[Daniel Evans]

Hi Chris

I’ve used 751 for the past 3 years, not on all jobs mind you but I and never had an issue with it other than being really really tacky in the summer months when fitting.

I did have one job last year I had to re do as it blistered like **** but I put that down to the sun beaming down on it when fitting. When I re-done it a few days later in a cooler environment, it went on great.

[Daniel Evans]

Hi David

I have now measured the van so I know the exact dimensions or close to.

I can lose the joins on the sliding door on one side and have a join where the door moulding goes which you suggested.

Or I worked out that I can print it diagonally and do it all in one piece, what do you think or is that too risky?

Also, would you over lay the text parts? How would you deal with the grey line, print them both and apply together as separate parts or leave them joined together with and leave the white between them in place?

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Attachments:

[Daniel Evans]

So my printhead is due to get fitted on Wednesday so with the bank holiday, I’ll hold off and print it instead.

I’m tempted to try with the 751 one day though lol

[Daniel Evans]

Again, very nice Kevin

[Daniel Evans]

David, there’s a 970 and a 970ra with air release

[Daniel Evans]

James

I personally think the 970 is a lovely film to use, I’ve also used the 1080 and supreme which are also very nice, I’m not experienced to be able to tell the difference between the films as I don’t use them all the time but i’d be happy with either one.

Personally I tend to go more with the 970 as I get a better rate but 3m are a brand that everyone knows.

[Daniel Evans]

Not at the moment, waiting for a new head to get installed.

I did think about outsourcing but by the time it comes back to me, me head would have been installed but I’d rather just get the job in and out so tempted to take a hit and go with 1080.

Had a play about with 751 earlier though and although I’ve never used it as a wrapping film and neither would I want to if the colour was available in 970 but it’s not that bad to put on, not as tacky as I thought.

[Daniel Evans]

Yep, stopped using them unless I have no other option

[Daniel Evans]

I originally had hexis but they discontinued the colour about 6 months after changing my clients fleet.

I’ve used the cc colour range and to be fair that went on great and still looks good now. I was a bit worried about it as it was a really old tatty van with primer on some parts etc, I told the client I won’t warranty it and they were fine.

The only think is it’s a bit opaque so you can see a colour shift where the primer was.

[Daniel Evans]

Good shout but I don’t think that will handle the recesses, unless I tuck in and maybe put a join there

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks guys, I thought it was a cast, not sure where I got that from.

Ok maybe not laminate on to that then, I have some Avery cast in stock so could maybe use that or attempt it without, I might do a trial as I have the van for a few days and some 751 in stock.

[Daniel Evans]

Not a bad shout Simon. How does that work if I laminated the 751 into mdx? Different materials, both cast, that would work wouldn’t it and be a more cost effective solution especially as I have the mdx in-stock.

Also where would you out join lines?

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks David

Here’s the design, ignore the rear doors.

The design is simple enough i think.

Seeing as the 751 is only 1200mm wide, I’m trying to work out where to have the joins as well

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Attachments:

[Daniel Evans]

HI David

Nice job, I checked the 970RA swatch but the greens are very limiting, got the colour in 751 but I can see it being a bugger to fit.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Kevin

Tried that and unfortunalty and no go.

I’ll order a new head, 4 new dampers and hopefully I’ll be back up and running NO THANKS TO ATLANTIC!, just wanted to get that in.

So to sum things up:

1. DO NOT use Atlantic Tech Services for your Ink
2. DO NOT use Atlantic Tech Services full stop in my opinion as I’ve just found out, there are plenty of engineers out there that are far better than this bunch of jokers.

Personally I think Stafford touting for business should also be banned.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks James

I’ve also had a few people contact me directly with a few recommendations, just wish I knew about all these engineers before.

I’d still be using genuine inks, my printhead would still be perfect and I wouldn’t of lost out on any jobs.

Because Stafford was on here, I went with him. :bangshead:

[Daniel Evans]

That is correct Stafford

However, when you sold me the system you knew I was a new user as this was my first solvent printer, you also knew I was a low volume user so why install a bulk ink system??

I didn’t know what I was getting into, you knew exactly what you was doing.

