Anyone know chromatec or similar process?

[uranium]

If I can solve this, it means some sure business. Two of my clients have started ordering a product produced out of state for use on flat white walls. Basically, it looks like someone has painstakingly made a paragraph of text using the old Letraset or Chartpak rub-on transfer letters. There's no real hint of adhesive (i.e. a rectangle surrounding the text). It looks pretty sophisticated and fresh.

I was told directly that If I could make 'em, I could have the business as the stuff is produced out of state with a pretty long turn-around time. I did a LOT of Googling and it seems like a process called chromatec, which involves laying down ink, mixing in a bit of photo-sensitive powder, exposing, washing and then laying down a thin layer of adhesive., thus basically making your own Letraset sheets. I'm just not sure I've been investigating the right process here.

Do any of you know of anything that'll give me that hand-applied Letraset look without any surrounding adhesive visible? Am I going in the right direction with the chromatec? Do I have a range of choices? Any help here would be greatly appreciated. I didn't pretend I knew exactly what the product/process was, but I really don't want to go back to the client and ask them what the dang stuff is.

 

[Rodi]

I did a ton of that stuff, pre digital.

I would say its a time waster, but I will answer more tomorrow(wife is sick)

 

[showcase 66]

Why not just use a matte vinyl like oracal 631 which is made for interior use. Once applied, use the heat gun or hair dryer and a rollepro and it looks like you painted it on.

 

[studio 440]

i remember it years ago you coated the clear transfer then exposed a positive and wash off the excess then applied addhisive. very old and outdated technology didnt think they still made it. it was just like letraset but your own designs then rubbed down transfer mostly for comps and mock ups

 

[uranium]

Rodi:

Sorry to hear about your wife's illness.

I'm hoping you could give me some broad wisdom, as you know the process firsthand.

I can be guaranteed about 40 individual (one-off, 2 copies) small text panels a month (we already install the ones our clients are presently getting from out of state). It seems like it would be a good addition for me because it doesn't take up much space (nothing's been bigger than 10"x12"), and I simply have the business if I want it. They would be happy with faster turnaround even if I kept the price the same (I was told $80 for 2 copies of each individual image).

I just want to make sure I'm on the right path. Is chromatec the process I'm looking for (acts just like Letraset with no visible adhesive etc.)? It doesn't seem like I can go wrong here as the startup costs are pretty low, but I'm ready to be proven wrong! What do you think?

CSDD:

I'm pretty sure the letters are too small for vinyl. It would be like 16 pt. bold.

 

[Malkin]

Maybe I'm way off base, but would pad-printing work? I'm not very familiar with it, but it's usually how small run promotional products (mugs, pens, etc) are printed. Of course you would have to be doing the install for that to work...

 

[imagetransfers]

We don’t know anyone that produces chromatecs anymore. As far as we know the only way to achieve these results are with dry transfers, which give the same results as Letraset but with more vibrant colors, customized with your artwork and no visible adhesive. Pad printing would not work either because it would lack color vibrancy and sharpness of detail. The only current process that will give you the correct result is photo imaging, which requires photosensitive substrates and exposures. There’s no shortcut to dry transfers and imitation home-printed rub-on decals are no real solution. https://imagetransfers.com/blog/custom-dry-transfers-or-vinyl-lettering-which-is-better/