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Vinyl on to flat cut letters
Hi All
I am doing my first job with flat cut letters (not stand off) and have to cover the face of the letters in vinyl.
Letters are only 100mm high
How and when should I flood coat each letter? before or after sticking down and is there a trick to trimming around the letters or would I be able to cut the letters first on cutter and then apply in one piece?
Thanks
Warren
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14 Replies
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When I last did this I covered each letter in vinyl then turned them over face down onto the bench and trimmed away the excess vinyl using a scalpel bade. Don’t know if this is the best way to do it – but it worked well enough for me.
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I prefer flood covering and then use a needle file and file the vinyl
that way there’s no likely-hood of vinyl lifting in the future. -
Warren,
I wouldn’t bother cutting the letters on your cutter,
I would just use squares/rectangles of vinyl….apply them dry, cutting them to size & trying to apply is more hassle than enough.
I would recommend applying the vinyl first then you can trim them much easier……
You can either turn them face down like Phil suggested or run a sharp knife around the edges to trim them
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Hi
Thanks Phill, Fred & Glenn
That’s no problem then, thanks for the help, much appreciated.
cheers
Warren
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hmm warren i would be more tempted to spray them….first with a plasticizers …then a top coat.Ive done them like this before a good few years ago and they still look good as new on the job .Just a thought
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i dont know if this is a silly question, but why do you need to cover them in vinyl, im assuming because you cannot get a colour match in acrylic etc?? ive jjust posted my first flat cut letter job photos too !
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Hi Matt
Customer wants this effect.
*** not my picture, taken from someone on the boards ***
cheers
Warren
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ah rite, i see, that does look very cool, i like. cheers for explaining 🙂
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AHHH
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quote Fred Mc:I prefer flood covering and then use a needle file and file the vinyl
that way there’s no likely-hood of vinyl lifting in the future.I would do it the same as Fred suggests, and after the vinyl has dried, file off the edges at 45 degrees with a finger nail sanding board to get a good bond to the edges of the clear acrylic. 🙂
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I think I will try this way and if no success I will try Phill’s method.
cheers guys
Warren
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at that size i would say these letters are laser router cut with the vinyl applied like phill has described. If it is not "laser cut" then they have had the letters edge flame polished.
once you have your letters, wipe them down with a damp cloth to eliminate static. place them on a very clean, dust free table.
cut and oversized square of vinyl and completely peel backing paper.
tack top two corners to the table just above the letter below the vinyl, whilst keeping the vinyl taught begin to lay down over the letter applying where you see the letter appearing thru the vinyl.
some folk actually tape the vinyl up and apply to the face, flip it face down and trim with scalpel.
i would say "not" to trim with the face facing up as you may cut into the acrylic which maybe noticeable on such small polished letters.note: you should charge extra for the laser cut/polished edge also for the
vinyl face. -
Thanks Rob
They will be flame polished so I will follow your suggestion.
I had charged for both as suggested.
Thanks
Warren
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the easiest way to trim vinyl to the edge of a letter is to shave it from the face at 45 degrees with a very sharp scaple blade, the easiest way to describe this and please nobody laugh at what i’m about to say, trim the vinyl like your mum does the pastry around a tart if you know what i mean i.e pull scaple blade against the edge but away from the letter. it leave a very clean edge and doesn’t lift . this method is also very effective on apply etch vinyl to glass doors with a bevel at the edge.
Ian
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