Need Help Stencil Lettering On Glass

[soundhound]

I am hoping that someone can help me with a project coming up.

Going to cut stencils of 2" san serif font, then paint gloss black through the stencils onto glass doors.

The lettering needs to be very glossy and very very thin (to match some existing doors nearby) and I am very worried about having jagged edges when I pull up the stencil.

I am thinking krylon spray for the black, and a standard yellow paint mask film.

Any tips on the best (or a better) way to do this? Is there a better frisket material that would give a cleaner edge? Should the paint be totally dry or still damp?

I know black gloss vinyl makes more sense... but the client wants paint like he has already... which looks like krylon...and looks hand lettered... but absolutely no brush markings. It looks like the guy who did this hand cut a frisket using his own brush style.

 

[Stella_FB700]

Styrene Stencils router cut

 

[Billct2]

Standard paint mask is fine. Clean the glass really well. Pull the mask while the paint is wet.

 

[d fleming]

Our craft is dead.

 

[Billct2]

Yes, it is, and buried, for more than 20 years. hardly anyone even visits the grave anymore.

 

[Johnny Best]

You should make a reverse positive and make a screen and screen it on the inside of the glass. You get a nice thin layer and nice clean edged with no brush marks.

 

[printhog]

Prep the glass by scrubbing it twice with BonAmi cleanser. Nothing else. Rinse with water. Let dry.
Apply your paint mask dry. Burnish the edges for good seal. Paint the lettering with a very low nap foam roller. Use OneShot brand lettering enamel. Not bulletin enamel. You may opt for adding catalyst hardener. Thin only as much as needed for flow. Let dry to a tack.
Remove paint mask. Profit!

A vertically screen printed suggestion was offered and would be the best way to do this job, but I'm assuming since you're asking about how to paint it, you don't have that advanced skill set.

If you prep the glass properly you'll get fine adhesion.

Do not, do not, do not use Windex.. it will not be a win.



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[visual800]

Wipe glass with alcohol and cut high performance vinyl for the lettering.... done!

I wouldnt even bother painting this, Unless you are making $600 on this job.
Im not being ugly but come on its damn door lettering and it shouldnt be a PITA

However! If you do have to stencil it, just use just any old vinyl, put it on there, spray it and take vinyl off wet.
Be very careful as to not "mar" the newly fresh painted letters with the vinyl

 

[Johnny Best]

Visual Images is giving you the best advice.

 

[Jwalk]

I do this a lot. I generally use paint mask vinyl mac tac for the windows, but you can use reg 5yr vinyl too. I guess that choice is dependent on how well the vinyl will stick to the surface, for windows I find paint mask is fine.

If you are going to spray you may have to clean up some edges if every inch of your vinyl isn't fully adhered to the window. You will get overspray where the vinyl isn't fully adhered.

I used to spray a lot with vinyl, but now I brush it. You have to do a dry brush and always brush away from the edges. Or a dabbing method.

With my experience peeling wet can be tricky and sometimes F%^K up the letters, reversely though waiting till its dry poses its problem too. When it's dry I usually have to cut out the edges at least half, sometimes every god damn inch. Once in a blue, it will peel nicely. I don't peel wet at all anymore.

The good thing about windows is it's relatively forgiving as opposed to a painted wall where you don't have the background paint color for touch ups.

 

[bob]

Sad that none of these people every learned how to use a brush. If they had, they'd mark a couple of lines, ghost in the copy to get the spacing, step up to the glass with palette and brush, and letter the damn thing. It would be done faster than you could unlimber your roll of paint mask or vinyl or whatever it is you might be using in lieu of skill.

 

[SignosaurusRex]

Our craft is dead.

Yes, it is, and buried, for more than 20 years. hardly anyone even visits the grave anymore.

Sad that none of these people every learned how to use a brush. If they had, they'd mark a couple of lines, ghost in the copy to get the spacing, step up to the glass with palette and brush, and letter the damn thing. It would be done faster than you could unlimber your roll of paint mask or vinyl or whatever it is you might be using in lieu of skill.

It isn't dead yet. Yes, It has been dying for some time but there are more of us old-school "Signwriters" out there than one would suspect. The craft is enjoying a resurgence of young and old alike that have become disenchanted with what has become the norm and current state of the industry as a whole.

