Wind slit placement

[Vinyldog]

Concerning Wind Slits / vents – I oppose them – however I have two good customers that specifically request them and I’m not going to cause an unnecessary uncomfortable situation by questioning their judgment and trying to persuade them otherwise.
So – are their any aspiring structural engineers out there who would like to speculate as to whether Wind Slits would be best cut in-line (vertically) with the grommets, OR centered (horizontally) in the spaces between the grommets?
Either one would place the slits at about two foot intervals assuming the grommets are also spaced every 24 inches.

 

[Si Allen]

If you MUST use wind slits ... place them where they won't interfere with the text and/or graphics.

Wind slits will weaken the banner and decrease wind load only about 5%. The more slits that you add, the less legible the banner becomes.

 

[SummitSignsandmore]

Another handy tip... Would be to use a hole punch and punch a hole where your slit begins and ends.

This will hep to prevent having the banner tear. I cut my wind slits as half circles not straight.

 

[J Hill Designs]

I hate em too - just don't do em like this

 

[CL Graphics]

thats fricken hillarious

 

[Vinyldog]

Must have been donated

Okay about the photo - how do they get away with that?
But concerning the vents - To me if your going to have them they should be in a logical pattern unrelated to the design - on the printed banners I'm doing there is no way to avoid the text/graphics because it's everywhere but even on a simple text only banner I feel it's less distracting to have those flapping buggers at an even spacing rather than hap-hazard across the design and if there IS a benifit from them I think the pressure release should be evenly distributed across the banner to work properly.
My concern is when the banner is supported at the grommets a stress line is going to form somewhere when the wind pushs it - possibly directly between the grommets or maybe in the slack area (off center of the grommets) - and if a vent is located in that high stress area I think it's going to start to rip sooner.

 

[signgal]

*gasps* slits and they used the beloved Disney font?! oh my...

we don't consider educating the client as "an unnecessary uncomfortable situation by questioning their judgment and trying to persuade them". They get the explanation of how useless the slits really are and how the message won't get across, thereby wasting their money... We use bungee cords hooked in the grommets to hang them and they allow play from the wind and last longer.

...and isn't this the kind of job mesh was made for or am I missing something?

 

[Steve C.]

Never poke holes in a perfectly good banner!

What signgal said.

 

[WhiskeyDreamer]

i agree about not doing the wind slits, but it may not be the customer requesting the slits...depending on where the banners are going....

i did two 3ft x 25ft street banners last year that the city refused to put up until wind slits were cut in them....it's actually in the specs given out by the city when someone is putting up a street banner...i quickly cut the slits in the banners, and passed them back to the customer...

 

[weaselboogie]

Here's the wind slit pattern I usually use. It's almost like using a mesh banner!

 

[Jillbeans]

Found two depictions of what not to do!
Love....Jill

 

[G-Artist]

A properly engineered across-the-street banner (or any outdoor banner) should never include
slits. All you have to know is the engineering formula for banner force (which has been published
numerous times in several trade mags) to build it properly.

According to studies, wind slits do little to nothing. They, in fact, degrade the banner and
can make it more dangerous. That info was paid for by your government at great taxpayer
expense. Build it to D.O.T specs and you are fine.

If there is great worry or concern and the banner doesn't need a long life, then use mesh material.

 

[Vinyldog]

Maybe Mesh

I'm going get a sample of the mesh and try it - I havn't used it because the mesh banners I've seen have not been very colorful.
But about the slits again - I have a competitors banner in my shop right now putting wind slits in it at my new customers request - is he no longer doing business with that shop because he refused to do wind vents?
If these customers are so adamant about having flappys in their banners surely thay have some experience to support their value - I just can't imagine why else they would care.

 

[Steve C.]

If I had a customer who insisted on holes in his banners even after I expalined
that they will weeken them. I'd cut the holes. Stipulating that I would not
be responsible.
Wind does not tear up banners for the most part. It is banners flapping in the
wind that distroy themselves. Bungi cords will allow banners to give with the
wind and not flap. Bungies will sun rot so must be inspected and replaced
if the banner will be up for any period of time.
I don't have time to go into detail, but I have experience to back up this
theory.

 

["Deposit Please"]

mesh banners are a way to go. very durable too, because you dont have the wind beating them up. One thing though, use bolder & bigger text & good contrast. small text will disappear in the mesh, kinda like perforated window film. Not sure if all that text will work?

 

[G-Artist]

They want the slits because that's what they were told once (many moons ago) that slits
were ABSOLUTELY necessary. Even though gvt. funded studies carried out by universities,
under contract, has proven the slit theory to be false.

All you can do is ask them why and what studies have they read that proves their claim?

Maybe back when banners were mere oilcloth that worked. It is the opposite with today's scrim fabrics.

Time to enter the 21st Century!!!

 

[Vinyldog]

Looking good in Mesh

Any suggestions on which brand of mesh has the best print quality?

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Without wind slits banner will fail ..unless up against wall... just don't get carryed away with the amount ...every 2 ft is fine

 

[JR's]

 

[signgal]

I'm going get a sample of the mesh and try it - I havn't used it because the mesh banners I've seen have not been very colorful.
But about the slits again - I have a competitors banner in my shop right now putting wind slits in it at my new customers request - is he no longer doing business with that shop because he refused to do wind vents?
If these customers are so adamant about having flappys in their banners surely thay have some experience to support their value - I just can't imagine why else they would care.

Well, shoot... put some slits in them banners then. What the heck! That kind of customer is always right! Just do as adviced and put something on the receipt absolving you from responsibility and charge extra for the destruction of your own work LOL

sorry, I have no advice on the mesh. I use an outside source... the use 12oz. cooley? I think? if that sounds right...