Trick to lay down parking sign?

[biggmann]

When we do a 12x18 parking sign we print the sign with very small marks around the perimeter and line them up to the edge of the blank. It works but you still have to measure the edges to properly get the spacing right. We have an order for 75 of them now, is there a quicker way to lay them down to get them lined up?

 

[shakey0818]

I havent tried this but i would imagine it working.layout 10 signd but up together,take a few measurements print out or cut as many as you want and do a hing method on the end of ya table ands squeege 1 at a time.

 

[wildside]

We have precise measurements done as a template. We cut the predrilled holes with the vinyl. Easy to see through the mask and no measuring. Can knock them out pretty quick

 

[Salmoneye]

If you have white around the outside of your print you could die cut 1/8" or 1/16" undersize and then you wouldn't have to trim either.

 

[Jester1167]

I have attached a detailed pdf and a couple of jpg showing my methods for printed or cut vinyl parking signs.

 

[bob]

Why do you people want to work harder than is necessary?

Just cut the rectangle that represents the substrate right along with the image. Lop the corners off at something resembling 45 degrees, and drop the whole thing on the substrate. Where the corners are cut you have eight points to align the image on the substrate. No measuring, no marks, just a bit of common sense.

 

[sardocs]

I just did a big bunch of 12x16s and I used to use a variation of Bobs method. This time I clamped a trouble light to the corner leg of my work table shining upward and hung two edges of the sign over the edges of the table and you could line up the decal easily. This has been quickest, most accurate method I've found so far...

 

[printpros_au]

It doesn't get easier....

I make all my safety/parking signs like this....
1) Make the artwork 2mm bigger so 225 x 300mm would be 227 x 302mm
2) Print the signs with margin marks (VersaWorks)

3) On a landscape sign trim the left and bottom edge, so the margin marks are trimmed off. Portrait signs I trim the bottom and right because I would then lay the sign down landscape, if that makes sense.

4) Remove the vinyl from backing and cut off 1/3 of the backing paper

5) Using your thumb and forefinger as guides line up the two edges that you've trimmed flush in the corner (The picture above gives you an idea of where I would be using my fingers as edge guides)
6) You can now move the vinyl until the left side is flush with the vertical edge of the substrate and the bottom is also flush horizontally. (use the backing paper as a guide on the bottom)

7) While holding the vinyl in place let the folded over end roll down on the substrate,

then squeeegeee it down....

8) Using a knife trim the edges

Using this method I make hundreds of parking, safety and road signs a week. Normally I would do all the stages in bulk like trimming the vinyl then laying of the vinyl, then trim them all at once.

It seems simple to me, but having new guys start and teaching them always takes a little time so if you need more instruction let me know and I will make a movie or something. But seriously when doing it in bulk you can make 30-40 signs an hour.

 

[Z SIGNS]

Print em in 4x8 sections then cut on the shear

 

[Pat Whatley]

Why do you people want to work harder than is necessary?

Just cut the rectangle that represents the substrate right along with the image. Lop the corners off at something resembling 45 degrees, and drop the whole thing on the substrate. Where the corners are cut you have eight points to align the image on the substrate. No measuring, no marks, just a bit of common sense.

View attachment 95092

So you do parking signs with square corners on the aluminum and chopped off corners on the print? Classy.

 

[MikePro]

^+1
I hope that he may be rounding the corners afterwards, which is what we do.
...except, I take it a step further by applying an entire sheet at once, and using a shear to cut the panels apart.
and a corner rounder stamp machine to finish them off.

...although, some spec's call for 1/8", or even 1/4", aluminum (no joke!)... which would destroy the corner rounder, so we route individual panels and apply by-hand with the back-slitting method.

 

[bob]

So you do parking signs with square corners on the aluminum and chopped off corners on the print? Classy.

No. Was there something about the picture that confused you? I try never to run vinyl right to the edge of the substrate. If at all possible, I make the print 1/4", or so, smaller than the substrate. This leaves plenty of room to cut off the corners for quick alignment.

If I absolutely have to run the print right to the edge I have other ways of printing, cutting, and quickly aligning the print.

 

[SolitaryT]

If they're cut vinyl, it's easy. You cut them all in a box that is 18"x12, weed them out, but leave the boxes between them (say you're cutting 4 at a time, cut 2x2, and leave a half inch between them), then tape them, cut them apart, cut the corners and the middle of the long side off, (make it look like an "8" without cutting the words, obviously). Lay it on a blank or pre-cut piece, don't even use tape, just line it up from where you've cut away the outside corners and middles, peel one quarter back, squeegee it down, peel up the other half, and you're golden. Production time at an all-time low.

 

[biggmann]

I will have to give Printpros method a try, I just need these guys to knock these signs out as quickly as possible today and that seems to be a good way. I am going to have them work in an assembly line one cutting, one laying down.

 

[printpros_au]

I will have to give Printpros method a try, I just need these guys to knock these signs out as quickly as possible today and that seems to be a good way. I am going to have them work in an assembly line one cutting, one laying down.

I promise you will never look back. I actually time tested myself today and knocked out 37 signs that were 300 x 225mm and they were on various substrates like poly, aluminium and corflute (correx) in 1hr 5mins =)
Once you get the knack of it you will wonder why you hadn't been doing it the whole time!

Good luck

 

[d fleming]

75 of them? I would buy the blanks pre-coated or coat them with reflective myself, whichever made more $en$e and screen print them.

 

[SIGNTIME]

Print em in 4x8 sections then cut on the shear

this is what i would do... and aren't all parking signs supposed to have round corners

 

[thewood]

Print em in 4x8 sections then cut on the shear

This is how I would do them. I'd hate to apply them one-by-one to precut blanks...yuck.

 

[Mosh]

Print em in 4x8 sections then cut on the shear

That is what I do.

 

[Gino]

Two color...... ??

Either screen print them and have a product that will last for a decade or more...... or flatbed print them and they'll last 4 years or so.

If all you have is a roll to roll printer, then find someone who you can sub it out to. 75..... we'd have done in less than 2 hours all total. Printing, cutting and rounding the corners. Wam-bam-thank-you-ma'am. :Big Laugh

 

[nashvillesigns]

pARKING SIGNS

i like all these methods.
i beleive in printing a 4x8 sheet worth of signs, mount all at once, and sheercut them all into smaller signs.
Instead of a black border, inverted crop marks are used in each corner, about a 1/16th and a special corner rounder is used to corner chop them into big rounds.
much faster!!

-mosher