tomk

Aluminum sign assistance...

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Hey All,

 

As I've mentioned before, we mainly do stickers and decals, but a friend asked if I could do a small number of aluminum signs for him, and I said sure, why not...least I could do for him for all his help over the years.

 

So, here I am, I have the 10x14 aluminum substrate from Grimco, sign design is ready, but trying to understand the mounting process here...not the wet application process of putting the vinyl on the aluminum, but more like how do you guys who do signs for a living either overlap the edges and handle the round corners?  Or do you not overlap and trim evenly with the substrate and then somehow seal the edges?

 

I was also going to use a liquid laminate (clear shield) on them, since again we aren't a sign shop and don't do any lamination on our work, since it is mainly consumer oriented, so I don't have a laminator or laminating film.  I just picked up a small bottle of clear shield classic for this job.

 

Any feedback or videos showing the process?  

 

Thanks for any help and guidance here, I appreciate it!

 

Tom

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I don't get a clear picture of what you are trying to do. Are you using a printed graphic of just cut vinyl? Is that a 10 inch or 10 foot sign? Are the corners pre-rounded? 

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I don't get a clear picture of what you are trying to do. Are you using a printed graphic of just cut vinyl? Is that a 10 inch or 10 foot sign? Are the corners pre-rounded? 

Sorry, more details...

 

It is printed graphic on vinyl, the signs are 10"x14" with rounded corners on aluminum .040 substrate.

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OK. I don't work with printed graphics but you will want some sort of laminate. Others will probably chime in on that. I have done both ways with the rounded corners. Some I have cut to fit but it can be a little tricky. To do that I actually scanned the sign blank and used it as a template.  Others I took a razor knife and trimmed after the fact and it was ok on aluminum but didn't trim out as nice with diabond. 

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Maybe you should just do it with sublimation?

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If it is solvent or eco solvent ink, you might be ok skipping the lamination.  Lamination or just some frog juice would make it last longer.  You must laminate if it is water sensitive ink.

 

To avoid having to trim, can you make the design so that the decal is inside the edges of the aluminum?  I am assuming a print/cut layout.

 

If you have to trim, an exacto knife should do.  If you have a corner rounder, you could re-round it to trim the excess, might make it lopsided if you weren't careful.

 

Sublimation would be a good option.  

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I have never put vinyl on the back unless it is meant to be double sided and viewed from both sides, like hung from a chain.  I trim even to the aluminum.  I don't do anything special to seal the edges.  If your worried spray on some frog juice.

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I tried wrapping a couple edges once but without some of that fancy adhesive stuff they use on wraps it won't stay put. (I didn't have that stuff, still don't) ended up just trimming it back to the aluminum like I should have in the first place. No one will even think twice except you. I don't worry about sealing the edges either. As long as you have no hanging edges it will stay put fine.

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We have a metal shear at work up here. I put the vinyl on the aluminum, then trim it up on the metal shear right to the edge of the printed vinyl. Then I spray it with Frog Juice and it's done. Hope this helps some.

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