This is topic How about some Tip Swapping! in forum Old Archives at The Letterville BullBoard.


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Posted by Ivan Allan (Member # 885) on :
 
Say, to add a sign related topic.... I would just love to see/read some good old fashioned tip swapping, on any sign/trade related subject.
I know I always appreciate it greatly when hard earned tips and time savers are passed my way. Any sandblasting tips perhaps? I have just picked up my first sandblasting outfit.

I will start it off right now....

"never eat yellow one-shot!"
err, or am I confusing this with something snow related???

Perhaps that is not a good example. Please feel free to post real ones.


Ivan Allan
Eye Signs
Tisdale, Saskatchewan

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Posted by Pierre St.Marie (Member # 1462) on :
 
OK.....here's one. When you're routing, or sabre cutting, Precision Board or even typical styrofoams, and the letters are small or if your larger ones have a very narrow stroke.......laminate 2mm Dibond to back of the medium BEFORE you cut. Use PB Eurethane adhesive. It expands and bonds like wildfire. Test your odd foams first, but the Dibond substrata gives you all the tensile strength you need to handle, sand, reshape etc. Extravagant logos with very narrow areas are particularly susceptible to break when sanding or handling. Dibond comes in 4x8 sheets, is aluminum on boths sides with a solid plastic core. Extremely strong and light, and you'll never see it, it's so thin.

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St.Marie Graphics
& Makin' Tracks Sound Studio
Kalispell, Montana
Mkntraks@digisys.net
Carving America into a better shape!


 

Posted by Gail & Dave Beattie (Member # 572) on :
 
i like the idea of this post....sometimes the simplest things can make all the differance, stuff we forget that we even do can often help sumoe new to the product...so here goes for what its worth
routing small 'anythings' we use double sided tape to hold stuff in place so that it doesnt break and fly all over the place....40mm and smaller fine perspex lettering type stuff stops chattering on the bit and wrecking the edges.
wrap apo tape around your squeegie so you dont scratch the vinyl face when working with any unmasked application...especially frosted crystal film on glass.

regards
gail

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Gail & Dave
Taurus Signcraft
Thornton NSW
Australia
taurus@hunterlink.net.au


 

Posted by Pierre St.Marie (Member # 1462) on :
 
Hey, Gail......this might be old news but we've purchased "felt" in a 1'x1' x 1/2" thick and cut it into squeegee sized chunks. Works really well for seating unprotected film. You guys already know this one???

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St.Marie Graphics
& Makin' Tracks Sound Studio
Kalispell, Montana
Mkntraks@digisys.net
Carving America into a better shape!


 

Posted by Jack Davis (Member # 1408) on :
 
Here's a simple, but effective one.... For cleaning brushes....Take a snap cover rubbermaid or like product that will hold about 4 coffee cans of your size choice and create a multibath for your brushes. They clean much more rapidly and better with about 4 stages, The last one should remain fairly clear. When then contaminate past your satisfaction replentish your 1st bath and rotate up one. Have some ATF fluid for preserver if you are going to store the brush for a while. The single lid on the rubbermaid container will close the container well enough without closing all of them seperately. Simple but effective...Bronzeo

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Jack Davis
1410 Main St
Joplin, MO 64801
bronzeo@prodigy.net
http://www.imagemakerart.com
 

Posted by Ricky Simpson (Member # 1318) on :
 
Good post Ivan,

Here is one that many of you probably have read in signcraft "tips and tricks"....for those who havent here goes......

When those mistakes happen when handlettering ,such as paint creeping under your top and bottom line tape, etc. there is an eraser called a "MAGIC RUB" that sanford makes that will clean up your mistakes with very little effort. It will give you a clean edge without going back to touch it up with the brush.

After several uses the corners will become round.....all you have to do to restore its sharp edge is to slice that part off with an x-acto knife.

I bought a dozen about 7 years ago and still havent used them up.....cost is about 6 or 7 bucks a dozen.

Blessings,
Ricky

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Ricky Simpson
Simpson Signs
South Central VA, USA
"railroader aspiring to be fulltime SignArtist."
 

Posted by PKing (Member # 337) on :
 
After pouncing pattern onto ANY substrate to be cut/routed.Spray with air spray to seal dust so as to not have it rub off in the process of cutting/routing

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PKing is
Pat King of
King Sign Design in
McCalla,Alabama
The Professor of
SIGNOLOGY


 

Posted by Sonny Franks (Member # 588) on :
 
Sometimes the simple stuff can save you a lot of time:

To find the center on a vinyl graphic, paper pattern, etc. just fold it in half edge to edge and mark the middle (especially effective for the math-impaired)

When lettering a boat in the water, always carry 2 of everything that doesn't float.
(Lake Lanier owns many of my x-acto's and tape measures)

If, like me, you tend to hold your x-acto in your mouth while you work, make sure you insert the correct end.

