posted
OK, I'll be serious for a change. I don't do windshields, so I'm not much help there, even if I am serious, however, I have had to contend with weirdly shaped backgrounds on occasion.
Sometimes, doing a few pen plots of various approaches to compensate for the curves is in order. Tape them up there and see what works best visually. Keep in mind that what looks right from one vantage point may not from another.
I'm usually working with dimensional signs that have to identify an establishment for a long time to come. Since most windshield work I have seen is quite informal, my approach may be too time consuming for the job. Also, realize that just about every windshield has a different curve. I'm sure those that do them on a regular basis can do all their adjustments instinctively.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5089 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Here's a quick and easy way to do these.. Its not perfect but it gets the curve real close.
First take your tape measure (Or what I use is a Cloth tape used in sewing) and stretch it across the top of the windshield from corner to corner. The take a ruler or another tape and measure from the bottom of the arc to the tape. This is your Draw. Now in your Graphics program. "I use Signlab so I'll be talking their commands but I know other programs are similar"
Make a guideline and put your wording on that then make a second guide your measured distance parallel to the first. Click on your Transform/Bounding Box/Arc/Vertical and transform your graphic to the lower guide (2" in this case) cut and install.
Hope this helps we do around 20 a week this way and never had a complaint yet except when we found out about RAINX the hard way.. The Vinyl doesn't stick to it.
[ December 09, 2005, 02:25 PM: Message edited by: William DeBekker ]
Seriously... do what Bill does. I do the same thing.
-------------------- Bruce Bowers
DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design Saint Cloud, Minnesota
"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter Posts: 6451 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999
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posted
I put a straight edge across the top roof line and measure down from centre to windshield.Put the same arch on your lettering - tape and cut indivual letters.
-------------------- Randall Campbell Randy's Graphics, 420 Fairfield N. Hamilton Ontario Canada Posts: 2857 | From: Hamilton Ontario Canada | Registered: Jan 2002
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posted
Hammer..... That's going over my head guys........ For some reason, my server was down for the past hour and I couldn't check the board...good thing too....I could have broke this guys windshield with a hammer.... Customer was coming in an hour so I had to get-er-done. I just wonderd what looked best: ARCING where the text is left intact but rotated upward at the ends to follow the curve or WARPING where the tops and bottoms letters are distorted to follow the curve. Here's what I did.......
I grabbed a piece of 24'' heavy butcher paper., taped it accross the windshield covering both top corners. Then traced inside the weatherstripping with a pen, layed it on the worktable, slapped a straightedge accross the top, measured the deflection on four feet whiuch was 1.875''. Arced the text upward by 145 degree radius to match 1.875'' deflection. Cut, weeded, taped, drug my ladder out climbed up and slapped it on. all in 45 minutes. It followed the curve very nicely.
I did this one for a repeat customer because I just got through with the doors and he asked for his business name on the windshield too.
I specialize in dimensional signs too, David, but will do anything for a buck...well...almost.
[ December 09, 2005, 04:25 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
I make my lettering about the height/width that looks right for the windshield, then I use my distortion tool (GA 6.2) to "inverted arc up" (or down?) whatever makes it look like a grin. The size of the grin can vary, but it's usually of the chuckle variety not the guffaw. Works every time. Love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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"Hi, come on in.....how are you doing today?" "fine....how much you charge to put some letters 'cross my windshield?" "well lessee...if it's a chuckle.....$39.95....if it's a guffaw....$49.95" ........."huh?"
Actually, William, It took me longer to type the proceedure than to do it. Think I'll just save that piece of butcher paper for next time. Label the first one "Ford F-350" (the rest of the fords are probsably the same.
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
My son is picking me up in a few minutes and we're going deer hunting. Now...if a deer is 250 yards away and my rifle bullet has a muzzle velocity of 2168 feet per second slowing to a velocity of 2083 fps at 250 yards and an object drops to earth at 44 ft per second squared (or is that 33'?), What will be the trajectory of the bullet at 125 yards? (vertical measurement of the arc the bullet takes as it rises above the line of sight before dropping to the target). What will be the total distance the bullet will drop out at 250 yards? In other words, how much holdover will it take to hit a 6'' target at 250 yards if the rifle is zeroed in at 100 yards?