Prep the glass by scrubbing it twice with BonAmi cleanser. Nothing else. Rinse with water. Let dry.
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Unless you have some old can or cake of the "original formula", you could dull or scratch the glass. That was the gold standard for eons. The original formula was discontinued some years ago. Read the label on the newer stuff. "Gilders Soap" is what we use now. Apply a lather of the soap...clean the glass thoroughly...let dry...buff off the dry soap (No water clean-up or other garbel). Nothing works better!

 

[Moss]

Front or back of glass? Just a few words or multiple lines of text? Have you ever written with a brush?

I've been out of the trade for about ten years now so not up with all the options regarding masking film (I have a lot of catching up to do) but in general I would look for something low tack, thin and will not stretch as you remove it. I imagine lettering vinyl will stretch as you remove it and would not be my preferred option. The thicker the mask will encourage a thicker layer of paint (careful application to avoid a thick layer at the edge is most important - brush or spray). I wish there was a masking with the texture of application tape, it makes a really good mask for hand cutting stencils directly on the substrate. Wait till the paint is almost dry before removing the mask. Too wet will allow the paint at the edge to be dragged/fall onto the glass, if you let it dry it will tear the paint as you remove the mask. If your using brushing enamel a drop or two of linseed oil will give you a bit more time to lay it smooth but it will take longer to dry. Have a stencil knife with you when you remove it so you can cut it as you go and not end up with the stencil parting with the glass in too many places at once. Don't let the cut ends fall onto the lettering. Try to be dragging the stencil across the edge as you remove it.

Not trying to sound like a know-all, I'm sure there's plenty on here with more knowledge and experience than me. But hope there's something for you in the above. (I hope it all makes sense)

Might be worth it to test a couple of combos of materials/methods in the shop first?

Our trade is not dying, it's evolving.

 

[soundhound]

Great advice all! Thanks.
I wish I had kept up my brush skills, because this would be a slam dunk with some one-shot and a mahl-stik... 20 years ago that is! lol

meanwhile, these are 2" letters! I need a mask that will peel clean! I like the look and idea of spraying, but think it will will dry too fast and give crackled edges.

Does anyone think that 2 fast coats of krylon and an immediate peel would work?

or maybe there is a better product than krylon for this application?

Rolling one-shot is an attractive option, but what additive will give it more gloss?

 

[Gino]

The best edge with no leaking around the edges is paper frisket and you can still get it I have 2 rolls of it, just for things like this. We generally just cut it on the plotter and put some guides on it to keep it straight. I would roll it on with lettering 1-shot and if you want more gloss, add some penetrol. Just not too much. Penetrol will give a longer flow time, which gives a higher gloss. Add the penetrol to your paint cup and do not pour any back into the can when finished or it will ruin the rest of the paint in the can.

If it were me, I'd give some thought to doing it in reverse on the inside of the glass, unless the glass is tinted.

Anyway, when the paint is still just a little tacky is the time to start removing the frisket. A good test is to put a small amount in a circle or square next to where you're working. This will be your test spot. When the hair on your knuckles just barely sticks to it, it's time to remove the frisket, just like the time to start gilding. This could be anywhere from 3 or 4 hours to 6 hours depending on the air condition(s). The paper won't stretch or tear, unless you are terribly careless. Centers... use a pick or tweezers and be careful. When finished, just use a razor blade to remove your test box.

I know you said you were matching other doors, but black paint, vinyl screen ink or whatever is possibly the worst choice for window lettering. Just saying, unless these are interior doors and in a very well lit area.

​

Something else. In our area, you could never get away spraying rattle cans in an unprotected environment. Besides, it's very hard to control your overspray, let alone drips and runs if they start, cause that paint is reduced about 50% or more.

 

[eahicks]

I do appreciate the old skill of hand painting, but for god's sake, just cut this in vinyl and stick it on.

 

[Marlene]

how much copy is on the glass now? suggest that you scrape it all off and replace with vinyl that can be changed when needed and welcome the customer into the 21st century where we don't have to paint something like copy on glass and can do a better job of it

 

[Johnny Best]

A 2 inch letter is pretty big so a stencil from old vinyl or frisket paper is fine. I would use a sort map foam roller and one shot and like Gino said about it tacking up before removing the mask will give you good results. You have got some good advice on how to do it so t

 

[Moss]

One more thing that might help. Cut the stencil with an outline on the letter. It's easier to remove that 3-4mm outline than a full piece of mask.

 

[ActionGraphics]

BLACK on glass?? Practically invisible, why do it at all?