There was no mention that inks expire, there was no mention that I had to wash the old ink out if I left them in to long, if I had know that, I wouldn’t of had the system installed, seems daft don’t you agree?

You said you don’t advise customers to switch to your ink but you clearly did, you even loaned me the system to use (which you can pick up otherwise it goes in the bin)

Either way and like I said in the email, it’s not hard to have a system in place that tracks when Inks are sold and to remind your customers to purchase a new set or flush the old ones out, I would of done this again if I had known and it was explained to me.

The engineer that came round said the head will come back 100% and the issue was nothing to do with your ink and you guys use out of date all the time so it’s fine to use, so what is it?

Then another engineer at the show said that it is an ink problem, unfortunate for him he didn’t realise I was using your ink.

If you guys don’t know then how are we supposed to?

I’ve tried contacting Atlantic many times and even spoke to you at one of signuk shows telling you about some issues but no one ever gets back to me, when I first contacted you my ink would of been well in date.

By ignoring me it’s not done either of us any favours and seeing as this was the only way to get a reaction from you I posted in here instead, you could of just called me back as agreed.

Also throw as much mud as you like, other than not being a high user you have nothing, the only thing I am guilty of is being naive.

[Daniel Evans]

Should all the dampers face the right way or does it not matter.

I’ve just taken a look and the one he put in is the other way round to the other 3, I thought they all needed to face the same way?

[Daniel Evans]

Atlantics own brand, I think they call it surecolour

[Daniel Evans]

Hi Myriam

I get the same response, not Atlantics Ink, it’s my fault, its the electrics on the head, etc etc etc.

They won’t have none of it and just ignore you. You’d think that turning up at the show and seeing them face to face they would give you some time, how wrong I was, head down and speak to any random person.

[Daniel Evans]

Thank for the replies.

I understand about the 3rd party inks, Atlantics ink has never been consistent, if you print solid colours they would change during the print. I’m sure some out there are fine and I know some suppliers give warranties on all wet items but Atlantic don’t, funny that.

I never wanted to swap over, I wanted to keep the original Max 3 inks I had just bought but they did such a convincing sell I went with it, I just feel stupid now.

[Daniel Evans]

Hi David, yeah that started a few weeks back

[Daniel Evans]

Hindsight is a great thing but Atlantic say it’s not their ink that’s caused this.

All in all the ink is bad but the service is worse.

I can’t understand how they can say it’s not their ink, 2 cyan channel’s play up and both channel’s filled from the same bottle.

I personally won’t be going near their ink again and I certainly won’t be using their service and I urge others to stay clear.

[Daniel Evans]

Not sign related but I used to sell cars. 2 day quite a few years ago now a really scruffy man came in and spoke with a colleague, he instantly dismissed him and got on with a silly task he was doing. I spoke with him 10 minutes later and sold him a car. Found out that he was one of the wealthiest people in the town and owned a huge farm. He became a very good customer and sent so many customers to me. He eventually told me, he dresses like that on purpose to see how he’s dealt with

[Daniel Evans]

I’ve bought from here before.

https://ironsigns.com/

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks guys

Chris, I’ll be calling you tomorrow bud lol

[Daniel Evans]

Yeah, that bit looks a bugger and I doubt MD5a will stay put in there, I think even MDX would struggle.

I’ll start with the swoosh then like you say.

Thanks everyone.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks guys

[Daniel Evans]

Very nice stuff there Kev

[Daniel Evans]

Hi all, thanks for the replies, sorry not got back to you sooner. Jean I thought about making the holes bigger, I also thought about making a frame to go on the back which would.make the board float, thought this would help.

I also thought about composite but I think it’s gonna take too much time to bend the corners. I like the idea of a trim/frame but can’t find anything other than the type you would use on an industrial unit

[Daniel Evans]

Hi Iain, the vehicle was out just before September I think which I understand to a degree, the Hyundai was out in 2017.

I purchased the cd only last month (issue 59) and was told it had just been released otherwise i would of just used my current library and purchased the outline elsewhere.

[Daniel Evans]

Hi Joe, I have version 59 and it’s still the old model. I’ll take a look at sign elements as I also need the new 2018 jeep compass

[Daniel Evans]

Directly through impact, I’ll request the template I need again then, might of just caught them on a bad day

[Daniel Evans]

They’re normally perfect.

