Mounting acrylic laser cut letters to substrate

I'm confused by "double sided sticky pads". I assume you mean VHB tape...?

I don't like pounce patterns. They're messy and it can be hard to make out the lines. Some alternate methods:

- I agree with Pat. If you can obtain the file for the letters, cutting a pattern out of vinyl or even a thin rigid substrate makes for an easy install.

- Tape your pattern to the install surface. Make sure it's flat and can't shift. Notch a couple/few corners of the letters on the paper pattern with an X-Acto knife, being sure the marks make it through onto the install surface and don't extend beyond the edge of the letters. That will give you "registration marks" and allow you to line your letters up. So on a capital letter "T", you would cut an "L" at the bottom left of the leg of the "T". You can also notch the corners ahead of time and use a Stabilo to mark the corners once the pattern is taped down.

- Tape your pattern in place. Assuming you have one line of text, tape the bottom and top edge of the pattern in place with one continuous piece of masking tape. Cut the pattern horizontally down the center so you have a top and bottom half. Leave the top and bottom tape hinge in place and cut the length of the pattern but leave about ¼" of the top and bottoms of all of the letters. You can use the remaining bit of pattern to position the letters.


You can use VHB tape or Lords adhesive to mount acrylic to polycarbonate.

 

Gemini makes a pattern what has the letters cut out of the paper. all you do is tape it down like any paper pattern then mount the letters in the holes in the paper that are cut out. really easy. plastic moves around when it expands and contracts. I'm making a sign with cut letters on a lexan background and will have studs with nuts on the backs since my letters are opaque. you don't need as many studs as you do with a normal stud mount, only a couple, then I'm sticking the letter down too with Goop glue.

 

If you sent Gemini the file to cut the letters from then it's easy. Just cut the file from paint mask, reverse weed, apply that to the substrate as your pattern.

 

we laser cut 1/16" offset patterns out of posterboard or cardboard and use those for placement. I am assuming you dont have a laser though since Gemini did the letters. On that case low tack vinyl applied with letters offset and cut out works great.

 

Left over backing paper, pen plot on Graphtec. call it a day.

 

if it was acrylic to acrylic I would say weld-on, but acryl to poly isnt as good as a bond - I'd just use DST

 

Never tried VHB wet. Limit your caffeine intake, it will help keep your hands steady. Not that tough as long as the pattern is good.

 

You can't apply VHB wet, It's really not that hard to line the letters up using the vinyl template like Pat said, stick down one part of the letter first, than line up the rest

 

I normally do a thin inline on the letter and then inline the inline. You don't have to worry about removing the vinyl and the vhb still sticks directly to the wall.

 

why in the world would you need to apply wet?

 

No, VHB tape isn't like vinyl. VHB = Very High Bond. There won't be any sliding of the letters. Align a corner, then slowly lay down the rest of the letter, aligning as you go.

Correct...the pressure has to be applied directly over the tape (not just to the letter in general) so that it wets out and maximizes adhesion.

And no - the tape is not forgiving. Can you peel it back up? Not really "peel", no. But, yes, you can remove it. If you're dealing with thin stroked letters, you'll want to use a heavy fishing line (60# or so) to remove the letter (slide it between the letters and install surface). You'll need to clean the tape off and reapply new.

Lords 506

 

Because he's afraid of sticking it in the wrong spot and not being able to re-position it. His thought process comes from applying vinyl wet so it can be re-positioned...that obviously can't be done with VHB tape.

 

next time ask for a "stencil pattern". the problem I see with a pounce pattern is the chalk dust. you'd want to make sure the plastic is good and clean to apply the VHV tape and if you wipe it off to clean the plastic, there goes your pounce pattern

 

If the whole sign is to be backlit, and the letters are translucent, then the 'pads' of 3M VHB tape will show up as a shadow through the letter when it gets backlit.
If you use a cyano-acrylate glue which is very good, it will still give you a visible mark under the letter, if it's backlit, and if the letters are translucent.

Weldon is a very good glue, if you get the correct one.
Methylene Chloride makes for a good clear/invisible bond between the plastics, but use it with all due safety precautions in place.

 

For a translucent letter application the method I have used is either ss wire or cotter pins. Old school but it works on exterior signs viewed from a distance. I went by one I did in the early 80s and it still looks good.

 

if translucent, we use Duraco's clear VHB tape or 3M transfer adhesive. Gemini used to do our letters before we bought a laser. They could have put this on the back of the sheet prior to lasing so the whole back had a continuous clear tape backer to avoid shadowing...