I`m talking about??
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Sign stripping
- Thread starter otown
- Start date
Just Another Sign Guy
New Member
there is no savings when you factor in your labor...you won't be the first to do this nor the last but many of us refuse.
besides it looks like sh!t.
besides it looks like sh!t.
TheSnowman
New Member
Plexi? That'll be faded like nobody's business would be my guess. We did some that had that on the inside like that, and they were HORRIBLE to remove because they painted over the top of it. We had gallons and gallons of lacquer thinner poured on this thing, and hours and hours of work. These were big signs...but still...they were bad.
Craig Sjoquist
New Member
Sure this is easy and low cost .... but first check price of new if panface and it is not to old ... meaning when ya clean it will start looking like a broken windshield
so you may end up buying new anyway
Spraylat makes a cleaner/thinner 1 gal is more then enough for under a 4x8 also newspaper or rags will do
pour in some thinner let it soak in with newspaper then wipe up repeat till clean
... by this time the tiny cracks kinda appear if so ... the worse it looks the more likely to buy new it is to old and may bust at anytime
Also did the last bit of lettering was it cut to deep you'll see if so nearly impossible to clean the cuts
Now if few or none use cotton rags near the end when it seems fairly clean, then clean and clean .. should take about a hour a panel
oh yes do in vented area
so you may end up buying new anyway
Spraylat makes a cleaner/thinner 1 gal is more then enough for under a 4x8 also newspaper or rags will do
pour in some thinner let it soak in with newspaper then wipe up repeat till clean
... by this time the tiny cracks kinda appear if so ... the worse it looks the more likely to buy new it is to old and may bust at anytime
Also did the last bit of lettering was it cut to deep you'll see if so nearly impossible to clean the cuts
Now if few or none use cotton rags near the end when it seems fairly clean, then clean and clean .. should take about a hour a panel
oh yes do in vented area
Mosh
New Member
New face, unless it is first surface vinyl that has only been on a year or two, there is no way to make it look like new. DO NOT let customers trick you into do something that will make you spend hours cleaning off paint and will only end up looking like crap. Remeber your name is also on this sign, no just the customer's. Price it new!
An hour! NO WAY it will be as clear as new polycarb. BTW, I am pretty sure it is not "plexi-glass" unless it was made by an part-time sign guy.
An hour! NO WAY it will be as clear as new polycarb. BTW, I am pretty sure it is not "plexi-glass" unless it was made by an part-time sign guy.
Wes Phifer
New Member
I have done it. It is not fun but if it is not that old it can save some money.
OP it is clear and painted. If you don't know how to paint it back for lighting you might as well price it new from a wholesaler. That is probably what you compition is going to do anyway.
OP it is clear and painted. If you don't know how to paint it back for lighting you might as well price it new from a wholesaler. That is probably what you compition is going to do anyway.
ok, lets say I get the plexi clean....I am pretty sure it will end of clear. I am putting a full digital vinyl print on this sign but with clear plexi will it displace the light? ....or will you be able to see the bulbs behind the vinyl. All the signs I have done have been with sign white plexi
Wes Phifer
New Member
If you print on translucent white you should be fine. You might want to print with more ink it seems to make them look better.
Just Another Sign Guy
New Member
i can not believe that you are still entertaining the idea of doing this after the information you have been given. if you are self employed and can justify doing a project like this YOU ARE NOT CHARGING ENOUGH MONEY FOR YOUR TIME! simple as that.
you simply can not save some people from themselves.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
What is the size of these panels ?? That's what will really determine if you want to clean them or not.
If you have the technology to digitally print and bid this job out, why didn't you think about how to prepare for your quoted job. If you had figured on removing vinyl and now have to entertain the thought of removing painted letters and sprayed background, you certainly are not in a position to strip anything and still make money [profit] in this job.
Your best choice is... to go back to your customer and tell them you screwed up. You didn't know these were painted and give them a choice of new panels or giving their deposit back. Anything else is going to end in disaster and I'm afraid a trip to the 'Emergency Room' with inhalation of toxic fumes if you don't have a proper space to strip signs, let alone the proper equipment. I will bet you an American dollar, you'll get sick striping these and then be asking how to do this process.
Why do people do the dumbest things and then wonder why everything goes wrong, when they're not qualified to do the most simplest of tasks ??
If you have the technology to digitally print and bid this job out, why didn't you think about how to prepare for your quoted job. If you had figured on removing vinyl and now have to entertain the thought of removing painted letters and sprayed background, you certainly are not in a position to strip anything and still make money [profit] in this job.
Your best choice is... to go back to your customer and tell them you screwed up. You didn't know these were painted and give them a choice of new panels or giving their deposit back. Anything else is going to end in disaster and I'm afraid a trip to the 'Emergency Room' with inhalation of toxic fumes if you don't have a proper space to strip signs, let alone the proper equipment. I will bet you an American dollar, you'll get sick striping these and then be asking how to do this process.
Why do people do the dumbest things and then wonder why everything goes wrong, when they're not qualified to do the most simplest of tasks ??
Patrick46
New Member
Hey, if the guy has the time & the gumption to give this a try...let him! But he BETTER be wearing a respirator!
I'm putting together a bid for the exact same thing right now. But I'm gonna let my customer know 'right up front' that this may NOT work out (stripping the paint off)...and that if it doesn't, then they're going to have to compensate me for my time & mess for trying to strip this stuff off...plus then they'll have to buy new sign faces anyway.
I'll let you know what they decide.
I'm putting together a bid for the exact same thing right now. But I'm gonna let my customer know 'right up front' that this may NOT work out (stripping the paint off)...and that if it doesn't, then they're going to have to compensate me for my time & mess for trying to strip this stuff off...plus then they'll have to buy new sign faces anyway.
I'll let you know what they decide.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
With all due respect, I've never stripped a sign face that didn't turn out just fine.... clear or white. To say you'll let the customer know if things go right, means you've just accepted their terms. You have to have it turn out right or you're responsible for replacing it. They left it in your hands.... the hands of a professional. If you can't do it or have doubts.... DON'T DO IT in the first place. You shouldn't be reimbursed for experimenting.
This was my point with the OP.
This was my point with the OP.