I have a customer that has two 5' x 8' pan formed sign faces that they want to have the old info removed and the new business info installed. I know this process has a name, but all I can think of eradication ???? What's the best way for me to tackle this?
Thanks in advance!
Posted by Jon Butterworth (Member # 227) on :
We need more information on the "old" pan faces.
Are they vinyl graphics inside or out??
Are they Vinyl graphics with a background color sprayed inside or out??
Are they fully painted inside or out??
Basicly you are going to run into a multitude of problems.
Removing vinyl graphics from old sign faces leaves a "Ghost" image on the acrylic face. Flat faces you can flip over and use the back it doesn't show as bad.
Removing background paint, depending on what type, is a nightmare at times. Especially if it's thinner based and "bitten" into the sheets.
Removing painted graphics AND background is almost impossible. The graphics would have been hand cut into the mask and this leaves scratches that no way you going to get paint residue out of.
ADD ... how old are these faces? Acrylic gets VERY brittle and discolored after a few years exposure. Especially formed faces which are already weak on the vaccuum folds.
BEWARE!
I personally wouldn't touch "renovation" with a 40ft barge pole ... Quote a replacement price and explain to the customer why.
The sign face is not that old - a few years at most. Paint is on the inside only - no vinyl. I had a similar situation a few years ago and the company I sent it out to didn't act like it was a big deal....
The customer in this case is a local bank that has repossesed a building which is on a state highway. They asked for an idea of what it would take to remove the old info so they could replace it with "FOR SALE, Contact..." with the understanging it would be temporary and expensive, so I feel compelled to at least give them a price.
Posted by Jon Butterworth (Member # 227) on :
Strip it, bang some vinyl letters on it and give them the bill .... understanding is "what you pay for is what you get" ... Quote: "Temporary Signage"
Let the person doing the "Permanent" signage have the headaches!
Posted by Mark Tucker (Member # 6461) on :
Two 5 x 8's? Eeeeeewwww....messy business to strip them. I know. I've done it. Several gallons of lacquer thinner, rubber gloves, respirator, and a large box of rags. It could take all day to get them both clean enough to paint and by the time it's all done, it's hardly worth it.
I would replace the pan faces with cheap flat 1/4" white plexiglass w/ vinyl copy on the outside(s). Flat plexi won't be as rigid as panned acrylic, so take care to install the faces securely to prevent blow-out. All that means is to run a few screws through the retainers and faces and into the frame after everything is put back together. A pain in the butt any way you look at it.
On the other hand, if it doesn't have to light up "pretty" at night and the bank wants "cheap", I'd just wrap it with banners and be done with it. Better yet, take the faces down, paint them opaque on the outside w/ vinyl copy over that.
Whatever you end up doing, don't let your customer insist on a patch job looking like a million bucks if they only wanna pay you one hundred.
[ April 13, 2007, 04:18 AM: Message edited by: Mark Tucker ]
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
Ya, what they all said. Its just about as cheap to do new faces. Plus new means no ghosts to haunt you later.
Posted by Jon Jantz (Member # 6137) on :
2 5x8 banners lashed securely and tightly.
Posted by Michael R. Bendel (Member # 5847) on :
First off... lacquer will destroy polycarbonate & acrylic. Do not use!
Gripflex has a reducer that will clean the faces to clear. The problem after that is the faces need to be back-sprayed translucent white again.
Eradicating is usually done on colored flex faces & awnings. The process removes the color in a masked area to reveal the original white material. Inexpensive solution... If this is temporary situation, the new tenant/owner will buy new faces, so you could simply put "for sale" on the face in a thick font, possibly at an angle & do the phone # & info on a vinyl panel.
Banners would work too, but beware & hope the building sells quickly.
Posted by Mark Tucker (Member # 6461) on :
![[For Your Information]](graemlins/fyi.gif)