I’ve given them a call and also emailed them and they told me that they don’t have the latest outlines yet that I require.

I get that it takes time to get outlines but one of the vehicles was a 2017 Hyundai i30, maybe its not a popular choice but there was a few others that I have needed that also wasn’t on there.

I did request the outlines twice (a month apart) as I didn’t hear anything and that was the last time I contacted them which was maybe a couple of weeks back now and still nothing.

I remember reading on here about a scam and just wondered if I have been done.

[Daniel Evans]

Same for me then, what price you getting as a bundle? Seems to only come in 1370 though

[Daniel Evans]

Hi Alex

I must of missed that post.

What media did you end up using?

I have always used MD5 but it just looks so dull compared to the vion.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Stafford, that’s done nothing, still have those 5 missing nozzles and a number of deflected nozzels on Cyan.

The thing is, if you do a manual clean I have issues with the first magenta and Cyan with missing nozzels and then they come back after I leave it maybe half hour or do a few cleans.

Could Cyan be down to the damper then?

[Daniel Evans]

Vsi

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Stafford. How do I do a choke clean? Can’t see that on my menu anywhere and I checked twice.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Rob, I might just do that for the moment and i’m in the process of looking for another unit do why waste money.

[Daniel Evans]

Thank you. I’ll keep this in mind for the future but at the moment I don’t think I want to risk it.

I’ve put some cleaning fluid in the capping station yesterday and I’ll go back in today to see if that cleared up.

[Daniel Evans]

Joe

When you say a good clean, what do you do exactly?

I like the idea of the head wash kit.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks guys

How long would you recommend for a head soak?

I just watched a video and they said anywhere from 20 minutes to 24 hours?

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Chris, I’ll try that

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Chris, I’ll check the head again but that was ok just before the print, the material is Vion 5100 so i’ll also the supplier about it

[Daniel Evans]

Here’s images of the print, the first one shows the 2cm lighter strip.

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Attachments:

[Daniel Evans]

Very nice, I didn’t know you could weld aluminium, can a normal MIG welder do this and what type of stuff do you need?

[Daniel Evans]

What do you make these out of and how do they stand up? Do you do these as a freebie?

[Daniel Evans]

Dry all day long especially due to the location of the bar where the door will slide along.

[Daniel Evans]

Hi Matt

You could leave the middle section in place and weed it once you’ve applied it?

Personally I would do the same as Neil but leaving the middle section in place will help when applying and it will be easy enough to weed being such a large box.

[Daniel Evans]

Again not had any issues with 970ra, some pics will help

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Colin

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks David

I thought that was the case and I didn’t want to purchase a new disk until it was necessary.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Hugh

I’ll ask.

[Daniel Evans]

Dave

Do you have a link to the piece?

I need to get one of these myself and can’t find it by googling.

Thanks

[Daniel Evans]

Simon, over time the bodywork gets particles in the paint. After you wash a car, rub your hand on the paint work and you’ll feel rough bits, a claybar will remove this. Once you claybar the car the paintwork will feel smooth. Basically wash the car and get rid of any dirt, then get your claybar out and spray the car with water as the bar needs to glide across the bodywork otherwise you’ll end up scratching it, then rub the bodywork with the claybar.

[Daniel Evans]

Ignore that.

I was just having a moment, of course it was down to the feed.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks everyone. How about cleaning vinyl after?

[Daniel Evans]

Are you using the same materials? And it’s not affecting them at all?

[Daniel Evans]

Very true

[Daniel Evans]

Having the same issue with my ce6000 and latest version of illustrator to the point where I’m looking at alternatives but I don’t want a full program as I like illustrator. I’ve even considered getting rid and getting the Roland so I can use versaworks

[Daniel Evans]

What stickers do you guys get? I don’t tend to get orders for stickers, perhaps i’m missing out

[Daniel Evans]

You could print other manufactures crop marks such as graphtec? Out of interest what material are you using for the wall graphics. I know there’s been talk of them not sticking due to to what paint is being used.

[Daniel Evans]

Hi Iain

Yes I did. Basically, they are black Ikea table legs screwed into 18mm mdf.

