The Letterville BullBoard: How to remove copy from Lexan sign faces?

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Posted by Robert Lenz (Member # 387) on :

Good Day Heads,

I have to remove and change the area code on some Lexan sign faces, backlighted. What do you recomend to remove the present copy? What kind of paint do you use to reletter the copy and the background? I have tried using spray cans before without much success, leaves a dark area not satisfactory!

Thanks for your addvice and help!

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Rob Lenz (paintm)
Lenz Signs
Osage, Iowa (USA)
lenzsign@osage.net
ICQ 38922548

Posted by Pierre St.Marie (Member # 1462) on :

Hey, robert....There a many ways to do a removal, but if its film, the current most common one is to use heat and then "Rapid Remover". If the original lettering is in paint, I would then ask if the lex is backsprayed with copy on the backside. If you've never painted lex, you'd best use translucent film on the front. If it has to be paint, then Mathews or GripFlex are specifics for backlit signs. Need more info.

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St.Marie Graphics
& Makin' Tracks Sound Studio
Kalispell, Montana
stmariegraphics@centurytel.net http://www.stmariegraphics.com
800 735-8026
We're chiseling every day of the week! :^)

Posted by Mikes Mischeif (Member # 1744) on :

Hey Robert.

My method for vinyl: A heat gun and sharp fingernails if it's easy. Hard cracked vinyl: 3M Vinyl remover, followed by 3M adhesive remover, found at most body shop supply stores (mattos)

If its paint: Spary the sh*t out of it with oven cleaner, let it sit for 10 min and wipe it off with a soft 3m scuff pad. rinse with water, and like shampoo, repeat if necessary untill its all gone.
I usually letter the backside afterwards since it shoud not have any tiny scratches on it, and your main goal was to get light thru it.

PS DO your lungs and hands a favor and wear a resporator and rubber gloves, or you'll be sorry. I still don't can't leave a finger print from the first time I used this method =)

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Posted by Mikes Mischeif (Member # 1744) on :

For lettering a reverse on white lexan: I cut vinyl, lay it on the lexan, paint the whole thing with a foam roller. Wait 10 min for it to tack up and remove the vinyl leaving the letering to show thru. This is only if you want the letters to light - paint isnt translucent (see thru)

PS Prep the lexan with a bonding agent.

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Posted by Bob Rochon (Member # 30) on :

Hi Robert,

Ok, I get from your post that these faces are back sprayed. So I would assume that they were sprayed with gripflex. Denatured alcohol is the product to use to remove that paint.

You want to flood the paint with it, I lay rags down and then soak them, that way they hold the denatured alcohol on to face to soften the paint. This will be a tedious and messy job.

Keep at it untill all the area is clean then hopefully there wasn't any knife cuts in the face, because those are hard to get clean.

If the faces are back sprayed then the back ground color is also gone and now you should have clear lexan. spray cans will not work here, for you need consistant pressure and mixture of paint. I don't respray my faces myself even though I airbrush, it takes some skill to spray a large face evenly. So I have a local shop that I'm friends with, spray them for me.

If you don't spray them consistantly you will have the same effect as if you were to hold up a brown paper bag to a light when it is lit. I would not recommend rolling out the background or using easy off unless it is enamel. and scuffing them will leave scratches. And at that rate I would buy new plastic.

If I have to clean faces now, I spray them white on the reverse, then use vinyl on the front, that way you or another sign person will not have to clean them again.

Good luck

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Bob Rochon
Creative Signworks
Millbury, MA
bob@creativesignworks.com

"Some people's kids"

[This message has been edited by Bob Rochon (edited November 02, 2000).]

Posted by Bill Biggs (Member # 18) on :

Gripflex makes a remover.
get it (not the regular thinner)
use towels and remove the whole thing,
If it is a moulded can type pan.
you don't have much success trying to change part of back sprayed signs.
Bill

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Bill & Barbara Biggs
Art's Sign Service, Inc.
Clute, Texas, USA
Home of The Great Texas Mosquito Festival
Proud second year Supporter of the Letterheads Website
MailTo:twobeesusa@netscape.net

Posted by David Wright (Member # 111) on :

Since everyone has shown you how to remove paint(Bob Rochon's idea the best) my way is buy new panels and charge accordingly.
If panel is clear plastic you had better know how to spray with proper gun etc., or laydown translucent vinyl for background and letters.No spray cans, will not last and will light up with a mottled effect.

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Wright Signs
Wyandotte, Michigan
Since 1978
http://www.wrightsigns.bigstep.com

Posted by Mike Languein (Member # 319) on :

For paint (One Shot) Denatured alcohol and soft rags (old T Shirts)

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"If it isn't fun, why do it?"
Signmike@aol.com
Mike Languein
Doctor of Letters
BS, MS, PhD
___________________

You know what BS is, MS is More of the Same, and it's Piled Higher and Deeper here

Posted by Elaine Beauchemin (Member # 136) on :

All you have to do is the area code??

