Stainless Letters – anyone else had any problems?

[Robert Lambie]

Why? 😀

[Carrie Brown]

Mole, are you trying to say that you have had a problem with them or are you asking if they are a good supplier as you’ve not used them yat?

😀

[Phill Fenton]

Is that you trying to talk all posh now Carrie – “Used them Yat” indeed 🙄 😉

[Carrie Brown]

:lol1:

Yes my dear Phill, one was trying ones best to keep up with ones company here on the boards.

[Russ]

Done a few different aspects of stainlees steel lettering, what kind of problems with this type of lettering are you having.

I must stress I have never used Applelec products, but what I have seen have always looked top notch.

Russ

[Mole]

Thanks for reply regarding letters. I off loaded a job to a college of mine which at the time I couldn’t do, It was a fair size job which involed Polished Stainless Steel Lettering inside and outside back lite with LED’s. It’s the outside sign which has become a problem, the sign measuring
18000mmx750mm is an existing illuminated sign box, the Px was replaced with blue faced Diabond and then 520mm Stainless Steel Letters was applied with back illumination by LED’s, job was done in Dec.2004 since then three letters have come adrift and one letter fell off it seems that the glue holding the fixings onto the back of the the letters has deteriorated, my college has obviously had ago at Applelec but they don’t really want to know, by now the customer is doing his nut, so this job has become a bit of a nightmare!!!
Mole

[Vince Francis]

Hi Mole

I have to say, this is a common problem through out the industry. Until a while ago, we had the same problem, I have to say only on flat cut letters. What are the fixings? If they are locators these should be soldered on.

We had a rep from the glue company in, who in turn sent samples off to be examined. This is what we found, and may be of use to others.

The problem all comes from with what you wipe the letters down with before applying the glue. After you rough up the area, with angle grinder etc, most, like us, used thinners on a rag to clean up any bits left over. The problem is the rag! Although you can-not see it, a fine film can be left over the area which the glue then may not stick to. The film may be the nylon breaking down, particules of soap powder etc etc…

We were advised to use the blue rolls you see at petrol forecourts to wipe away any residue. We changed over to this a while ago, and found the glue no longer fails. So i hope the above is of use to anyone else having this problem.

On built up letters though, as i have said, these should be soldered into place.

Regards

Vince

(hot)

[Mole]

Hi Vince
Yes, think you are right , you can see where they haven’t taken time to clean some of the areas where they have applied the glue to the backs of the letters, anyway going to have to sort this out with Applelec.
Cheers
Mole

[Russ]

If this helps we have sometimes depending on the use for the lettering, soldered on a bridge/strap flush to the rear edges. remember to drill a small hole first in the strap, then cut a block of foamex (19mm) as a peg and placed it under the strap and tight to the back of the letter, you can then fit a screw-on male to screw on cup fitting. The block accommodates the thread of the screw and also allow you to push home the letter without the strap folding in, we also use some VHB tape at the head of the block out of habit really.

Russ.