Removing large vinyl from light up sign

[VicoDrive]

I have an existing translucent white sheet that inserts into a light box. Its really large and has a vinyl overlay with the letters cut out so they can be seen at night while showing color through the vinyl. The client wants to change this to say something else. The problem is that I am not sure how to remove it all easily. I have an eraser head that I use to remove decals from vehicles but is that the only way for something this large? Is there maybe something I can soak it in that could eat it away, paint thinner maybe?

 

[J Hill Designs]

I always quote for new substrate

 

[Billct2]

Do not use the eraser. Gentle heat and a mild solvent for any residue. Even then there is no guarantee it will be usable

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

I always quote for new substrate

I learned this a while back. It really never pays to remove from poly/acrylic panels. It's generally cheaper and easier to replace it altogether.

 

[VicoDrive]

Will look into that too. Its about 9 feet long and about 1 foot tall, rounded on the ends in capsule shaped. Has a rim around it and would need to be cut at the exact curve too. Not sure how much that will add up

 

[Outlawsignz]

The heat Gun Method

I have an existing translucent white sheet that inserts into a light box. Its really large and has a vinyl overlay with the letters cut out so they can be seen at night while showing color through the vinyl. The client wants to change this to say something else. The problem is that I am not sure how to remove it all easily. I have an eraser head that I use to remove decals from vehicles but is that the only way for something this large? Is there maybe something I can soak it in that could eat it away, paint thinner maybe?

Hey guys, I have done tons of these and have never had any issues with re-using the acrylic or makrolon or what ever. Unless I am missing something here, it sounds like you just want to take a wide format print off the substrate? Either that or cut vinyl - yes? If this is the case, I just use a Heat Gun. Heating the vinyl, to the point of being quite hot to the touch, then starting in one corner and pulling back, while continuously using the heat gun, just ahead of where it is pulling away from the substrate, works great. Next to no sticky residue left- to which any citrus based cleaner will remove it anyways.
I also make an extremely light 'cut' in bigger prints, that run the length of the print (about 6 inches apart ) and pull it off in sections.
This method has always worked for me.

I will apologize ahead of time if I have misread something here!

 

[BobM]

If you strip the vinyl off with heat or steam, like when you do a truck door panel, you will always see the "ghost effect". The time it takes to remove the material will usually exceed the cost of new material.

 

[VicoDrive]

Hey guys, I have done tons of these and have never had any issues with re-using the acrylic or makrolon or what ever. Unless I am missing something here, it sounds like you just want to take a wide format print off the substrate? Either that or cut vinyl - yes? If this is the case, I just use a Heat Gun. Heating the vinyl, to the point of being quite hot to the touch, then starting in one corner and pulling back, while continuously using the heat gun, just ahead of where it is pulling away from the substrate, works great. Next to no sticky residue left- to which any citrus based cleaner will remove it anyways.
I also make an extremely light 'cut' in bigger prints, that run the length of the print (about 6 inches apart ) and pull it off in sections.
This method has always worked for me.

I will apologize ahead of time if I have misread something here!

That sounds more possible to me, thanks. We are limited on tools since we are still new to the sign business. We are mainly just a printing company but fell into the sign stuff and I am trying to figure everything out for us. The heat gun method sounds like the best and probably cheapest method all around. I have some cleaning stuff that I believe came from Harbor that cleans residue off with no effort at all, the name escapes me right now. Its been great for cleaning off vehicles when replacing old decals

 

[VicoDrive]

If you strip the vinyl off with heat or steam, like when you do a truck door panel, you will always see the "ghost effect". The time it takes to remove the material will usually exceed the cost of new material.

Can the ghost effect just be removed with some heavy cleaning?

 

[BobM]

Can you strip a sign face without removing it? yes.

Will it likely have ghosting and look like crap once removed? yes.

You can pick the easiest answer if you like...doesn't mean it's the best way to do it. Sometimes you'll get away with it if the graphics haven't been on for that long but there is a good chance there will be ghosting which will show once the new graphics are applied.

When you turn the lights on at night the ghosting becomes more visible. Rapid Remover will take all the glue off. Rapid Clean will take off the built up grime. But the ghosting will remain. One trick you might use is to turn the panel upside down before you put the new vinyl on. This will make the ghosting somewhat less visible as it will be un-readable.