Wow!

Mask around the area you want to remove the paint from. Remove as explained earlier.
The thing is: the background will always show,
maybe try to sell a kind of reverse for that part of the sign. Well the complete phone # in fact or all that line of type. Are you geared to carry that task safely?
Well all those hazardous products needed to
remove the paint...considering your/my own safety, I would prefer health and sell them a new face for the sign.

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Élaine Beauchemin
scrip
Lettrage Scripsit inc.
St-Hubert, Quebec, Canada
scripsit@Mlink.net www.mlink.net/~scripsit

[This message has been edited by Elaine Beauchemin (edited November 03, 2000).]

Posted by Jack Davis (Member # 1408) on :

Good idea Elaine. If your sign is white and blue. Change the phone no. to blue and white set on as a seperate panel look by using a mask on the removal. Then you only have to match colors, not blend a background.

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Jack Davis
1410 Main St
Joplin, MO 64801
www.imagemakerart.com
bronzeo@prodigy.net
http://www.imagemakerart.com

Posted by Pierre St.Marie (Member # 1462) on :

Yep, yep, yep.......Elaine's approach IS the logical one.

Posted by Robert Lenz (Member # 387) on :

Hi Heads,

Yup, I tried to talk them into replacing the whole sign with new panels and transluecent vynil, they just purchased the sign in May and don't want to spend the money again. Thanks for all the great help!

Rob

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Rob Lenz (paintm)
Lenz Signs
Osage, Iowa (USA)
lenzsign@osage.net
ICQ 38922548

Posted by Deb Fowler (Member # 1039) on :

Just passed by a sign (still intact and uncleaned since late July). The customer said that he would clean it himself, after I wanted to charge him an extra $75 for me to do it. I was very relieved since I despise cleaning signs and would rather sell him a new one.
It is about 18" by 60". Painted white background and red letters. Now, I believe the letters are on the outside and painted.
I have no worry about this one and will not be responsible to clean it (no matter what).
I normally charge enough to do a job like that to be higher than buying a new one.
I still am wondering how do you tell if it is gripflex, and if it isn't gripflex and it is another paint, is the clean up product such as oven cleaner going to work? Are there more scenarios in the lexan signs for paint and cleanup?
Of course, if the customer asks me, I will instruct him to call the company that sold him the sign (which is a tractor manufacturer) and have them find out. But I was just curious.

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Deb Fowler
"You may not be able to stop the boat, but you can change the direction of the sails"

Posted by Brad Ferguson (Member # 33) on :

Robert,

I have removed selected copy from lighted signs before. If you mask carefully and don't over-flood it with stripper, you can clean a nice rectangle, then use reverse colors as has been suggested. If you back up a reverse-cut vinyl panel with white translucent letters, you don't even have to go back with paint.

I have never been able to match whites anyway. There's just too many variables. There're three or four different whites in Grip-Flex, and such things as thinning, the addition of clear, and the number of spray passes, all affect the color.

As also mentioned, strip with denatured alcohol, or an alcohol mix, such as the Grip-Flex Stripper For Polycarbonate.

Deb,
Other than vinyl, there's really no practical substitute for the plastic paints such as Grip-Flex or Lacryl.
When stripping an entire face, it's a lot less work if you cover the face with plastic sheeting, like garbage bags, after you flood it with stripper. Letting it work for awhile like this makes it much easier to strip.
Use a push pin or a knife blade to scrape stubborn color out of knife cuts.

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Brad Ferguson
427 S. Sycamore
Ottawa, KS 66067
785-242-9924
signbrad@apip.net

Posted by Brad Farha (Member # 931) on :

Another vote for the reverse copy as Elaine suggested. Good call, Elaine!

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Brad Farha, owner
Farha Signs
Beckley, WV
304-252-3778
farhasigns@citynet.net

Posted by Deb Fowler (Member # 1039) on :

Thanks Brad,

When my customer strips the entire sign(which is needed in this case), I will direct him to one of the strippers for gripflex and give him these hints.

Elaine, that is a great idea! When I come across that problem, I will use your idea!
We had a major problem with an area code change here two years ago.

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Deb Fowler
"You may not be able to stop the boat, but you can change the direction of the sails"

Posted by Mikes Mischeif (Member # 1744) on :

These are all great reponses. Since I first suggested the oven cleaner method, I wanted to add that this was my way of a down and dirty way to get fast results without regard to preserving the pristine suface of lexan.

These are the worst kinds of jobs to deal with so I had complete disregard for paint removal since I could'nt sell the cheapo's a new piece. I did have great results and it only took 1/2 hour to remove 15 yr old paint from a 6' x 10' face.

I did this one time for a pan face that was custom shaped on a light pole 30' in the air.It is quite extreme, but the method fit the madness.

This was my first year in business. Since then I refuse to remove paint from any face and turn down the job and send it on down the line since I don't have to take anything I can get.

Good Luck.

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