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  • Advice on printing on glass please

    Posted by Steve Lomax on August 15, 2013 at 4:48 pm

    Hi. I’m new to this so please be gentle!.
    I would like to print negative lettering on the rear side of A3 glass to be viewed through the glass. I have a vinyl cutter, and tried vinyl, but the adhesive side of the vinyl is unacceptable. I can’t stick vinyl on the front of the glass. I have tried cutting a vinyl stencil and spray painting acrylic paint over, and this works well but is too time consuming. Is silk screen printing viable for a run of 10 at a time? Can I use my vinyl cutter to make a stencil for the screen?
    Thanks

    Steve Lomax replied 10 years ago 6 Members · 6 Replies
  • 6 Replies
  • Martin Pearson

    Member
    August 15, 2013 at 7:15 pm

    Why is the adhesive side of the vinyl unacceptable? If it has anything to do with being able to see the adhesive how many different brands did you try? As for screen printing don’t know if it would work with glass but to answer your other question you can get stencil mask for screen printing what runs through a plotter, I’ve used something called ruby stencil mask but just ask suppliers for a sample & try different ones.

  • Andy Latham

    Member
    August 15, 2013 at 9:07 pm

    Hi Steve.
    This is my first post as I am new on here, but I have worked
    In screen printing for thirty years so hopefully my answer will be useful.
    You can use your cutter to make a stencil by using Ruby or Amber Film.
    10 off is a viable way of printing these signs. A decent screen printers
    Should have film output to make a positive from and to be honest a positive
    At A3 size shouldn’t cost more than £10 if you supply a vector file in illustrator.
    Just the cost of the screen will be more.
    If the glass has a beveled edge the printer may have to print a millimetre or so
    Inside the edge of the glass so that the ink does not run down the edge of the
    Glass. Best thing is to chat to whoever you chose to do the job and they will advise.
    I hope I have been of help.
    Andy

  • John Harding

    Member
    August 16, 2013 at 1:43 pm

    Hi Steve not sure i fully understand the question you talk of printing initailly then say you have a vinyl cutter, so is it print or cut vinyl? anyhow either can be done and applied to the inside of the glass to be viwed correctly from outside so not sure where youre struggling and why the adhesive is unacceptable 🙁

    can you clarify

    john

  • Chris Windebank

    Member
    August 17, 2013 at 3:37 pm

    Hi Steve, what finish are you try to gain? If its sandblasted effect you can use an etch film cut in reverse. You should never be able to see the adhesive.

    You can also make a stencil mask and use etch cream like Amour Etch for a permanent effect.

  • Andrew Blackett

    Member
    August 18, 2013 at 7:05 am
    quote Steve Lomax:

    Hi. I’m new to this so please be gentle!.
    I would like to print negative lettering on the rear side of A3 glass to be viewed through the glass. I have a vinyl cutter, and tried vinyl, but the adhesive side of the vinyl is unacceptable. I can’t stick vinyl on the front of the glass. I have tried cutting a vinyl stencil and spray painting acrylic paint over, and this works well but is too time consuming. Is silk screen printing viable for a run of 10 at a time? Can I use my vinyl cutter to make a stencil for the screen?
    Thanks

    If its the mottly pattern in the adhesive when applied (if applied dry) then soak the acrylic in rapid tac II and it’ll be beautiful – you’d never be able to see the adhesive at all. We do this a fair bit with reverse printed vinyl and always looks fine in the end.

    Andy

  • Steve Lomax

    Member
    March 20, 2014 at 1:52 pm

    Hi.
    Thanks for all your suggestions. Albeit a bit late.

    I’m a hobbyist, not a pro, so I can only devote spare time to this ‘project’.
    Apart from the ‘glue issue’, which I may well try the suggestions, The design is some 200+ lower case, clear on black background letters back-lit through mirror-film, and a heavy frost vinyl with a black vinyl mask to block out some of the letters. I have Andy B’s suggestion of Rapid Tac II may solve this. I’ve tried Rtape metallic, Aslan and Ritrama vinyls. I’m not sure if Andy L is suggesting using the film as a stencil on a silk screen , or on the glass and spray painting the glass. I tried using stencil vinyl and spray paint with mixed results. Getting the stencil off the glass without tearing the paint is difficult and very time consuming. Warming the glass/paint helps.

    The main issue is the time it takes to cut and weed out 200+ letters per sheet. This is why I’m thinking about going down the silk screen printing route. I have never tried it before and I’m considering buying a 90T frame squeegee and some gloss enamel printing ink. Photo-emulsion seems to be something of a nightmare so I’m hoping I can use vinyl on the silk to make the stencil.
    I have attached a diagram to show the sort of thing I am trying to do. The lettering is either reverse printed (or vinyl) on the back of the glass. Mirror foil is then layered on top of this, then a frost diffuser and then a mask. Using a ‘honeycomb’ of shutters, groups of letters can be back-lit to read as words when viewed through the glass.
    Thanks for reading this lengthy post.


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