 

[SIGNTIME]

to remove the ghosting you have to wetsand and buff the substrate which we have done ONCE against the advice from most people on here. We had to make an extra trip to the site to get the old panel 1hr, remove the old vinyl 1hr, wet sand and buff 1hr, and it didn't come out as good as it could have. 3hrs of labor for us comes out $225 which would have covered the cost for 3 panels.

 

[ddubia]

Whoop_there it is!

 

[sfr table hockey]

A clothing steamer bought for about $50 - $80 will do a great job removing the vinyl and the adhesive with it. A few seconds of the steam and the vinyl pulls off easily and does not leave the adhesive behind. A sign that size can be done in 5 min. It will take longer for the steamer to heat up than to remove the vinly. If there is any adhesive it will be the outer edges due to the vinyl shrinking over the past few years and that will take a bit longer to remove.

Depending on how long the vinyl has been on there will determine how much fading to the exposed areas there has been and how noticeable it will be. Can always give it a try and the steamer will come in handy down the road.

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

From my experience, avoiding a situation that is unpredictable is better than trying to tackle one. I would rather just replace the panel, apply the new graphic and be done. You're not doing your customer a disservice by opting for replacement. It's generally cheaper to do it that way, if you're charging what you need to be for your labor. Leaving light boxes exposed for any prolonged period of time is also unnecessary with this method. It's just better all around, in my opinion. The customer gets a new product that you and they can both rely on, and you make relatively the same amount of money with very little extraneous work.

 

[MtnView]

Do you want to get more sign business in the future or not get any more. Granted the sign isn't big but the little bit of ghosting gets worse as time goes by. Follow the recommendations to replace with new poly unless you don't more business. The customer is trusting you to do the job right. If you can't cut the rounded ends yourself and you have to outsource it then figure it into the cost of the job.

 

[Techman]

complete waste of time and resources.

Even if you do get it all off the ghost will remain. And then that ghost will continue to get more obvious as time goes on.

It will take you more time to clean that panel than to make a new one. It simply is not worth it. Ever. Some have tried it. Some say they do it all the time. All of us have tried to clean a panel at least once. 99% of us will never do it again.

 

[phototec]

Not sure you are understanding what we mean by ghosting (fading), the parts of the sign that have been covered by the vinyl are usually pretty much white-white like when the sub straight was new, the area where the text was (uncovered), has been faded by being exposed to sunlight more than the covered part of the sign.

You will not see how bad it is until all the vinyl has been removed, and depending on how old the sign face is and what material it was made from will make a difference on how much ghosting you will see.

So, like most have suggested, it's better all the way around to just furnish a NEW sign face, you customer will have a totally new sign face and there will NOT be any ghosting. You can order a new piece of material a little over sized, and use the old face as a template stuck onto the new material with double-sided tape, run a router around the template, and the router will cut a perfect match to the old face.


[video=youtube;RM5trU1dEYg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM5trU1dEYg[/video]

 

[VicoDrive]

Here is a problem with replacing the sign unless there is a way to do this. This particular sign has a rim around it that seems to be made onto the white part of the sign and what actually attaches to the light box. It is not removable at all. If I have to replace the sign, how would I go about adding a new rim around it?

Also I know the vinyl used on it was some kind of Oracal and only been on it about 2 years. I know this was the wrong stuff to use but a few pieces seem to peel off reasonably ok just as a test

 

[J Hill Designs]

um, its trim-cap

 

[eahicks]

Just looks like trim cap to me.

 

[J Hill Designs]

materials needed:

new acrylic
new trim cap
Weld-on 4
weld-on 16
jigsaw

 

[eahicks]

Sounds like you've jumped in to an area you have zero expertise. I'd send the job off to a sign company.

 

[VicoDrive]

materials needed:

new acrylic
new trim cap
Weld-on 4
weld-on 16
jigsaw

Looks like Im learning something here I see trim caps on Harbor Sales, I think I could do something like this. Just not clear about attaching it. I see you say use Weldon 4 and 16 (is it one or both?). Their description says, "Acrylic Weldon #4 or #16, Acrylic Methylene Chloride and Acrylic Weldon #40 for Lexan.". It almost sounds like its saying I have to use all of these, and what is Lexan?