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3651 Clear for Pinball backglass
- Thread starter gplough
- Start date
BigfishDM
Merchant Member
It would be more ideal to use a cast instead but you should get some good years out of the 3651, it just might shrink over time that's all.
GaSouthpaw
Profane and profane accessories.
First or second surface? That media isn't optically clear, so second surface prints won't pop.
I would be mounting it to glass which was originally silkscreened I believe. Honestly/Sorry I'm not positive what you mean by first/second surface.
My only reason for asking is that I know that the 3651 clear will let some light through and probably get the job done (and I have a roll in stock). I don't work with backlit film or get any requests for it. So... I don't have it and don't really want to buy a roll just to do one job. I quoted $80 to print it and mount it, I've spent some time already in illustrator looking at measurements, probably should have said I couldn't do it but I got sucked in by, "I'm restoring this for my dad", plus the guy is active duty military... I basically don't know how to say no...
MikePro
New Member
I assume by backglass, you mean the scoreboard section of the pinball machine? you should be fine.
still, you definitely left some $$$ on the table, i'd say. hope they providing beer & pizza at least
Even as a cash job, I'd be printing & supplying at that price. you'll have at least 4hours of labor into this by the time you're done... not to mention materials.
buuuuuut at this point, just do it. should give you a few years before having an issue, as it will be indoors.
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also, first-surface is face application. second-surface is applied to backside of substrate with intention to be viewed through the glass.
second surface is usually trickier, as imperfections in your application stand-out that much more.
still, you definitely left some $$$ on the table, i'd say. hope they providing beer & pizza at least
Even as a cash job, I'd be printing & supplying at that price. you'll have at least 4hours of labor into this by the time you're done... not to mention materials.
buuuuuut at this point, just do it. should give you a few years before having an issue, as it will be indoors.
________________________________________
also, first-surface is face application. second-surface is applied to backside of substrate with intention to be viewed through the glass.
second surface is usually trickier, as imperfections in your application stand-out that much more.
I assume by backglass, you mean the scoreboard section of the pinball machine? you should be fine.
still, you definitely left some $$$ on the table, i'd say. hope they providing beer & pizza at least
Even as a cash job, I'd be printing & supplying at that price. you'll have at least 4hours of labor into this by the time you're done... not to mention materials.
buuuuuut at this point, just do it. should give you a few years before having an issue, as it will be indoors.
________________________________________
also, first-surface is face application. second-surface is applied to backside of substrate with intention to be viewed through the glass.
second surface is usually trickier, as imperfections in your application stand-out that much more.
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Appreciate it mike! Yes I'm mounting it to the front of the glass (so first surface). Hopefully I don't end up with 4 hours in it, but probably when I get it done I'll be thinking, "Yep... Mike was right"
~ Thanks againGaSouthpaw
Profane and profane accessories.
First surface: Same side of glass as viewer. Prints/cuts are made "right reading". Second surface: Opposite side of glass as viewer. Prints/cut are made in reverse.
Has the glass stripped of the original graphics? If not, you're going to see some shadow or ghost of the existing graphics. And if you're using a transparent (clear) media, you're going to see both sets of graphics no matter what side you put them on.
Has the glass stripped of the original graphics? If not, you're going to see some shadow or ghost of the existing graphics. And if you're using a transparent (clear) media, you're going to see both sets of graphics no matter what side you put them on.
Bigdawg
Just Me
Something no one has mentioned is opacity. Unless you are printing a white base on the colors, whatever you print on it will be lost and wayyyyy see through-able (yes I think I just made that word up) We've used the clear on a couple of jobs that they customer was not happy with because it was too transparent - you couldn't see what was printed on it. Make sure they/you know what to expect.
And yes, you did leave dollars on the table for this one!
And yes, you did leave dollars on the table for this one!
MikePro
New Member
agreed. printing clear is "lack luster" when you don't have ability to print a white base color but hopefully that's something you've already considered before deciding a clear print was the way to tackle the restoration.
However, I'm a huge fan of second-surface when it comes to glass application as it always has such a nicer look than the plastic-layer you're adding, that will eventually collect scratches from cleaning/abuse.
oh, and I wasn't assuming it would take you 4hrs to apply one piece, BUT design & production of the graphic should also be taken into account as well
However, I'm a huge fan of second-surface when it comes to glass application as it always has such a nicer look than the plastic-layer you're adding, that will eventually collect scratches from cleaning/abuse.
oh, and I wasn't assuming it would take you 4hrs to apply one piece, BUT design & production of the graphic should also be taken into account as well
The customer is going to remove original graphic(remnants) and bring me a clean piece of glass (It's the orig old glass and I didn't want the liability of scratching/breaking it). He had pretty good artwork so I only had to spend about 30 minutes on some cropping and checking some measurements. Like I said, I need to either get better at quoting or better at saying no...
I will probably run a small test to see if I'm happy with it.
Thanks guys!
I will probably run a small test to see if I'm happy with it.
Thanks guys!
GaSouthpaw
Profane and profane accessories.
If you put a white translucent behind it, there's no reason at all it won't look good. Search the threads- someone posted a link to 3M's how to a few months ago.
Bigdawg
Just Me
Evidently this aint bigdawgs first rodeo... I knew it would be translucent buy thought if I ran it with overprint/highpass it would be better. Guess not.
Either of you guys have backlit film and want to ship it to me?
hahaha... nope, not my first rodeo on this.
But putting white translucent behind will not work if you want to see anything behind the glass. It will act as a blockout. There is no good way with the equipment you have in your profile to print this image onto a clear vinyl and have it be visible. This is one of those things that you will probably need to sub out to someone who can lay down that white base in the print or let the customer know that your original process won't work for what he is looking for and you will need to requote the job.
Edited to add...
If you were to contour cut the areas for the score, printing on translucent vinyl with regular lam might do the trick for you. It looks like this goes on the back of the game? I was thinking it was going onthe front glass of it.
MikePro
New Member
yuck! never ever ever ever ever double-ink-print on clear, or anything. its just awful unless you're favorite color is various shades of brown
there's always options, however, depending on your expected results:
-vinyl: white transluscent vinyl is my standard option for base-white, but perforated white vinyl could act as a good diffuser&white-layer (if you won't want to spend $$$, and use what you've got then just plot it and pay friends beer to help you weed it. I've gotten really good results with dusted/frosted vinyl as well.
-paint: plenty of options also available out of a can. such as frosted glass spraypaint, if you can find one with more of a transluscent milk-jug white appearance I think it would look awesome (masking-off areas you want to keep perfectly clear, like the scores, of course, or even masking off elements after a first-coat, before applying another coat, to make them illuminate more than the rest)
-sub-out: to a printer with ability to print white onto clear. ....but that's no fun, and you'll most likely spend more than what you're getting
there's always options, however, depending on your expected results:
-vinyl: white transluscent vinyl is my standard option for base-white, but perforated white vinyl could act as a good diffuser&white-layer (if you won't want to spend $$$, and use what you've got then just plot it and pay friends beer to help you weed it. I've gotten really good results with dusted/frosted vinyl as well.
-paint: plenty of options also available out of a can. such as frosted glass spraypaint, if you can find one with more of a transluscent milk-jug white appearance I think it would look awesome (masking-off areas you want to keep perfectly clear, like the scores, of course, or even masking off elements after a first-coat, before applying another coat, to make them illuminate more than the rest)
-sub-out: to a printer with ability to print white onto clear. ....but that's no fun, and you'll most likely spend more than what you're getting