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Hi Heads, The other thread is starting to load slow so we'll try a new thread and continue on.
Here is a neat trick we did on a van recently.
The customer had his van logo done by "brand X" sign shop and it came out rather plain. He called us to see if we could "pazaaaaz" the van up a little.
We suggested huge paint brushes with different colors stroke-ing up the side of the van. So, we vinyled the van with three 10" wide stripes of Yellow, Red, and Purple vinyl. The problem we encountered was the "paint" in the brush bristles had to match the vinyl colors....and we didn't have a clue how to pull it off.
Finally, out of desparation, we wraped the paint brushes in the matching vinyl colors and melted the vinyl into the bristles of the brush with a heat gun!
Next we scaned the entire brush and Edge printed it 11" x 20" and it came out perfect!
Over the windows we were requested by the customer to use "vision" vinyl ( that would be the vinyl with tiny holes in it so the driver can see through the picture) On one side if the van we had to print all the pictures twice, once in "vision" vinyl and then in regular vinyl. The vision vinyl is on the glass only. The regular print is on the van body. This is a tedious job, laying vinyl over windows and hinges and door handles. It takes alot of patience and a good heat gun to melt it into position!
Well, the next time you need a graphic of a paint brush full of paint, just wrap it in vinyl, heat the vinyl into the bristles and scan it, then print it.
------------------ Go Get 'Em..... :) AKA Raptorman I know one thing....you have to pay your Web Site bill or they delete the site! oops drapersigns.com is gone :) Draper The Signmaker Bloomington, Illinois www.drapersigns.com
Posts: 2883 | From: Bloomington Illinois USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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As much as I don't really care for magnetics they are a fact of life. When cutting magnetic material it is not necessary to cut all the way through. Simply score the surface with an exacto knife or Olfa and "snap" the material just like breaking off a section of an Olfa knife blade. This works especially well if you are cutting an irregular shape.
------------------ Dave Grundy #340 AKA applicator on mIRC "stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!" in Granton, Ontario, Canada dave.grundy@odyssey.on.ca
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It's showcard season in the springtime here at mark fair signs. I do a lot of showcard work for alabama state agencies this time of year for annual meetings and conventions. I use a combination of vinyl and paint. when hinging vinyl use application tape instead of masking tape.(masking tape will pull the surface of the cardstock up.(14 ply cresent board) also a must is to wash hands good so you won't smudge the cardstock with oil from your fingers. if you do smudge, take a little talcum powder and it will absorb any oil on the surface of the card. mark
------------------ Mark Fair Signs Home of The "Sign of the Month" Awards www.markfair.com 2162 Mt. Meigs Road Montgomery, Alabama 36107 334-262-4449 "I Love My Job"
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So many GREAT tips... George Perkins THANKYOU for that tip about putting the design on the WINDOW of the vehicle... god what will I do for exercise, now that I won't have to run back and forth trying to repeat the design! My tip is, I use a NAIL instead of a screw in the tops of my ½ pt 1shot cans... it works as well as the screw and is a LOT easier to get in and out (no, I don't have anything against screwing, but it DOES seem to take up valuable time)... I also use nail holes in my thinner and reducer cans... I use smaller nails for them of course. Keep the nails in and it works... but... It DOESN'T work for spills! So don't tip any of these containers over! A tip I read in SignCraft, DECADES ago, that I use constantly, is the paint strainer holder. Use a 48 oz. juice can, top cut out, bottom left on. Cut away half of the can vertically, leaving the top edge intact to hold your paper paint strainer, and the bottom circle of metal intact as the base where you set your paint cup or can that catches the strained paint.
[ August 04, 2009, 11:42 PM: Message edited by: Barb. Shortreed ]
Posts: 776 | From: Aurora, Utah, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I use Contact Lens Eye Wash bottles for keeping my thinners and reducers in..They have a super fine hole in the top, perfect for dispensing into mixing cups!! I keep a different one for each thinner. Haven't tried laquer thinner yet though..I'm afraid of a gooey sticky mess if it eats the bottle.
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Also if you have to open a can to pour the paint out, punch a few holes in the groove of the can, the holes allow the paint to drip back into the can and therefore allows you to reseal the can more easily. and of course you always lay some paper towells over the can before you bang on it, the towells keeps the paint from splattering all over you and helps to keep you from having a break-down. Ha!
Neil
------------------ "Keep Positive"
Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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The vacuum-sealed coffee that you buy also usually includes a plastic snap-on lid. I keep these cans, and wash them out, and use for mixed colours. When you have to take a mixed colour to a job, the lid snaps on and protects against accidental spills when returning to the shop. It also has the added benefit of reducing the odor of paint fumes in the shop.
