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Applying laminated vinyl to ACM question

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SignShopDave

New Member
I have a sign that I am making for a client. I am covering the old logo on the sign board they used in the past.

I am going to use some Arlon SLX cast wrap and cast laminate that I have here in the shop. should I cut the edges 1.8 inch from each edge of the ACM or wrap it around the back side a bit? I want it to last as long as possible.

I am new to this stuff all I have ever used was cast vinyl in the past never this print and laminate stuff.
 
untitled

untitled

New Member
I think it's a little overkill to be using the Arlon SLX vinyl for this but if it's just scrap you are using up sure why not. Not sure why you would trim an 1/8" from the edge or wrap around the ACM. I'd just take my knife and trim along the edge. If you are really worried then just put some Primer 94 along the edge.

If the old logo is cut vinyl I'd be more worried about being able to see the height difference from the old logo in the vinyl that is covering it. I would remove the old logo first.
 
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SignShopDave

New Member
Thanks. the old logo is printed so worries and this will be seen at a distance. The company said to just go over the old stuff. What print vinyl and laminate do you recommend? If there is a cheaper option ill buy a roll to have in stock. I called my supplier and that is what she sold me.
 
eahicks

eahicks

Magna Cum Laude - School of Hard Knocks
Texas_Signmaker said:
I cut 1/8" from edge.
Click to expand...
I don't get why you'd do this. Why not just make your print 47.75" x 95.75" and inset it? And what if the image is full bleed? Then you have a thin white border around it.
We just trim to the edge. Never have an issue.
 
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TravinFlavin

New Member
I agree with the first response. A good cast vinyl is SUPER overkill for an ACM sign. I cheap calendered vinyl like Oracal 3651 would work just fine. I've made hundreds this way and always trim right to the edge.
 
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ikarasu

Active Member
Print to the edge and trim. We do hundreds of 4x8 ACM, Plywood, etc... Always trim to the edge and no issues. Mostly we use cheap IJ-35... It never shrinks for the length of time ACM is up. If a customer tells us the sign is to last longer than a year or two, we may step it up to 180/IJ40.
 
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ikarasu

Active Member
For 10 years we generally use aluminum... We also would use 180 or equivalent 10 year vinyl.

I'm sure we've had some alupanel signs up for ten years, i believe they're warrantied for 5 depending on the brand.
 
Texas_Signmaker

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
I don't make the prints 1/8" less because it's too easy to get them off track by 1/8". And maybe I was incorrect at 1/8... more like 1/16". I don't like trimming to edge because it could cause lifting. No one notices a 1/16" trim
 
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TimToad

Active Member
SignShopDave said:
what do you all use instead of ACM for 10 year signs? maybe my supplier has been telling me the wrong thing.
Click to expand...

We try to sell clients wanting a "permanent" long term sign on having us make a formed panface out of .063 or .080 aluminum depending on its size and applying either diecut vinyl, hand lettered or usually laminated cast vinyl prints wrapped to the back edge, but never all the way around the back side of the flange.

We really like these types of signs because we get to manipulate the depth of the substrate without needing to use solid material to do so.

Installation is super simple by attaching a length of aluminum angle iron to the wall at the top and bottom inside dimension of the panface and then just popping the panfaace over them and zipping a few screws on the top and bottom flanges through the edge of the sign and angle iron. No visible hardware anywhere on the sign but those couple of screw heads.

Very clean and long lasting.
 

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eahicks

eahicks

Magna Cum Laude - School of Hard Knocks
TimToad said:
We try to sell clients wanting a "permanent" long term sign on having us make a formed panface out of .063 or .080 aluminum depending on its size and applying either diecut vinyl, hand lettered or usually laminated cast vinyl prints wrapped to the back edge, but never all the way around the back side of the flange.

We really like these types of signs because we get to manipulate the depth of the substrate without needing to use solid material to do so.

Installation is super simple by attaching a length of aluminum angle iron to the wall at the top and bottom inside dimension of the panface and then just popping the panfaace over them and zipping a few screws on the top and bottom flanges through the edge of the sign and angle iron. No visible hardware anywhere on the sign but those couple of screw heads.

Very clean and long lasting.
Click to expand...
We do lots of these this way too, but I missed how we got off in to pan signs??
 
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TimToad

Active Member
eahicks said:
We do lots of these this way too, but I missed how we got off in to pan signs??
Click to expand...

The OP asked this question a few posts back. "what do you all use instead of ACM for 10 year signs? maybe my supplier has been telling me the wrong thing."
 
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jimmysings

New Member
point is still the same..i am tired of yahoos who work out their garage and pay no taxes or overhead giving stupid ridiculous low quotes to customers and "redoing" signs how about be a real salesman and get them to buy a new substrate instead of giving your work away...if you don't like that or think i'm an ****** you prob won't be in biz long!
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
To me, looking at the poster in question here, he's only been a member for a few weeks, so he didn't have a chance to remark on this subject when it was still hot, but at least people are viewing and re-viewing old threads and comments are acceptable..... good, bad or indifferent.

He does have a very good point, but one which seems to fall on deaf ears, anymore.​
 
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