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  • What’s The Best Way To Do These?

    Posted by Philip Green on 1 April 2012 at 12:00

    Hi Guys. I’ve been asked to make some table numbers for an ice cream parlour. The image is of an ice cream cone with a number on the cone.
    I was thinking of digital printing these on vinyl then applying to white acrylic, then laser cutting the shape after. Since some of the tables are outside, would the print stand up to the vagaries of the weather if I laminate them? Would you use acrylic for the substrate or di-bond?
    Also I have to make some similar prints and shapes to be stuck into the ice cream itself. Bearing in mind these will have to be washed regularly, will the print stand up to being in a dishwasher for example.?
    Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

    Martin Pearson replied 13 years, 9 months ago 3 Members · 3 Replies
  • 3 Replies
  • Robert Lambie

    Member
    1 April 2012 at 13:24

    are these free-standing shaped table numbers or screwed to the table?

    keep in mind cost of these to your customer in multiples.
    the request is very bespoke and you should be charging good for it.
    keep them practical, remember if free-standing outside they may easily blow over. or as you say, bleach in the sun. ide imagine as long as you laminate the prints they will be fine.

    a quick option would be to adapt table menu holders that you can buy from the likes of stock display or ukpos.com normally made of acrylc and the like. just apply the graphic to them.

  • Philip Green

    Member
    1 April 2012 at 18:19

    Yes Rob, they are going to be screwed to the table. It was the weathering of the graphics I was worried about. Plus as I said. i have to make identical ones to go in the tubs of ice cream. Don’t want the graphics fading after a few washes in the dishwasher. There is about 60 tables and they require two off each number.
    I should have attached a picture of what they require, but with this being Sunday (picture at work, I’m at home etc)

  • Martin Pearson

    Member
    1 April 2012 at 20:52

    What sort of size are we talking here? Wouldn’t think they would be that big but a few things to think about. If they are standing upright then they will be pretty weak at the bottom if made from acrylic because of the shape of an ice cream cone so another substrate would work better.
    If your laying them flat then something like vhb tape might be a better way of securing them than screws.
    What ever you use to go in the ice cream tubs make sure it is suitable as far as food hygiene goes, would have thought acrylic would be best for those but worth checking.

    Might be a bit more durable if they are reverse printed & mounted on to clear acrylic but if that was the case I would go back to screwing them to the tables.

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