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I cut the vinyl, airbrushed it with auto air, and weeded it. Now what? It seems to scratch and damage easy, was there a prep I missed? Should it cure before I apply the transfer tape? I'm pretty new to this any help is welcome!
THANKS! ~Rich
------------------ Rich Diltz In Sacramento for now, but who knows where next
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Hi Rich Did you scuff the surface of your vinyl first will a scotchpad? Next wipe off all the dust with some Isopropyl! Make sure your Auto Air has the right mixture of catalyst and bond... Heat treat the work to help bonding Allow to stand for a hour or less and then clear coat with Frog or UV One Shot.. Airbrush work does not stand up very good on it's own. Clearcoating is the sure way to preserve the artwork.
Raven/2001
------------------ Raven/2000 Airbrushed by Raven Lower sackville N.S. deveausdiscovery@sprint.ca
Posts: 4327 | From: Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000
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No I did not scuff, just wiped it down with a paper towel like if I was using Frog Juice. I'll probably do it again with your suggestions. As far as heat treating goes, will that affect the adhesive on the back? Or do I heat set after the vinyl is applied? Guess it's back to the sign shop to get some clear too... oh well.
THANK YOU!!!! ~Rich
------------------ Rich Diltz In Sacramento for now, but who knows where next
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Steve's right.... scuffing and cleaning is a must. Any oil from your fingers will prevent the paint from sticking. Scuff it up for adhesion and clean well. Any unpainted areas will shine up just fine with the clear coat.
Auto Air is made to be heat set. It helps the adhesion. The bond all and catalyst is important too. I use a cheapy hair drier and warm it up good. It won't affect the vinyl adhesive at all. As Steve said, let it set for a bit then clear with Frog Juice or One Shot UV clear. When thats good and dry, then you can weed. OR, if your the adventerous type, you can weed while its still wet. Sometimes the clear will reweld the cut lines back together slightly, so be careful weeding. I usually go slow, pulling the background off around each letter one at a time.
------------------ Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 ICQ: 21604027 sherwood@up.net
Posts: 5401 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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Ditto to all the prep work, I also us Auto Air as do the others, but I use a UV automotive clear coat that can be purchased from AUTO ZONE. I put a good take coat on, then I blow dry it with a heat gun. Wait about 15 min and put the final gloss coat on. I've had some junior dragsters running for quite some time with no fade or scratches. You must inform the customer that its like a custom car finish and it will scratch. I've got some pictures of these graphics in my artical in the latest issue of Auto Art Magazine... www.autoartmagazine.com Good luck! Robin
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I have found DEKA Sign-Air to bond very well. I have masked and transferred it within minutes of Airbrushing with success. The keyword here is Sign-Air,...do not try this with DEKA Sign Enamel as you may have mixed results.
------------------ Rich Stebbing #945 RichSigns Rohnert Park CA
Posts: 755 | From: Rohnert Park, CA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Rich, do yourself a favor and give Createx Auto Air a try. I thought Sign Air was good until I tried auto Air. Sign Air would clog my airbrush tip regularly. I have never had that problem with Auto Air.
------------------ Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 ICQ: 21604027 sherwood@up.net
Posts: 5401 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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Hey, We use auto air every day in our shop & the guys above are right on. You need to scuff the vinyl lightly and make sure it's CLEAN. we wipe it down with alcohol, it seems to work well. You really have to clear coat auto air. Clear coating can be a real project wrecker if your not careful, so use several thin coats. hope i have been of some help anyway.
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Posts: 51 | From: Bethel, Ct. usa | Registered: Jan 2001
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I have painted auto air onto vinyl and it has worked for me. I do scuff the vinyl and heat set it. I haven't wiped with isopropyl alchohol but I must have been lucky. It all stayed stuck A layer of FG is definately a good idea. I did it as a matter of course , but I reckon thats why the paint didn't come off with the application tape. Auto air will clog the airbrush if it isn't thinned out a bit. I still frefer painting with proper auto paints direct on to metal.
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Thanks to everyone for the great advice. I scuffed, applied alcohol, and cleared with a spray laquer and everything looks great. Actually I find the vinyl to be a pretty forgiving surface to aribrush on and I'm looking forward to experimenting with different effects.
Thanks to all of you, your help is most gratefully appreciated!
~Rich
------------------ Rich Diltz In Sacramento for now, but who knows where next
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Rich, there's another option for airbrushing on vinyl.
Screenprinting inks for vinyl films.
I hear it sticks like nothing else and am even waiting on some samples from Nazdar (ink manufacturer) to arrive.
Yesterday I was drinking a bottle of Sprite and I looked at the label. It's obviously screenprinted so I pulled it from the bottle and scratched and rubbed and abused it.
The printing didnt take any damage at all, I was quite impressed.
Another nice thing about vinyl screen inks is that they are heat formable. Say if you use paint on vinyl and you need to heat it to fit around a compound curve, the paint may not be as forgiving as the vinyl.
This is the reason I'm gonna give screen inks a shot..
plus my graphics spend quite a bit of time underwater (on boats, below the water line)..
The inks are about $30/quart (prolly cheaper really) so that's only $1 per ounce, then the ink goes even farther because it needs to be thinned to spray it. The last time I bought a 4 ounce bottle of auto air it was about $3.. not too far off for a better solution!
------------------ Mike Pipes -----trapped in a box with a computer and a slice of cheese-----
Posts: 145 | From: Lake Havasu City, AZ | Registered: Dec 2000
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Auto air is my most often used for sign work but as mentioned in the previous prep is very important. I rub it out with a scotch and wash it down well with Alcohol and then as said Heat gun to set, but I use the Createx gloss clear, and sometimes frogjuice depends on what is on the table.
Rich send me a pic when you get er on !!!
By the way BBQ and a warm bed are your's on the return!!
Rob + Bek
------------------ Rob Ojeda Signs of Succes Visalia, CA ___________________________________ Layout life the way you lay out a sign. Plenty of open area to relax in :)
(*professional napper)
Posts: 7 | From: Visalia, California | Registered: Dec 2000
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I put together some work with some airbrushed graphics and clear coated them with automotive clear after they were on the truck. I told the customer not to take it through a car wash for the sake of the airbrushed letters and the normal vinyl letters. Are these the proper instructions or are there more? I just tell them to wash by hand with the normal automotive detergents.
------------------ Deb Creative Signs "All the gold in the world cannot buy a dying man one more breath. So what does that make today worth?" Og Mandino
Posts: 5373 | From: Loves Park, Illinois | Registered: Aug 1999
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