Imitation small engine turn Brand

[LMSigns24]

I will be doing an upcoming job using imitation small engine turn on fire apparatus. I need to match what they have. What brand should I go with? I had an issue with some large engine turn a couple months ago. When I opened the rolls, they had an orange tint instead of that real gold look. Not sure if it was a defect, but I wound up using the real gold to match what they had. What brand of imitation would be the best to go with? Thank you!

 

[natedawg9640]

what brand was it that was defective? or... discolored?

 

[LMSigns24]

It was Vinyl EFX. It almost looked like it belonged on a race car. I definitely cant have that for this vehicle I'm doing.

 

[natedawg9640]

is it requested to be imitation? or is real gold an option?

 

[Patentagosse]

Sure you can't go wrong with SignGold but it's kinda expensive (but will last for decade)

 

[LMSigns24]

They have imitation on vehicle now. They would like to stay with imitation.

 

[natedawg9640]

well, i'd find out if it's sign gold or a metalized polyester like coburn.

 

[Kottwitz-Graphics]

I think thats more of a problem between runs of material.

I just finished a tanker for a local fire company, and I had 9 feet of material left over from doing it the first time (they wrecked the tanker).

I went ahead and cut the material prior to getting the next roll in, and when I put it on the tanker, I noticed that it was a slightly different color than the new roll.

It was stored in the box on a shelf in the office, so its not faded from the sun, and it was the same brand. Vinyl EFX films...

 

[LMSigns24]

So I guess No more Vinyl EFX for us! Yes, these rolls i just opened from shipping were orange and they seemed properly packaged. I don't know who else offers imitation. Who are you using now?

I think thats more of a problem between runs of material.

I just finished a tanker for a local fire company, and I had 9 feet of material left over from doing it the first time (they wrecked the tanker).

I went ahead and cut the material prior to getting the next roll in, and when I put it on the tanker, I noticed that it was a slightly different color than the new roll.

It was stored in the box on a shelf in the office, so its not faded from the sun, and it was the same brand. Vinyl EFX films...

 

[natedawg9640]

I'm going out on a limb here and i may be in error, but i'm thinking that the metalized engine turned materials are coming out of the same place. the guys name is Joe Coburn. a few years ago he sold the process to RTape and they had been making it, and making it well for a few years. Apparently sales dropped off to the point that RTape hung it up and sold the process back to Joe. He has been making it since and if you ask me, not as well as RTape. We have bought directly from him for dirt cheap but he's really hard to deal with and seems to be on his own schedule, so we have since gotten it from other sources. it's always the same material, from about 4 different suppliers so we know that's where they get it in the first place. This goes for small and large engine turn silver and gold.

Recently we had a batch of gold that was mottled in light golds to heavy yellows. We sent it back. It has something to do with the inconsistent coating of the gold tint. knowing this and not seeing any material out there as of yet that differs from Joe Coburns, I'm thinking that you're going to get the same stuff regardless, unless you find a roll that's left over stock from when Rtape was making it.

 

[Si Allen]

Reemember:

If they want cheap ... they can't expect to be fussy about quality!

 

[natedawg9640]

Reemember:

If they want cheap ... they can't expect to be fussy about quality!

That goes for any product that falls under the title or implied title of "imitation"

That being said. If the cheap stuff is discolored, that's no reason to use it. send it back and get correct looking cheap stuff.