Ok , who sells the dome kit? I gotta have it.
Posted by Bob Burns (Member # 268) on :
I think BEACON GRAPHICS in N.J. has it.
Posted by Ted Nesbitt (Member # 3292) on :
I, among many others, have used a product called ACUDOME quite successfully for years---http://www.acudome.com
I usually use it on Gerber EDGE graphics. but it works great on cut vinyl as well----I highly recommend it!
Posted by Kissymatina (Member # 2028) on :
Ken, call the Zs. Rememeber at mass mayhem the meet stickers, hot rod & that harley tank? They did the doming. Jay said they have tried a couple different ones, didn't like 1, liked another one. We never got a chance to play with it.
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
If you're the adventurous type you can build your own doming kits, all you need is the urethane resin and dispensing bottles with needle tips.. or if you want to get real slick you can buy empty dual syringes with dual mix needles that mix the resin within the needle itsself so you avoid trapping air in the resin along with avoiding contact with it. Then if you really get into it, there's the automated meter mix systems that do everything for you.
You can check out all the "hardware" at http://www.cammda.com/ There are other places you can get it too, that's just the first place that showed up in a Yahoo search.
I've been using Smooth-On Crystal Clear urethane resin for casting lenses for automotive lamps, and this stuff would be great for doming.. it's so clear it's like glass and it gets pretty hard so it's durable, but not brittle.. it's also UV stable.. $25 for a small trial kit or $130 for a 1 Gallon Kit... actually it's 1 Gallon part A, 1 Gallon Part B, so you get 2 Gallons worth... that domes a LOT of decals.
Posted by Dave Cox - That Sign Guy (Member # 3517) on :
I use acudome to make a lot of domed products... It's especially nice for use with vehicle graphics since the doming stays somewhat flexible... I have had a few issue using it on SignGold, but I have gotten past those issues... great stuff... trial kit is $99. easy to use, no muss no fuss.
Posted by E. Balch (Member # 3545) on :
ken,
Want to try doming and make money? Don't spend a fortune on resin. Go to AC Moore or equivalent art & craft store. You can buy Envirotek resin for about $7 for about a halfpint. This stuff is great, mix the 2 parts and pour onto your edge printed decals. We buy it for $40 per quart and it does a LOT of doming. You can use plastic syringes, squeeze bottles or pour out of yogurt containers. If you trap lots of bubbles in the resin by vigorous stiring (I always do) it's not a problem. Just wave a torch over the resin and the CO2 will pop all the micro bubbles.
ernie
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
Ernie,
My resin only costs me $16 per quart. Posted by Chris Lovelady (Member # 2540) on :
ok i bite...what is doming
chris
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
Chris,
Doming is applying a clear (or colored) resin dome over decals and graphics to make a 3D appearance. Check out the link below, this is regular chrome film with a resin applied over the top:
Mike, Sorry I only read $130 per gallon kit and didn't realize it's $16 per quart.
I'll give your stuff a try.
thanks
ernie
edit.................. I just talked to Diane and she said our kit is 1 quart of hardener and 1 quart of resin. $40 is the list price but they have a 40% off coupon in the paper every week so she paid $24. Bringing our cost to $12 per quart and no shipping.
[ July 24, 2003, 07:18 PM: Message edited by: E. Balch ]
Posted by BrianTheBrush (Member # 1298) on :
OK... here's the real web address for Henry Coutu at Accudome.
Here's a quick shot to show ya how clear the resin I use is.. this is a custom LED bucket/lens assembly I make for trucks.. the lens on the right is almost invisible!
Ken, Ditto to what Brian said - Accudome - good product - nice people to deal with - quick delivery - cool stuff for Edge decals Karen
Posted by Gene Uselman (Member # 2508) on :
The last time I used Acudome (3 yr ago) - the shelf life was so short that after the first try, by the time I tried it again- it was hard. Has the shelf life improved? Gene
Posted by Dave Cox - That Sign Guy (Member # 3517) on :
I beleive the shelf life is 6 months..
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
We did a helluva lot of domed Edge stickers when I was working in the marine graphics industry. One suggestion is that the curing area needs to be as dust free as humanly possible, for obvious reasons.
Just as a hint, the boat and RV consumers love the look of domed stickers....so there's one market for you to look into if you're wondering.
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
Anybody have a fail-safe method of pricing doming work? By fail-safe I mean not losing your profits in a job on the labor/time of applying the resin.
