Stripping and reapplying vinyl to push through letters

[Scott H]

Any tips/tricks/best practices on how to:
A) Strip the existing vinyl (heat, scraping, chemicals, etc)
and
B) Apply and trim new vinyl

Thanks

 

[ProSignTN]

That looks really old and brittle. And it also looks like is was screened or inked with a printer. I would drag scrape with razor blades til color is removed. Then palm sander with 320 grit and work your way to 1000-1200. Apply vinyl and trim by hand with exacto.

 

[signheremd]

I would add, apply the vinyl wet with Rapid Tac or Right On

 

[DChorbowski]

Also to note,
Bank of America has specific program color vinyls made by 3M, 3630-2472 Red and 3M 3630-8530 Blue. Both colors are supposed to be overlaminated with 3M 3660M Matte overlam as well.

 

[Scott H]

That looks really old and brittle. And it also looks like is was screened or inked with a printer. I would drag scrape with razor blades til color is removed. Then palm sander with 320 grit and work your way to 1000-1200. Apply vinyl and trim by hand with exacto.

Great advice. Thanks!

 

[Scott H]

I would add, apply the vinyl wet with Rapid Tac or Right On

Thanks! Would you cut vinyl down roughly to size, peel and place. Or would you hinge and try to do multiple letters at the same time?

 

[Scott H]

Also to note,
Bank of America has specific program color vinyls made by 3M, 3630-2472 Red and 3M 3630-8530 Blue. Both colors are supposed to be overlaminated with 3M 3660M Matte overlam as well.

Thanks. We are not supplying the vinyl- it is being sent to us by their national sign vendor. I'm hoping they know what to install. They didn't say anything about overlaminating though.

 

[JBurton]

What about the missing a?
I'd offer to take it down and bring it in to refurb, my vinyl guys would not be happy to do it on site in the air.

 

[Scott H]

What about the missing a?
I'd offer to take it down and bring it in to refurb, my vinyl guys would not be happy to do it on site in the air.

We gave them a pattern for the a.
I can't argue that doing it on a bench would be easier but I don't think they would have approved the budget.

 

[signheremd]

Thanks! Would you cut vinyl down roughly to size, peel and place. Or would you hinge and try to do multiple letters at the same time?

Whichever you are more comfortable with. Cutting slightly oversized and then applying to a section at a time has advantages when you are working alone. If you use application tape, be sure to wet the tape down about 30 seconds before you start to remove it - comes off much more easily

 

[Scott H]

I appreciate all of the advice, guys. We are a lighting and electrical contractor who also does sign installs and maintenance. We have a good, small sign shop down the road that will cut any vinyl we need for tenant panels or window lettering, but don't really pursue that type of work. Usually, it comes as part of a third party install where they request us to supply instead of shipping it. We also will make new channel letter faces. So, jobs like this are a good opportunity to learn something new so it won't be new next time.
If I ask them about overlam, would you trim colored vinyl first or trim both overlam and colored vinyl at the same time? Seems like the loose edges of the colored vinyl might create a potential issue when laying the overlam. Does the overlam get applied wet as well?

 

[JBurton]

If I ask them about overlam, would you trim colored vinyl first or trim both overlam and colored vinyl at the same time? Seems like the loose edges of the colored vinyl might create a potential issue when laying the overlam. Does the overlam get applied wet as well?

You'd laminate it before doing anything. Typically your laminate is the same size as the material you are laminating to, in this case though the 3m vinyl will likely only come in 48", so you'd need to find some 48" laminate and someone with a laminator. If you're doing this for a national sign company, I'd ask them to make sure they laminate it before shipping it to you. Laminate is not required for 3m 3630 series vinyl to last a very long time, but if it's part of their branding, I guess it needs it. You do not want to apply laminate by hand, it is a more aggressive adhesive and can wreck your vinyl if you mess it up very quickly.

 

[Scott H]

You'd laminate it before doing anything. Typically your laminate is the same size as the material you are laminating to, in this case though the 3m vinyl will likely only come in 48", so you'd need to find some 48" laminate and someone with a laminator. If you're doing this for a national sign company, I'd ask them to make sure they laminate it before shipping it to you. Laminate is not required for 3m 3630 series vinyl to last a very long time, but if it's part of their branding, I guess it needs it. You do not want to apply laminate by hand, it is a more aggressive adhesive and can wreck your vinyl if you mess it up very quickly.

Again, thanks for the great information! I'll ask them exactly what they are sending.