help please: Printable frosted vinyl

[Signarama Jockey]

We have had good success with General Formulations 790AE.

3.0 mil
solvent based permanent acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive
90# air egress (AE) liner
can either be applied printed or unprinted for visual affect or as a privacy film.
The 90# AE liner offers easy dry application properties for large format graphics.
accepts a variety of solvent-based, eco-solvent, latex and UV curable inks

 

[Stinky Prints]

For those who mentioned using the Aslan DFL300, how large of an install did you perform? I've done small (24" w x 60" tall) installs, no problem. But... we tried it in the past and with a multi panel (7' wide X 10' tall) install, it seemed to get very soft where there was a fair amount of ink applied, and would stretch waaaay too easy - making the dry application on a large window very challenging. It also seemed to be very susceptible to the typical problem of panel length misalignment that the HP Latex 365 has on larger runs. Any similar experiences? If so, tips and tricks? Thanks! Stinky

 

[JBurton]

would stretch waaaay too easy

Did you laminate it? Also, was it a 90F day? I'm about to do an install with some arlon ever etch, but will include laminate, and will be done at 7am to avoid stretching due to heat. Largest I've done with it was full coverage 'all glass' doors, 3'x7', with a laminate on it there was no stretch to be had.
Unfortunately, haven't dealt with the Aslan stuff.

 

[Broome Signs]

HI
For Best results, revers print on clear, then laminate with the frost of your chosing,
apply on the inside of the glass for a really striking effect.
PB

 

[Stinky Prints]

Did you laminate it? Also, was it a 90F day? I'm about to do an install with some arlon ever etch, but will include laminate, and will be done at 7am to avoid stretching due to heat. Largest I've done with it was full coverage 'all glass' doors, 3'x7', with a laminate on it there was no stretch to be had.
Unfortunately, haven't dealt with the Aslan stuff.

Thx J - We did not laminate, I'm sure that would simplify the install. It's a short term installation (one month) so the laminate seems like a large extra expense and I have to assume others have found materials that work without it. We don't hit 90deg here in the mountains of Jackson Hole too often, it was closer to 70....and raining. I'm going to try the AD 790 others have used above this week. I'm interested in the Oracal 8510 and a wet install as noted above, but the expense of the 8510, combined with the minimum order size is prohibitive for the volume of material needed.

 

[citysignshop]

I think the question you need to be asking is: what is the objective?
I'll bet the month after they frost this window, they will invariably decide they actually want to 'see out a little bit'.
Or, whatever copy or graphic you print on it, will become dated, and they will want to change 'just one thing'. ( ask me how I know this!)

I'd recommend; you print the graphic on matte clear laminate, and apply on the OUTSIDE of the glass.
Then you put some MacTac or other cheap, easily removed etch on the inside...
and you're the hero when it needs to be changed in some way!

 

[BlueRoseAuto]

GF 790 looks great when printed on

 

[Stinky Prints]

GF 790 looks great when printed on

Agree - It's just a huge PITA on large installations (in this case, 8'x10' windows, have done them both in 2 tiles vertically and 3 tiles horizontally). Very soft and stretchy, not sure if that's a function of printing on Latex? We ended up slapping on some HP Polymeric Laminate and it greatly simplified the installation. Along those lines, any hints or tricks for dry install with this material? Last, how about seams, I prefer to "double cut" the seams for no overlap (overlap, trim down the middle of the overlap once installed, then pull the trimmed bit off the top, then from underneath), but pulling the material that was trimmed off from underneath one of the panels tends to damage the material at the seam....but this is a tangent.

 

[BlueRoseAuto]

any pictures? i also like masking the panels. helps with the stretching. the air release is amazing but there is no readjusting. once you place it you are committed lol

 

[JBurton]

For Best results, revers print on clear

I tested this, unfortunately the doors I just did had a push to open bar that was not going to play nice. The effect, aside from the finish, was carried through the glass perfectly. It would have saved me a quart of sweat doing it from the inside as well, but it went quick enough.

any pictures?

Arlon EverEtch and Arlong 3420 Satin

Wished I'd gone with 20 pass print for a more opaque color set, but my profiling was only done at 8p, so either I ran into problems, or I was just as annoyed by a frosted print the first time around as this time.

 

[BlueRoseAuto]

looks great, i think you Nailed it. And now you know for next time and wont have near the panic.

good job