I was just sittin here thinkin it would be cool to offer it, I've thought about it before.. but the thought of doming cut lettering or even a larger coverage job just seems like it would take more time than you could get for it.
Posted by Kissymatina (Member # 2028) on :
I dunno Mike, but I do have 1 thought on the pricing subject.
From what I'm seen, read & heard, it's a lot easier & quicker to dome ovals than it is to coax the doming stuff into sharp corners & funky shapes, right? If that's the case, shouldn't the shape be a part of the doming pricing equation? Say you had a 3" circle to dome & a 3" star. Shouldn't the star with the sharp corners be priced higher than the circle?
Posted by captain ken (Member # 742) on :
Ok, I did some reserch and took into account all your advise, seems there are 2 major brand names accudome and instadome, since I just want to play around a bit and dont really know what the heck im doing I just want a small starter kit. accudome offers a starter kit with 2 tubes of resin and all the other crap ya need for 99 bucks, instadome has a starter kit for about 300 bucks but comes with 40 tubes. seeing the shelf life reply scared me so I got the smaller kit.
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
OK...finally something that I know something about
The only obstacle in preparing a design for doming is that any angle less the 90 degrees needs to be rounded to 1/8" diameter. This is all that is required to keep the doming liquid from flowing outside the graphic.
I've prepared Edge artwork for literally tens of thousands of domed decals, so I've got a little experience with this stuff.
Posted by Glenn S. Harris (Member # 2190) on :
This is the first I've heard of doming other than on lettering for demensional signs.
This is very interesting.
Is there a how-to anywhere?
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
Hell, Glenn...you probably even have a domed decal on your kitchen fridge!
Posted by Glenn S. Harris (Member # 2190) on :
So you just squirt the stuff on there?
How do you keep it from getting everywhere?
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
Glenn,
The surface tension in the resin keeps it from spilling over and as long as you don't put too much resin down at once, it won't flow past the edges of the cut/weeded graphics.
You can pour it on or use a bottle with a needle tip for more control.
I apply a bead of resin along the perimeter of the decal first then "fill in" the center, always being careful not to put too much on at once.
Posted by TransLab (Member # 470) on :
2 questions..
How long will the regular chrome foils hold up once domed? ... my guess is a looooonnngg time
How does the retail pricing run?
Make that 3 questions ... Who sells this in Canada?
[ July 29, 2003, 11:47 AM: Message edited by: TransLab ]
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
Mike,
If you got the right resin, the chrome would last as long as the dome protected it. I talked to the owners of another local sign shop that have messed around with doming and they didn't have much luck with the resin in their trial kit lasting more than a few months outdoors in the harsh Arizona summer.
I tried a sample kit from Loctite and the resin was too soft and pliable, it wasn't long before my homemade Mazda emblem on my truck's hood was completely hazed and had embedded bugs.
I'm now using the Smooth-On Crystal Clear resin primarily for making custom tail light assemblies for trucks. It seems to hold up like a champ outdoors so far, still clear as a bell after a year on my truck amidst the strong UV and dust here.
I don't know about pricing, seems nobody else here does either cause I already posted that question. My guess: Depending on complexity or size - start at 3X the "normal" cost and see where that puts you on the pricing scale, adjust from there. Dome a number of practice pieces of varying shapes and sizes to give you an idea of how long they'd take you to do.
Maybe someone in Canada can help you on the last question. Posted by Terry Whynott (Member # 1622) on :
Mike, I'm pretty sure Canadian Signcrafter's can get you a sample kit.
Posted by Dave Cox - That Sign Guy (Member # 3517) on :
I don't know about normal pricing either but here is what i have done in the past...
I make domed "Badges" for a few different sportscars for use on the steering wheels and wheel caps. I don't have an edge so I go down to the local Signs Now, I am charged $0.75 each for 1" diameter printed/cut circles with the design (logo). I use 2 $8 resin packs to do 100 badges. I sell the badges for $15 each or when 3 or more are purchased $12/ea
just an example, of course car guys are used to spending more than normal folks.
Posted by Diane Crowther (Member # 120) on :
Mike, besides Canadian Signcrafters, ND Graphics carries the doming materials (Acudome mfg). Doming is very labour intensive, and we prefer to stay with smaller sizes (1" to 2") because that way the rejects are manageable. A tube covers about 50 sq.in. and once the tube is open you have to use it up.
Posted by Jon Aston (Member # 1725) on :
Hey, thanks Diane!
Mike:
I dropped Joe Parsons a note to have him call you about AcuDome.
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