posted
A customer brought in four old 2'x2'acrylic lighted letter faces. The negative space was painted bright red and the letters white. They wanted me to scrape off the old red paint and replace. i said it would be better to just make new ones.
Would you use translucent red vinyl, reverse weed it, and apply white letters in the weeded part or
Paint it with...can't remember the name of the paint. Thanks
-------------------- 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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Unless they want to reuse them for environmental (reuse) reasons, in which case money is less important, explain to them that it will cost them more to have them redone than to use new panels. That should wake 'em up!
-------------------- Best Regards, Mark Smith EstiMate Sign Pricing Software It's Not Luck. It's EstiMate.™ http://www.EstiMateSoftware.com 1-888-304-3300 Posts: 724 | From: Asheville, NC, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I would reverse weed translucent vinyl ...It's hard to paint a backlit sign evenly, takes lots of experience. No question about replacing with new ... not worth trying to salvage the old.
posted
OR...Do what I have done in the past when a customer INSISTS that the old faced must be used. Let THEM clean off the old faces!
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Don't Scrape. The best way to remove paint from acrylic is with lacquer thinner. If they're polycarbonate(lexan), use denatured alcohol. Test a small area first. It should clean off without fogging or hazing the face...it should be clear.
If it was me I would spray with Gripflex, but there is nothing wrong with vinyl, especially if you would have to order paint just for the one job.
-------------------- Jeff Ogden 8727 NE 68 Terr. Gainesville FL, 32609 Posts: 2138 | From: 8827 NE 68 Terr Gainesville Fl 32609 | Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
These are 2'x2' squares, right? If so, why farm out? A 24"x10yd roll of premium translucent vinyl and a 4'x8'x3/16" sheet of translucent white acrylic should cover the job. 1 to 2 hours of labor and $170 in materials. Wouldn't it take more time and money to paint it with masking it off and all?
-------------------- Brian Snyder Sign Effectz Woodbridge, New Jersey Posts: 723 | From: Woodbridge, NJ USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I was picturing channel letter faces, which would also bring into play the need to have jewelite trim for the new faces, so that's why I thought it would ne better to use the old ones. Alright, not better, just another way to do it. The fit is important if they are channel letters, and since they already fit, I would just clean them. I don't think it would take more than 30 minutes.
-------------------- Jeff Ogden 8727 NE 68 Terr. Gainesville FL, 32609 Posts: 2138 | From: 8827 NE 68 Terr Gainesville Fl 32609 | Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
Use Spraylat Sign Strip or Grip Flex T-4000 to wash off the faces. The solvent may craze the plastic if it is old. Then you can use Translucent red for the negative background, then spray Spraylat or Gripflex white completely on the back face. Or roller on a Spraylat rubber mask on the back and handcut the letters, peel off the mask, but leave the mask on the letters, then spray your red on the complete back, then peel off the letter mask and spray white on the complete back.
[ July 31, 2003, 11:06 PM: Message edited by: Alfred Toy ]
-------------------- Alf Toy Adlib Graphics Saskatoon, SK Canada
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I guess you could just cover the complete back with white translucent. You'll create more work if you try to cut white lettering. It'll last longer and look better if everything is on the back. The vinyl on front will look satin eventually, whereas the acrylic will stay shiny if its in good shape. Or like I said use white spray and cover everything on the back. This is the normal way to do it. You don't scrape the paint off, wash it off, if the acrylic is still in good shape. It won't be if you scrape it.
The customer carries the cost whether you spend the time to wash, then red vinyl and spray or if you use new acrylic. Sure you can reverse weed red on the face and use white acrylic, but like I said the vinyl will start to dull after time.
[ July 31, 2003, 10:50 PM: Message edited by: Alfred Toy ]
-------------------- Alf Toy Adlib Graphics Saskatoon, SK Canada
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I don't know about saving the used plastic, but I just got done re-lettering a plastic face that had translucent white vinyl on the back and red on the front. Edit: let me clarify, the white was already on the plastic, I just changed the red. the white worked well.
[ July 31, 2003, 10:20 PM: Message edited by: James Donahue ]
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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