The legs are about £2.50 each so it does add up but I think it works perfectly. You do get weird looks walking out of Ikea though with all those legs especially when they fall off the trolly right in the doorway stopping everyone getting out, I’ve never seen so many people wanting to help haha.

[Daniel Evans]

Yeah forgot to say Phill’s design is very nice and a really simple option.

Is there a site you can get these kinds of stripes from without doing them yourself? I know they’re simple to do but sometimes a lack of creativity hinders you and you end up staring at a screen you an eternity.

[Daniel Evans]

As David says turn the design around and wrap the back instead, much easier and within their budget

[Daniel Evans]

Heres my racks at the moment, I do have One mIre but forgot to take the picture.

[Daniel Evans]

Hi Kevin

That’s what I’m doing at the moment but thought there would be a better way.

In regards to the no hemming the banners, I’ve started using a tape called hem-it which you sticks to the back and I eyelet that. Good results so far and it frees up some material allowing me to either have bigger banners or double up depending on the sizes.

Makes hemming banners much quicker.

[Daniel Evans]

Oh I like them

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks everyone.

I have 3 racks at the moment, one is under one of my tables and consists of about 100 odd IKEA legs and the coloured 610mm vinyl sits on those. I then have one wall rack made out of wood that holds about 8 1600mm rolls. I then have another wooden trolly with about 20 odd legs and that holds any length media as they’re facing upwards.

I’ll just stick to what I have then but I’ll use gloves in future.

[Daniel Evans]

Went back in the same way, easy! You’re having a laugh, I could not get the handle back in. Took me ages to figure out that I needed to put the handle in which sticks out and doesn’t look right, then put the lock in, then tighten. Why change a perfectly good design in the first place. Arghhh

[Daniel Evans]

James, if you get one of the little giant ladders, they have an extension on them for something just like this, I got caught out a couple of weeks ago with this same issue.

[Daniel Evans]

So it turns out its the same as the old type, just needs a bit of a wiggle well actually quite a big wiggle.

The handle I feel is gonna be a nightmare to put back in, that has changed where it grips the lock.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Peter

I was thinking the same thing but with white vinyl.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Martyn

I measure the back from the widest point and it seems to be 1777mm.
The left door is 1020mm which makes the right door 757mm which is correct.

I’d say the gap where the doors meet is about 8mm which is included in the 1777mm figure above, the measurements I took above meet in the centre of the gap so the doors are actually 4mm smaller.

What overlap size do you tend to use?

The join needs to be bang in the centre of the doors and the overlap needs to be enough that it covers that gap with ease and more.

Do you think 50mm overlap is about right?

I also have a overlap setting, all corners or top left, is this the same for you and what should I use?

Finally, I have an option print overlap lines, should I use this to help line the graphics up? I’m guessing not as if it;s what it sounds like, it’s gonna print lines down the whole of my print where above and below the print would be perfect.

[Daniel Evans]

quote Jean Oakley:

I usually peel about 3″ of backing paper away from the laminate and fold it back with a nice sharpe crease lay the laminate over the print and using a long 1mt ruler slide it from the left to the right over the laminate/print and the laminate thats free should be nicely and evenly applied. Put this into your laminator and then carry on as you usually do.

Jean any chance of a video?

I managed to get it done but wasted at least a metre if not 2.

I might try spraying the slitter with water as suggested but I hate loading the laminator, I really do.

[Daniel Evans]

Would love to see a close up Jamie.

Been thinking of doing this myself as I had seen someone else do it some time ago.

Do you have a switch to turn it on or does it come on automatically?

[Daniel Evans]

Thank all.

Alex, you’re completely right. The impact libraries are good but not 100% so not gonna work for this job. I also have other requests like this so I would like to try and get good templates that I can just print and cut.

I like the printed grid idea and might try that.

Simon, when you say ‘use a long lens’ do you mean stand as far back as I can and zoom in?

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Dave

I’ve tried that and I think the photo I’m taking is the issue.

I make sure a certain part is the same size and rescale it but when I cut the graphic, although that part I measure is correct, the overall shape is out like it’s distorted.

Do you use your phone or dslr?

If a dslr, what lens do you use?