Or If the rifle is trajectory compensated or "zeroed in" in order to to hit the bullseye at 100 yards, how many increments at .25'' per increment @ 100yards, would the scope need to be adjusted for vertical elevation in order to compensate for the additional 150 yard distance.
Y'all have a nice weekend
[ December 09, 2005, 04:51 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
I lay a yardstick across it, letting the ends touch the edge of the glass and guestimate how much space there is in the middle and bow it up from there.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
I have done a few windshields and the way I have done it is measuring the window width (remembering negative space), cutting the vinyl and pre-spacing. Then I cut between each letter and leave about 1/2 inch of material on the top. I measure down fron the top of windshield spacing the letter tops at 3-4 different points. The thin 1/2" top bends to the curvature of the window. The I apply each letter individually. This has worked for me on windows as well as bug shields.
posted
Cut the lettering in a normal straight line (or on a slight arc if the windshield has a drastic bow). Then, cut between each letter, but not all the way, leaving about an eighth of an inch connected. Lay the lettering across the windshield, Letting the release paper naturally conform to the bow of the glass. Double check the distance from the top edge the windshield to the bottom edge of each letter. Hinge-tape in place and apply.
-------------------- Tim Whitcher Adrian, MI Posts: 1546 | From: Adrian, MI | Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
i just cutem straight....they want fancy...prices goes from $30 to $50 real quick...that usually changes their mind about fittin to the curve
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
OP ya beat me to it - I usually just let the customer apply - the few I've done have been novelty type sayings for the local kids with their firsrt rides - although last one I did was just a "cover up" black 4" stripe to hide a crack in windsheild so he could pass inspection - -I charged him 45 bucks - took about 30 minutes total, no transfer tape just grabbed a scrap of black vinyl & peeled & squeegeed it down then trimmed with x-acto - saved him the cost of a new Toyota pickup windshield. he just ripped it off himself after he got his inspection sticker - Jill - does'nt it make it more distorted when you distort it in Gerber? Do you use 43-vertical arc down or maybe 47-convex arch bottom? Looking at the chart now I'd like to try 57-parallel ogee down - then stretch it out a little - Does that make sense even?
[ December 10, 2005, 03:47 AM: Message edited by: Carl Wood ]
-------------------- Carl Wood Olive Branch, Ms Posts: 1392 | From: Olive Branch,MS USA | Registered: Nov 1999
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posted
#43 it is! Same as my age....why didn't I remember that? Vertical arc down, even tho the ends go up! All my window stickers are sold to kids, RTA. $35 If I have to apply it, $50! It's just a slight grin, and it doesn't really distort the letters. Love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
I usually apply masking tape for the top and bottom lines and get back and look. I find the tape usually has a different curve for both lines when I get it to visually appear straight. I can take my measurements from the tape.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6720 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Say for example you wish to put "Webb Racing" across the top of a windshield. Layout and cut Webb Racing on a staight line with your cutter. Mark the center of your graphic and top of letters with a registration line.
On the windshield draw a line parallel to the curvature of the windshield where you wish to place the lettering. Cut each letter individually. Starting with the center line (letter) apply each letter one at a time aligning the registration line on the application tape to the curved line drawn on the windshield. You may wish to overlap the spacing a bit to compensate for distortion.
This procedure works great every time. The whole procedure is very simple and fool proof. I can do a windshield or hood in about 20 minutes.
The only problem I have run into is slanted letters that produce a very strange distortion.
The solution I just gave you is easier to do than to discribe.
-------------------- Harvie Loomis Loomis Signs 76 Cortright Hill Road Newark Valley, NY 13811 (607)642-8616 tozrox@frontiernet.net Posts: 47 | From: Newark Valley, NY 13811 | Registered: Jul 2000
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