------------------ Ken Henry Henry & Henry Signs London, Ontario Canada (519) 439-1881 e-mail kjmlhenry@home.com
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More Tips: When running vinyl through the cutter,instead of weeding right away. Let it sit over night and it will let go easier the next day. If your in a hurry, put it in the freezer for 15 min. or so then lay vinyl out flat and let it warm up. When doing a vinyl, wet application on a window, be sure to use the lightest TACK of transfer tape. It makes a good install. Make a check list of all the crap that you would usually take out for different types of installations. Vinyl applications, Wall doggin',Plex letter installs, 4x8's on walls/posts..etc. Ya won't git yer puddin' if yer don't do it right.............. CrazyJack
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Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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When painting a symmetrical design on a vehicle I always start with my "weak side" first, which is to my left. Once I lay down that stripe or whatever, I'll know that the right side of the design will flow even easier for me. Also when doing some freehand designs like this, sometimes I'll lay down some fineline tape "dead center" and either leave it in place while doing design or pounce over it and remove it to have a center guide.
------------------ Rich Stebbing #945 RichSigns Rohnert Park CA
Posts: 755 | From: Rohnert Park, CA | Registered: Nov 1998
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For registering multi-color vinyl jobs I use small squares. If all colors are close to same size I use four squares(.25"-.5"). I justify these to top and bottom of grphic and right and left as needed to stay just off of graphic. If one color is smaller, I adjust squares, or add more(just be sure to have a square in all four corners of each color). I cut all of the squares with the first color, and the ones that are necessary with other colors. After weeding and applying tape, I apply the first color with all squares intact. For the remaining colors, use a hole punch to clip the outermost corner off of each square. This gives a hole to see the corner on the previous color. Make sure all four corners line up before applying hinge.
After applying all colors, simply grab your lil' chizler and rip those handy little squares right off(It is best to remove them the same day to make removal easier).
I have done this succesfully with up to 10 colors many times.
Don
------------------ Don Hulsey Strokes by DON signs Utica, KY sbdsigns@aol.com
[This message has been edited by Don Hulsey (edited April 12, 1999).]
Posts: 2274 | From: Utica, KY U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 1999
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I install vinyl both wet and dry, but mostly I use an in-between method. Simply wipe the surface with a damp chamois just before squeegeeing the vinyl down. It's more forgiving than totally dry, but you can still pull premask immediately, most of the time. This works great on glass, too, as an alternative to dry, and where wet wet is usually too wet. I keep several of the synthetic chamois cloths around, the kind that come in the plastic tube (Wal Mart). The container keeps them moist and ready at all times.
Brad in Arkansas
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[This message has been edited by Brad Ferguson (edited April 12, 1999).]
[This message has been edited by Brad Ferguson (edited April 12, 1999).]
Posts: 1230 | From: Kansas City, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Ever been out on an installation, and had to mount 2 signs at 90 degrees to each other? If your 90 degree corner has to be exact, and you don't happen to be a licenced surveyor, you can get a 90 degree corner this way: Take a piece of string, or use your chalkline. Decide on your units of measurement ( feet, yards, or inches etc.) Mark off 3 units, then 4 units, and finally 5 units. Place a stake exactly at the first mark, and again at the second mark, and connect the last mark with your starting point. the angle opposite the longest side of the resulting triangle will always be exactly 90 degrees.Old triginometry trick.
------------------ Ken Henry Henry & Henry Signs London, Ontario Canada (519) 439-1881 e-mail kjmlhenry@home.com
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some people don't know you can saw aluminum with a regular skill saw, jig saw or band saw with a regular wood blade, carbide blade works great jimmy
------------------ Jimmy Chatham Chatham Signs 164 Poplar Rd. Commerce, Ga 30529 706-335-2348 Fax 706-335-3378 icq#11718273
Posts: 1766 | From: Commerce, GA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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When I need to remove painted lettering from glass, I first wipe it with a rag saturated with denatured alcohol. It softens it enough to allow it to scrape off real easy without completely dissolving it into a big mess like stronger solvents do. It also takes paint off of lots of other surfaces without some of the problems other solvents cause, but test first.
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Here's another yardstick tip. The first thing to do is forget all the existing markings on the yardstick. A blank strip of wood or paper will work just as good. Grab a pencil or stabillo and check out the illustration below.
Lay your yardstick on your original layout and transfer the line positions to your yardstick using a pencil or whatever.
Now lay your yardstick on the smaller panel so that your marks line up as shown. Transfer the positions to the new panel and use yesterday's tip to quickly scroll in your lines. Simple & fast!
[ August 04, 2009, 11:43 PM: Message edited by: Barb. Shortreed ]
Posts: 3710 | From: Fergus, Ontario, Canada | Registered: A Long Time Ago!
