Question about finishing BANNERS...

Step up from tape is HH66 vinyl cement.
It takes a little practice to get down but once you do it is as fast or faster than tape and the bond is much stronger over time.
Cost less than tape when you buy the larger containers.
Nice flat cemented joint won't pucker and tunnel the way tape does.
Getting a sewing machine is the next step up from glue.
We just got one last year and it has been pretty easy to get up to speed for simple hemming on banners.
Sailrite has a nice machine that works well as a starter machine for a shop without too much volume. We paid for ours with the first banner order we didn't have to send out to be finished. It is portable but not hand held unless you have some pretty big hands.

We still use tape for temp banners that will only be up for a weekend or so.

wayne k
guam usa

 

Honestly...I dont really understand when people say its to pricey to sew banners...I havent seen anyone more expensive then $2 a linear foot and that is pretty much the high end cost that I have seen...So you have a 10 ft banner you pay 20 bucks for it to be sewn (at max) you sale it for whatever your mark up and banner material is probably the cheapest material printable but yet its to expensive? When you take your tape cost, your time to tape them plus quality and durability is at a slight loss (Not saying taping is bad or not durable) ... I always sew ours and think it is preferred over taping..But not everyone has people who can sew near by so I understand. If you can get em sewn definitely do it you will be happy with it for sure...

 

I just got an awesome 4' x 7' digitally printed banner from a MM here on the forum and it looks as though they welded their seams.

The edges are razor crisp and the seams are absolutely flat as a board...allowing the banner to roll up without any bunching. And to top it off, the sides are absolutely "dead-nuts" parallel with the text I had placed right next to the edge.

Some of the text is actually in the welded area of the seam, but they did such a great job with the hemming that you don't even notice it. I've never put a banner together before, but I can sure recognize a work of art when I see it.

View the vendor shout out thread to see who it was.


JB

 

I looked but did not see unless it was from a few days ago!

 

About the fourth post down http://signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97486



JB

 

Who supplies the vinyl cement?

 

Keep an eye on craigslist for used industrial sewing machines. Old does not matter since these things are built like tanks and often still have parts available. I have listed a few good brands below.

Singer
Juki
Union Special
Consew

Other brands may also be worth looking at. Find a sewing machine repair tech in your area to run ideas by.

 

I am going to have to try this stuff. Where do you get yours from? I have always hated the wrinkles in the hems from rolling the banner when I have used the tape.

We sub out our sewn banners for outdoor use but tape everything that goes inside. Definitely going to purchase some HH-66 to experiment with.

 

We heat weld our banners with a chincy 24" foot press. I even do pockets with it

 

if you are concerned with the ability to roll the banners, have you looked into POWER TABS?

http://www.bannerups.com/powertabs.aspx


we offer 3 options
no hem
tape with VHB tape
sewing

 

I think ive seen ads for it on here, its called the banner pro.

 

since I have no connection to this company and only use this product upon request from the customers there is no plug for me

you said

merely going off what was listed

 

I get mine locally from a marine supply store. It should be available at the big hardware stores like Home Depot.

wayne k
guam usa

 

Thanks Wayne,
I will need to look into that as well.

Does it react like contact cement where once dry you touch the two sides together or do you have to do it before it dries?

Does it smell as bad as contact cement?

 

you get a lot less wrinkles if you roll the banner face side out.