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Static Cling. STOP THIS MADNESS!

DunbarPG

New Member
I've always been told white static cling material is made for an outdoor application. I know indoor applications require reverse printing on clear cling, and laminated it with white vinyl. We only carry the white cling, due to low demand for the indoor clings. I have been in graphics for 10 years and have never tested the theory.

We have a local car dealership that wants some clings to face adhere to the inside of a truck's door windows. The owner of our shop offered them static cling, and wants them printed in house. I argued that was impossible without ordering clear cling and clear adhesive white vinyl. He assured me that our regular Briteline Static Cling material would in fact stick to the glass on the printed side. I tested this theory after lunch.

It stuck. It stayed just fine, and was equally as hard to peel down as the back side. I can't believe it. This has shaken everything I believe. The owner is not from a graphics background, I thought this was a terrible idea, I argued that it was, and yet the test has proved me wrong.

I am still concerned the heat inside the vehicle, coupled with the curvature of the window, will cause this product to fail. I am also concerned that the heat will cause the bare ink to imprint on the glass of a brand new vehicle. I know the factory tint will impede visibility, but that's with any indoor application. Has anyone ever tried this, or have a hard reason as to why I shouldn't let it go out the door this way? We are to give them the first set today, and depending on it's performance could turn into a large order.
 

bannertime

Active Member
Your theory is right. The ink will leave an imprint on the window after an extended period of time. It happened on our own window that we tested. I can't remember how long the graphic was up and the window has since been replaced after being shot out. Though I specifically remember using a blade to get the ink off.
 
Your theory is right. The ink will leave an imprint on the window after an extended period of time. It happened on our own window that we tested. I can't remember how long the graphic was up and the window has since been replaced after being shot out. Though I specifically remember using a blade to get the ink off.

We've seen this as well using Solvex static cling material printed with Mimaki SS21 inks.
 

zspace

Premium Subscriber
Static cling does stick ink side to the glass, but it transfers ink to the glass in a way your customer probably won't like.
 

myront

Dammit, make it faster!!
Static cling does stick ink side to the glass, but it transfers ink to the glass in a way your customer probably won't like.

I believe there is double sided white cling available. But a full color print would probably reduce the "clinginess"
 

bannertime

Active Member
You aint kidding. When I had a shop I would occasionally notice a new bullet hole in them... never could find the actual bullets though

Yeah, it's only the second time it's happened to us. First was when the Superbowl was here and someone shot out a bunch of windows on our street. Then late one Thursday night last year there was a group of kids that shot a bb gun from their car and broke 4 or 5 windows on building. There was a time that a bank robber had a shootout with police while driving down our road. Eventually he got shot and killed just a half mile from us. This has all happened in the past 5 years. The prior 20 years barely had any issues. Definitely never got shot at.
 

Old Timer

New Member
I recently did a run of 4" circle white clings. they had a heavy .5 "red & black border with a white center. these were to go on the inside of the windshield. the white center stuck just fine but the printed border would not stick
 

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Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
Yeah, it's only the second time it's happened to us. First was when the Superbowl was here and someone shot out a bunch of windows on our street. Then late one Thursday night last year there was a group of kids that shot a bb gun from their car and broke 4 or 5 windows on building. There was a time that a bank robber had a shootout with police while driving down our road. Eventually he got shot and killed just a half mile from us. This has all happened in the past 5 years. The prior 20 years barely had any issues. Definitely never got shot at.

Yea, one of my windows that was shot was part of a "spree" when someone drove down the road shooting at every building down the block. But I agree, recently it's getting crazier. Last Novemeber there was a police shootout on my neighborhood street! They released video of it and it's crazy that the police were shooting at the suspect and bullets were just indiscriminately going towards my neighborhoods houses. That was my limit and in December we moved to Frisco...totally different scene up here.... got a 2 hour commute but at least I sleep easy.

Yes Gino, bullet holes in glass. Some of my windows were old school and the bullets leave a quarter sized impact with a hole in the middle where it goes through. Not bad enough to need to replace them.
 
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