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The fellow I'm contracting to at the moment has a bit of a dilemma. Periodically a chain of shoe stores gets him (us) to do window splashes for their various promotions, all the half dozen or so stores are tenancies within a large chain of shopping centres. The problem is that management at these centres wont permit any work outside the lease line of the stores during trading hours, this means that you can't turn up and bash out a window splash on the outside of the windows unless its done between 9:00pm and 6:00am Neither of us are inclined to be working these hours if it can be avoided. (Read: its not going to happen) To write the signs on the inside of the window would be a bit more costly than the customer is likely to be willing to pay because it would mean pulling out their window displays and putting them back in place afterwards, as well as being more time consuming for the writer owing to the extra preparation and precautions required to work in a confined space surrounded by costly fittings etc. The current line of thinking is to knock out tyvek "curtains" or a similar material so that the salespeople can hang them from poster track inside the window, or something along those lines. I'm interested to hear of any similar experiences and how you worked around the problem. TIA, David
-------------------- David Fisher D.A. & P.M. Fisher Services Brisbane Australia da_pmf@yahoo.com Trying out a new tag: "Parents are the bones on which children cut their teeth Peter Ustinov Posts: 1450 | From: Brisbane Queensland Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
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David, I've found sign foam to be a viable option, depending on the display. It can be hung without much fuss from the ceiling and can be re-used depending on the sale.
-------------------- Linda Seymour Bundaberg, Q.L.D Australia
"DARE!" Signage of Distinction Bundaberg freeloner2001@dingoblue.net.au Posts: 94 | From: Q.L.D Australia | Registered: Jan 2001
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-------------------- Jimmy Chatham Chatham Signs 468 stark st Commerce, Ga 30529 Posts: 1766 | From: Commerce, GA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Up here where it gets really cold in the winters, none of our stores have disposable windows. All their windows stay in place forever unless they get shot out or driven into by crazy drivers. Oh wait... you mean...
Anyways While I was visiting the land of Pewter Badges (Hey I thought it was just a huge earring... no wonder my one earlobe is now 4 times longer than the other) Gail and Dave used a cheap vinyl film for temporary window "splash" work. Originally I think it was intended to be used as masking film but they discovered it worked great for temporary signs. It was kinda gray looking and semi transparent. Don't remember the name.
-------------------- EmpY Mayo Pardo #138 South Elgin, IL. Posts: 436 | From: South Elgin, IL | Registered: Nov 1998
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There is a hamburger chain in Canada that are using "tyvek" window splashes. A sign company in Quebec makes them for Harveys and ships them to the stores. They are done with florescent paint and are applied to the outside of the windows I presume by restaurant staff. The tyvek is cut to the shape of the image with a 2" white border around the paint. Small double sided tape squares placed every 6" to 12" around the edge hold it on. They look just like real window splashes backed with white.
Harveys seem to change them every three to four months. The flourescent paint may fade a bit in this timeframe but I have never seen one riped or coming off the window.
If I rember correctly there was a article in Signcraft about a year ago about the guy that is making them. I can't rember his name or what issure. If you are interested in finding out more about him email me and I will make it a point to copy down his name and number the next time I go to Harveys for a hamburger. !
-------------------- Chuck Churchill, It's A Good Sign Inc. 3245 Harvester Rd, U-12 Burlington, Ont. Phone: 905-681-8775 Fax: 905-681-8945 Posts: 633 | From: Burlington, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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Check with Supply One, Graphic Art Mart or whoever you get your vinyl from. Avery make a "window spalsh vinyl". Its matt white, paint receptive, and you can either put it thru your plotter or hand cut outline shapes. It comes in 610mm and 1000mm and is about $4 per square metre.
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pierre tardiff in canada uses tyvek for window splashes and i've used them a few times here. theyre great when the weather is foul and they can be applied inside or outside depending on potential vandalism.however they are very reusable so you could lose some future sales if the customer does the same sales year to year.anyway most sign suppliers should carry the tyvek mine carries 3'and 5' northwest sign supply in portland oregon
-------------------- Jon Peterman 200 Summit Loop Grants Pass, OR -------------------- a.k.a. dc-62 success is in Jesus Christ Posts: 434 | From: grants pass or. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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I do many on banner paper and clear package tape them on the inside. They really do work and are especially easy to remove, compared to painting on the outside. I have a couple of communities nearby who have very aggressive sign cops who do not allow outside splashes. Banner paper really does the trick, even compared to clear cling types (which if done by hand on cling vinyl, must be done with fluoro vinyl inks at twice the cost to fluoro one-shot, in order to get it to dry and stick. I have heard of "paint receptive cling vinyl, but have not used it)
I have done some on cling vinyl by laying down latex first and then using fluor one-shot, but then reversing the entire sign. It tends to stick to the glass somewhat and seems to warp out some. Vinyl inks do solve the problem. (Sericol)
Banner paper really solves all these issues and I do alot of them. I have to measure the window EXACTLY and come back with the signs to do the install. They take 25% longer to paint in the studio and handle the paper issues, plus installation generally takes a hour for a 10 window set to correctly tape up. USE 3M clear tape only, as the cheapo brand breaks down in the sun and the signs fall off fast! Make sure the bottom of the sign is at least 60" off the floor to avoid any "I can't see out my window" complaints.
Banner paper signs are easy to do. You have to thin the one-shot a bit more and be careful of sagosis-of-the-bloho with the runs, but if you are careful and carefully anchor/tape down your paper, a fan really helps dry the pieces. When handling the paper, a big table is the only way to get the cuts right. I use a 48" sheetrock T-square and very sharp scissors that I sharpen with a whet stone each time, as the paper does tear easily. The table has to be as wide as the paper to avoid any buckling or wrinkling of the paper. I also tape up the sheets by folding back a tab on the 4" piece of tape, so I can peel it back off later when I am done, however I slice the tape off with a razorblade, to avoid peeling the tape and paper at the corners.
In installing them, I find a solid, even stip at the top with corner tapes at the bottoms work. Amazingly, people do complain about how even the tape is and the bubbles! Neatness there is a must, I have found. They will complain about the tape job alot more than the artwork!@^&!
You will not be let down by doing splashes on banner paper. I have done many and they are good sellers. I charge roughly 25% more for paper, compared to direct-on-the-glass. Typical grocery store banner set runs $800. Typical new car store front runs $1200. No one will complain IF you give exact service and your designs are tight. Email me if you want more info or want some pics of some I have done.
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1554 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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