do i fold vinyl to foamex over or trim it to size?

[Phill Fenton]

I always trim to size Andy – Turn the sheet over once covered and use a sharp scalpel to trim away the excess vinyl.

[Deleted User]

ANDY I Agree with fill thats how we do it!
It looks much mor professional!!!!

Oreo 😎

[Robert Lambie]

yep i agree! trim it always…
the sides of the foam are some times a little rough. even when its a nice cut the vinyl doesnt adhere to it very well. kept tight enough it will hold because your sticking it to the rear but i always thing it sags of the sides evetualy and looks pretty crap..
like phill said. flip it over and trime from rear with a sharp stanley knife 😀

[Adrian Howard]

try this picked this tip up at the Big Show Orlando last year
use oversize vinyl and cover foamex sheet, squeege flat then use a hand sanding pad with fine paper and sand in long sweeps at an angle, it cuts the vinyl at the right size and you get a super finish to the edge of the board and vinyl,
try it on some scraps

adrian

[Martin Pearson]

Whats this got to do with Sign Making Software ?

I do something along the same lines as Adrian except instead of using a sanding block I use a smooth File, you seem to get a much better edge this way than by using a scalpal and trimming.

[Andrew Blackett]

not sure how this ended up in here martin, I’m sure I posted this in “general sign topics”, but anyway not to worry………

I’m gonna try the sanding block technique and see how it goes, and I’ll compare it the traditional knife technique.

Cheers Lads!

ANDY

PS. ROB CAN YOU SHIFT THIS INTO “GENERAL SIGN TOPICS” MATE?

[Robert Lambie]

no problem andy 😀 done!

[Martin Pearson]

Not sure about the sanding block but if its the same technique as the file hold the block at about 45 degrees and use a downward stroke only, upward stroke will tend to lift the vinyl.

[Andrew Blackett]

adrian,

cheers mate, I tried your sanding block technique today, when I was making those show signs. Worked perfectly!

ANDY

[Mike Brown]

Hey Adrian – using a fine file (like Martin said) was one of the hundreds of tips on my ‘Secrets of Design’ CD that you were one of the first to buy…and that was first published in 1998!…maybe the Americans picked it up from the CD? 😉 😛 😆

[Sticky]

Or…..

Run a felt squeegee along the edge a couple of times. This cuts through the vinyl using a combination of friction and the sharp edge of the board. The excess vinyl just falls away and leaves a perfect edge.

[Robert Lambie]

ahh yes andy, another great method i use this method for covering router cut letters with vinyl… 😀

be sure to use an old felt squeegee as it cuts a groove into it…