Material for Surfboard Stickers

[maelwys]

Hi Everyone, a newbie here just vought a plotter for making surf stickers and sponsorship logo's/lettering etc but having problems with LG Chem 5-7 yr Polymeric Vinyl and wondered if anyone could recommend a good vinyl that would stay stuck in the waves.
First problem we encoun tered with this vinyl was though it cut fine there was a drag of adhesive that made it difficult to weed in that it picked everything from the backing and had to be seperated bit by bit.. Didn't notice this problem with Ritrama or Aslan, However the biggest problem is that everything we've tried so far has lost letters in the waves.. I even tried applying the letters to a back colour so there was basically one large sticker and the whole thing came off the surfboard withing 10 minutes of being in the wAter.

Any recommendations, idea's etc?


By the way I'm UK Based if it makes any difference
Thanks

mel

 

[thesignexpert]

I am not familiar with your particular film product but it sounds like you might be dealing with a water soluble adhesive. After a few minutes in the salt water the adhesive is basically turning to mush and falling apart. Also, I do not know exactly what type of decals you are creating or where they are placed on the board BUT if they are anywhere near feet / hands / body parts then they are probably receiving a significant amount of abrasion that is making the problem worse.

Would be useful if you posted some pics (before & after).

Tim Evans

The Sign Expert .com
"Practical Help for Sign Professionals"

Pro Sign and Graphics
"A Pro Sign made Easy"

 

[grafxxx]

just use either high performance for long term graphics form oracal or arlon etc. and for the sponsor decals i would use just a regular vinyl if they are gong to change them up i did entire board graphics like 4 years ago and they are still on just some places are messed up from it getting bumped around. i got a ding in the side of my board and did a quick patch with vinyl and it held up fine.

 

[woolly]

i still say stickers dont stick to sex wax

woolly

 

[maelwys]

Thanks

Thanks for the invaluable advice guys.. I'm so new to this I had no idea that some vinyls were water based.. DOH!!! ok I ordered some oracal solvent based.. thanks for all the help

here's a pic of before today when our team member Joe was getting in at St Ives in Cornwall.. After the board was cleaned with pickle to remove all sex wax lol.. it stayed on for the session today so that was something.

I'll re-do them in Oracal

Thanks again

Mel

 

[grafxxx]

yeah i put graphics on the top of the board and then applied my wax i post pics later

 

[Velocity]

We use Oracal 3951 for boat lettering and wraps down here in Florida. It holds up really well in the water.

?? you used a pickle to remove the wax??? there is probably part of your problem LOL

Good Luck.

 

[iSign]

well, the "right" way to put graphics on boards is to silkscreen on rice paper & glass it right into the board, but I've been using 3M or Arlon high performance & removing the wax with a scraper, then with rapid prep.

In addition to tens of thousands of stickers i've sold to surf, sail, and kite board manufacturers, I've done some flames down both sides of my grandsons board & there are still looking great after 3 years.

My boards have rice paper graphics glassed in from when I traded http://Jimmy Lewis some graphics for my 9-6 long board.

 

[maelwys]

Yeah Thanks.. having worked in design for a surfboard manufacturer I know all about graphics and logo's on Rice paper and we do this with new boards but the proiblem has been with vinyl lettering etc added afterwards to old and existing team boards.
Oracal seems as though it will be our best bet to at least overcome the peel and stick frenzy of surfers who can't be arsed cleaning the boards thoroughly.
There's no easy answer unless we fit all the logo's and lettering ourselves (Which isn't always possible) so its a matter of giving it the best shot we can so we'll use a solvent based vinyl.
Question I have is for Oracal the UK numbers are different Oracal 651, 751cast, 851, and 870 all these are solvent based.. just wondered if anyone knew which may tie up with the Oracal 3951

Thanks everyone for the tremendous help given

Mel:U Rock:

 

[iSign]

I think your first reply set your mind on the wrong course.

The comment about a waterbased adhesive was a speculation possibly based on not knowing the liklihood of your clients trying to get anything to stick to waxy residue.

there are no water based adhesives that I know of in sign industry products. This is an industry that assumes an exterior durability requirement.

If some posts above makes you think oracal is best, that is also incorrect.

Any high performance vinyl will work, including oracal, but Oracal is definitely NOT "the best bet" 3M is "the best" if that's what you want to offer,

...otherwise Oracal 751 or better. 3951 should be fine, but only if users are willing to spend 5 minutes clearing a little wax off. Otherwise it's a lost cause.

 

[datcat]

3M Calandered vinyls work as well. Graphics vinyls work so well I started using it for ding tape and now I find myself too lazy to fix the dings.:Oops:

 

[The Big Squeegee]

Welcome from OK