can i cut curtain side vinyl on my plotter?

[Martin Pearson]

Richard, from an old post it is supplied by COX and APA.

Do a search for apa and you will get the number, I would have included the link but not sure how to. It was on a post not that long ago about vinyl for a 40ft trailer.

Hope that helps a bit.

[John Childs]

Good morning Richard.

Like Martin says, truck curtain vinyl is supplied by APA and Cox Plastics. I have no experience of APA but a lot of folks on here have used it and swear by it.

We don’t do many curtains and are no experts but we always use Avery Signflex from Cox Plastics with no problems.

[Robert Lambie]

I COULD BE WRONG RICH BUT I HEARD THE AVERY STUFF CAN BE APPLIED WET? 😮

(oops caps… must have been the shock of applying wet :lol1: )

Anyway… as i said i heard it activates the glue/adhesive. i personally wouldn’t but that’s just me. I looked at buying the Avery stuff as i have heard it is good. but the vast difference in price put me off.

I have used APA’s lots of times and haven’t had any problems… this must be used dry though. which can be tricky as it sticks like jib-jobs to a woolly blanket :lol1:
if you have extra people available use them.
hands holding the vinyl off/hovering surface as you apply is way to go.
3rd body inside trailer holding an 8×4 sheet of plywood against the curtain also helps allot of you are applying a big graphic.
also, before doing anything make sure the curtain is very clean… not just looking clean. get a soft brush like the pressure washer ones and clean it down with soapy water and rinse.
i would also heat the vinyl once applied in this weather… don’t do it too much in one spot as the curtain will go a shiny sort of scorch mark being left.
what you have to remember is this stuff is under allot of daily abuse. the curtains are constantly being scrunched up and then tightened….
which leads me to another point. before starting, tighten all the cramps right up as this helps really stiffen the curtain.

oh and use a NEW felt squeegee to apply.

as i said, i have done a good few using vinyl, but in the past before the vinyl came about we had to ink/stencil the curtains. took much longer but in a way easier and once on it was staying on. 😀

best of luck mate…

[Richard Urquhart]

thanks guys
i have contact details for apa so when every one goes back to work i will give them a call
thanks rich
😀 😀

[Russell Spencer]

An additional not to this:-
Banner Vinyl is NOT the same as curtain side vinyl
The curtain side vinyl has a much more aggressive adhesive and is a lot thicker.
Don’t ask me how I know

[Aitor Asencor]

hello,

We have some trucks curtains for next week.

We’ve never used the APA truck vinyl.

Can’t it be applied wet? 😮
Durability (in hard conditions, for a transport sign, daily abuse :roll:)?
Can it be removed in the future?

The sign is just the name. Big letters. White over red curtains.

Is it better to paint it?

[Robert Lambie]

quote :

Can’t it be applied wet?

i would imagine it could be, but i do remember many years ago i used the APA stuff for the first time and it stuck like jib-jobs to the back of the pan… i tried a mist of water and found that it actually trapped water in areas where you would normally find a bubble. (yes it was that tacky)
you could argue the old use some fairy liquid to break it down etc…
that’s fair enough but where does the soap residue go? it stays under the vinyl which in my view can only hamper the true grip of the vinyl.

curtains are a totally different kettle of fish to the likes of a banner. these things take abuse… pressure washing, coupled by sweeping brushes with soap on them. on the road constantly and every stop that curtain is hauled back and forward opening and closing.
any place the vinyl doesn’t have true contact or perhaps some water left below the vinyl will become brittle, break and look bad.

quote :

Can it be removed in the future?

it can be, but in my experience its a nightmare. comes off in little bits.
over heat the area and the curtain will become almost (shiny – if that’s how to explain it) or simple burn/melt.

quote :

Is it better to paint it?

if painted, your not gonna be able to remove it anyway. well within reason…

if worried about application, why not cut paint mask vinyl, create the stencil and ink the curtain. i used to do this before the truck vinyl came along.

.

[Aitor Asencor]

quote :

if worried about application, why not cut paint mask vinyl, create the stencil and ink the curtain. i used to do this before the truck vinyl came along.

More worried about durability. Personally I’d prefer vinyl.

How many years could I say it will stand?

thx.

[Neil Davey]

Ink will outlast vinyl anyday. Completed some curtains today, not brand new either, I’m not entirely confident that vinyl would be better when you see the kind of abuse some trailers get.

As for removing the ink, it sort of defeats the object, it’s on there to stay. But it can be softened with celly thinners and is a nightmare to really get it clean off.

From experience vinyl removal from banners/curtains is as bad, leaving adhesive behind. 😕

Completed many curtains over the years so ink gets my vote 😀

[Aitor Asencor]

quote :

Completed many curtains over the years so ink gets my vote

Any recomended ink?

[Neil Davey]

Apollo ink, get it from Wrights of Lymm / Handovers.

[Robert Lambie]

Ive used apollo inks, they are good and a fair bit cheaper than makes like Sericol. that said… 99% of ink jobs i have done have been using sericol ink.

i would also agree that ink would outlast vinyl, both have their pros and cons but i think ink wins!

how long will the vinyl lats? well, to be honest mate its down to the type of vinyl used and how well it is applied ide think.
I would call APA and COX and speak to them about what you are doing. ask them for life expectancy of their vinyls and advised application procedures. see which gives you the most confidence…
for me ive used, as i said, APA and applied dry. never had any issues…