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If you ever have to run lines around the inside (or outside) walls of a building or you want to mount several things at exactly the same height but have no common grade to measure from try a "water level"it can be ten feet long or two hundred feet long doesn't matter.Purchase any clear plastic tube(1/4" to 5/16") whatever length you deem necessary and fill it with water,keep the working end crimped off as you move it around.
Simply find the height you wish to work at and hold the tube slightly over the mark (hold it in place with duct tape or a helper) whichever is cheaper...them move the opposite end to the area you wish to duplicate the height and manipulate the hose up and down til the water levels out at the original height, mark the spot.It will be dead on.This is especially good if your doing graphic stripes in a parking garage and have to duplicate the height on columns in the middle of the garage.
You can also level long lines on walls this way,once you determin the height at one end move the tube up the wall at the other end til the water height lines up at the staring point, simply snap a line across the two points, this works far better than a line level.I've had the same hose for 20 years now and it probably cost all of $4.00 when I bought it,mine is about 50' long.
If this doesn't make sense(or I explained poorly) e-mail me I'll try again.
------------------ Monte Jumper/SIGNLanguage Norman Oklahoma
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I'm always suprised to find some airheads don't know this one, so here goes.
Always have a plastic spray bottle with you when you use the airbrush. The kind that they use for windex and other household cleaners will do, the kind sold for watering plants are even better. You can put the nozzle right up to the bottle feed on your airbrush then pull the airbrush trigger back and force the water through the brush.
This is a quick and efficient way to clean out your brush at the end of the day or between colors.
Also windex or ammonia in the cleaning water really works well to break down and clean an airbrush that has been used with acrylics.
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Ken Henry's trick above, the 3,4,5, rule is very useful. I use it to make a sign perfectly perpendicular to the road. The right triangle can be any size, just make the three sides multiples of 3,4 and 5, with the 5 side being the hypotenuse. It's based on the geometry formula for a right triangle: 'a' squared plus 'b' squared equals 'c' squared, with 'c' being the hypotenuse.
Sturdy braces for roof signs can be made from EMT conduit. Flatten the ends with a hammer and drill holes for screws.
Brad Ferguson
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Posts: 1230 | From: Kansas City, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Steve's method, above, for laying out a panel can also be used to divide a line into any number of equal parts. Example: It's easy to divide 36" into 9 equal parts - they are 4" each- but to divide 25" into 9 equal parts isn't as simple. Just slant your straightedge. Learned that in high school drafting.
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Pantone colours can be found in Corel draw, under View - colour palot - Pantone. It was the best i could get out of my printer friend, as he held his Pantone Swatch.
------------------ Wet Paint (Rodl) We all find time to do what we really want to. WILLIAM FEATHER
Posts: 21 | From: Newborough, Victoria, Australia | Registered: Dec 1998
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Ever find yourself on a job one paint container short? Here's a little box that can be made out of a recipe card or similar piece of card stock or stiff paper. Even if you never actually use this box, your friends and relatives will be amazed. If your paintin skills don't impress them, just start folding these little boxes.
[ August 04, 2009, 11:42 PM: Message edited by: Barb. Shortreed ]
Posts: 3710 | From: Fergus, Ontario, Canada | Registered: A Long Time Ago!
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The step by step I wrote last month for vinyl over rivets."The Rivetron" If you've only seen it once... well then you've already seen it. If you haven't seen it you might enjoy it even if you don't do vinyl. http://members.aol.com/slamgrafyx/home/rivetron.html
I was gona wait to post this again until I added more graphics to celebrate tips week... but don't think my schedule will allow. I'm still looking for Ideas to carry on a "vs." series of step by steps
------------------ Compulsive, Neurotic Anti-Social & Paranoid but Basically Happy NEW slamgrafyx.cjb.net
Posts: 2677 | From: Rochester, NY, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Hi, Has anyone done a gold leaf job and either the size set to fast, or you didn't time it right for the size of the job, and some of the size set before you could apply the gold? I had this happen to me a few years ago, and found that if I heated the size with a blow drier, it would become tacky enough to accept the gold, and still had the quality of the rest of the job. I also found that using a small battery drill with a small styrofoam ball wrapped in velvet makes a nice effect when burnishing the gold, rather then burnishing by hand.
Mike
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Posts: 508 | From: New Jersey | Registered: Apr 1999
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Get'n up top to celebrate tips week. Thanks every body for the brain candy.
tip: to keep a good peel behind squeege when screen printing a large graphic , run thin strips of foam padding (tape on screen bottom) the lenght of graphic.
The size and spacing of strips will depend on the variables ie: screen tension,type consistancy of ink/substrate, shape of squeege... yadayada the numerous basic variables
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