[Daniel Evans]

Very good advice Rob.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks guys, gonna print my graphics and laminate them. I’ve got the material in stock so it makes more sense to do it that way. It was more of a time saver as I can’t laminate the graphics till next week

[Daniel Evans]

Found out that Tradeprint also do the same, a client of mine told me they use them so basically just cut me out the loop.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Alex

I might just print it and laminate it then, would look better in the long run anyway.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Hugh

I’ll email you when I get back into the office.

[Daniel Evans]

Will do Chris thanks

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Gil

[Daniel Evans]

quote David Hammond:

Don’t know about you guys, but I’m forever scrounging about for the surface cleaner, blue roll, a heat gun, extension lead, mainly because we have one bottle for the entire building, or it’s been taken on site.

Spent a few quid online and at Ikea, and put together a few of these.

2 in our installation bay, 1 in production, along with paper roll & glove dispenser… so we know where it will be!

Bottles are colour coded for ease, the rail is an IKEA towel rail, glove dispenser from Ebay, used an off cut of 12mm ply, wrapped with vinyl.

Also fitted some automatic extension leads to the walls, so always have power on hand.

David, I’m gonna nick your idea here looks nice and simple. I’ve actually got some plywood left over from building some stuff, never even thought about wrapping it, it was going in the bin but never got round to it. Do you need to treat it first?

[Daniel Evans]

I hate driving vans so I tend to hire them as and when I need it. My work is mainly vehicle graphics so I can get away with it, I’m starting to do larger items now so I may eventually buy a van but in reality how much can you fit in a vivaro/custom standard wheel base? When purchasing one is it not just better to go for something huge

[Daniel Evans]

Hugh, just looking at the way you work out your costs, just so I get this right as I am currently in the process of looking at mine…

Let’s say my rent, bills and overheads work out at £1000 a month which equates to £250 a week to keep things simple.

£250 / 25hrs = £10 an hour
You then double this so your hourly rate would be: £20 an hour?

In regards to material, you markup the vinyl by 10, so 1m of material costing £5 works out at £50 a metre?

You mention you don’t charge additional labour at this point unless its labour intensive, what would you class as labour intensive? Serif fonts, text under a certain size, detailed images cut out of vinyl?

How would you work out the cost of that?

In regards to jobs that require overlays, how would you work out the vinyl costs then, does the same apply as you would a single colour?

Sorry for all the questions, I do ok at winning business but sometimes I feel I’ve just plucked a figure out of the air and If I don’t write it down after quoting a client, I’m stuffed (Which I have done a few times)

[Daniel Evans]

Very tempting.

Watching a couple of vids on them, the Festool seems a lot cleaner, less mess but that is one hell of a price difference which scares me.

[Daniel Evans]

I do like these but the price put me off, the Makita seems much better value, do you get the guide for that price? How do they compare?

[Daniel Evans]

Kevin, do you have a link to that?

[Daniel Evans]

I like it, thanks guys. Think I’m just gonna go ahead and do it, worst case scenario I just sell the thing. Gonna build the metal frame and use acm to board it out. Would aluminium box tubing work or would that be too weak? I personally can’t weld or have the tools to do it but there’s a welder down the road that should be able to do it. Just need to source the metal for frames if anyone knows a good source? Do you screw the acm or rivet it?

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Kevin, do you have any pictures?

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Kevin and Alex. Lot more involved than I thought. I take it if I bought a Luton van, my idea of renting it out for advertising isn’t going to work, firstly who’s going to want to advertise on a Luton van and secondly how can I get away with it with the council. How do the main company’s with those mobile billboards manage it. Kevin what did you use to build yours? How would you insure this type of vehicle? Or should I just buy a van and sign write it, this way I can’t really get done and just park it on main roads saying that I’m currently working there even if I’m not.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Steff

I had wondered why I hadn’t heard back from him, I thought he might have gone on holiday.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks David

Very in depth, It’s always good to keep these clips in stock as those clips do become brittle.

[Daniel Evans]

Thanks Steff

[Daniel Evans]

Hi Steff, care to post them as I’m looking for someone who does this

[Daniel Evans]

That’s not the first time I’ve heard this, can this be fixed or is it going to be down to the material suppliers to come up with a new material that will work.