posted
what's the best way to do two-color vinyl letters on a banner? i'm doing a 7' banner with some 10" high two-color letters (blue with white outline against a dark orange banner). should i apply the blue letters onto the white, and then apply both to the vinyl, or do i put the white down, and then put the blue onto that?
(i feel kind of dumb asking, but i'd rather feel dumb now rather than later, when i'm pulling vinyl off the banner cuz i did it wrong...)
-------------------- :: Scooter Marriner :: :: Coyote Signs :: :: Oakland, CA :: :: still a beginner :: :: Posts: 1356 | From: Oakland (and San Francisco) | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Back ground colour first (white), then your main text colour.
-------------------- "Are we having fun yet?" Peter Schuttinga DZines Sign Studio 1617 Millstream rd Victoria BC V9B-6G4 Posts: 521 | From: Victoria BC | Registered: Mar 2002
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then apply the blue letters then apply the outlines. easy,,,,,
if u have software that will cut outlines that is.
other wise put down the white letters first then the blue on top.
if i remember right dark almost always goes over lights
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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Scoot, I'm not sure whether to do a double up or not. On a slick flat substrate you will trap unwanted air in the edges doing it that way. On a banner they might escape fine. One way or the other I would recommend a dry install on banners. Wet, traps long term moisture and is a waste of time. I would just make a test on the banner. My first guess would be seperate, but dry. Maybe a slight spray on the second set.
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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I know, "here he comes", but hey, I have a lot of experiance with vinyl applications, so there !
Whatever way you decide to cut it, you can do the "overlay" without traping air around the edges if you use Rapid Tac or Tac II.
I would apply 1st surfase on banner and second surfase on that, its quick and easy with R.T.
Scooter, I would hope you already have tried wet applications with Rapid Tac (since the samples are free)and know the benifits.
Bronzio mentioned "light mist spray" but actually you will trap air under the vinyl if you just mist it, you want to "get it wet" the banner or the back of the vinyl, either / or.
Cleaning the substrate(banner)is everything, so, clean it with Rapid Tac/cheap paper towel, and don't worry about lint, there won't be enough to see.
Roger
-------------------- Roger Bailey Rapid Tac Incorporated 186 Combs Dr. Merlin Oregon 97532 Posts: 3020 | From: Merlin Oregon | Registered: Dec 1998
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To add to what has been said, I agree that applying each color seperately would be my preference. I used to do banners wet, but now I usually apply dry since it is faster & I have improved my squeegee skill to where I rarely get bubbles on banners.
(This helped me not run out of R.T. for the recent job it saved me on )
Also the cleaning of the banner is important. On white banners I often don't bother with this step, but colored banners tend to have more plasticizers & I have had poor adhesion when I forgot to clean some colored banners. I have cleaned with water mixed with isopropyl alcohol, before I had Rapid prep.
posted
Scooter this is important, and makes the job go a lot easier, instead of cutting the white in an "Outline" Format, just cut a complete white underlay, with the middle intact, then lay down the Blue in the "Centre" of the Underlay, you won't have any gaps appearing between the Outline which is white, and the Blue letters. Also having a complete white base makes the colors more Vibrant as well.
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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Roger, I like your products, but a six year old could install vinyl to most banners dry. I do float large areas of vinyl that have no texture, on with RT. I find that because of most textures (some for sure) hold the moisture under the vinyl way to long. Sometimes I think you probably put your tie on with RT. haha
Scoot, I misread your post, and whatever you choose on the copy color, I always put the outlines on dry. You would normally fight a wet application on them badly. There's sure some great places to use a wet app, but I don't use it on this.
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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I agree RT, The type of banner material we use is Mercury, or Saturn, and I find wiping it with Laquer thinners first gives it more bite for the Vinyl to adhere to.
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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I would apply the vinyl dry. cut the first color solid, lay it down them apply the second over top. also stretch the banner good and tight over your table or easel.
-------------------- Trevor Cluck cluck's deSiGN studio rear 105 E. Middle St. Gettysburg, PA 17325 Posts: 14 | From: Gettysburg PA | Registered: Mar 2003
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Scooter, The part that has the largest surface area will have the more rapid bonding and therefore would be the part I'd tend to apply wet.If I could apply the outline section first and do it dry, then wet apply the letters and apply them in sections of a few letters at a time to keep the registration tight.Make sure that you can see the white through the app tape though. The color visibility might be the ultimate decider on the sequence.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6718 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
If the second layer (blue) letters have spaces between them I would cut them into smaller sections, spray a little RapidTacII on front and back of paper mask making it see through and then eyeball the application. My plotter never cuts anything that is an overlay properly and I do this all the time.
As John Smith says, "Works for me it'll work for you!"
Good Luck!
-------------------- Amy Brown Life Skills 101 Private Address Posts: 3502 | From: Lake Helen, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2001
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Scooter, since you invited critique, I have often been not conscious enough of my margins, but in your case for distance viewing (as well as bang-for-the-buck") I would think you could go a little bigger with your text. (The font is a little more illegible then some on the "squint" test)
"We seceded where others failed" That is too funny Fred!
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