Here's one I learned just last week: when lettering a truck behind someone's building in a fenced and gated area, make sure the guy with the key knows you're still back there at quittin time. (I ended up climbing the fence, hitching a ride home, and picking up my truck the next day)

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Sonny Franks
Sign Creations
Lilburn, GA

"If you do what you've always done, you'll be what you've always been."

 

Posted by Ivan Allan (Member # 885) on :
 
Alright!
"Now why didn't I think of that?" is a phrase that keeps coming to mind.

I am Cutting and pasting up a storm here. I am going to start a tip database with these helpful hints.

Of course, when I actually use a tip/timesaver, I will forward the applicable royalties to the appropriate party.

Ok-ok, so I really had to stretch for that one.

Ivan Allan
Eye Signs
Saskatchewan Canada

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Posted by Ken Henry (Member # 598) on :
 
Ok. Here's one for the vinyl jockeys out there. When you're doing an especially large application, you very often need both hands available to properly position your graphic onto the surface. If I'm in this type of situation, I have a 3M gold squeegee with a hole drilled into it, just between the heavy ribs. Through this hole, I place an elastic band, and loop this around my wrist. Now, I can have both hands free to hold and position the graphics, and when I need the squeegee, it's there with a simple flip of the wrist. It takes a bit of getting used to, but it does save you a lot of fumbling and searching pockets or pouches. Also lessens the chance of the wind catching a large piece of work and screwing it up.
Hope this helps you out, and saves you some time or aggravation.

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Ken Henry
Henry & Henry Signs
London, Ontario Canada
(519) 439-1881
e-mail kjmlhenry@home.

10,000 sperm swimming for that egg...and I won!
 

Posted by Michael Boone (Member # 308) on :
 
If you're left handed...do not let a right hander help you....by coiling up an extension cord...makes a awful mess...

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Michael Boone
Sign Painter
5828 Buerman Rd.Sodus,NY 14551
Ontime @localnet.com



 

Posted by Tom Rose (Member # 606) on :
 
Here's a crude tip for using your overhead projector when the logo on the transparency is too small ( and you don't have a copier that enlarges to make a bigger one - or you don't want to knock out an exterior wall to get the projector further away )
Place the transparency between a couple of rolls of application tape to space it off the area where it usually positioned. By raising it a bit you might just get the image large enough to use....
It's crude but worked for me today in hand lettering a 43" Burger King logo!

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Tom Rose
1938 Model Sign Dude
Proud to be a Letterhead Supplier ( Books & Videos )
T.Rose Signs Whitehall,PA
610-264-2541
E-mail tomrose@fast.net


 

Posted by Dave Draper (Member # 102) on :
 
Hey Ken,

I like that idea about the squeegee....but
why don't you just tape the squeege to the vinyl right where your hand will be gripping the graphic? You wouldn't have to flip your wrist...just grab it! duh! hahahaahhaha
good tip

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Go Get 'Em..... :)
AKA Raptorman on #Letterheads mIRC Chat
Draper The Signmaker
Bloomington Illinois USA

Proud 2-yr. $upporter of this Web Site (May 1999-May 2001)


 

Posted by Robert Thomas (Member # 1356) on :
 
Tip for doing patent gold leaf on a boat transom on a windy day. Tape all of your sheets to the book pages w/ 1/4' low tack tape before you leave the shop and tape the book to a 2"x4". I lost most of a book in Naples Bay.

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Robert Thomas Creative Signs In Beautiful Naples, Fl.
 

Posted by Pierre St.Marie (Member # 1462) on :
 
Ever try cutting small lerrers or an intricate logo with a sabre saw? Lots of chattering and checking underneath to see what the saw is also cutting thru?? Take a thick piece of styrofoam, the type used for dock floats, and do all of your cutting right on the flat surface. No chattering. Works like a charm!

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St.Marie Graphics
& Makin' Tracks Sound Studio
Kalispell, Montana
Mkntraks@digisys.net
Carving America into a better shape!


 

Posted by Donna in BC (Member # 130) on :
 
These are so simple, but we use them daily.

Take all your vinyl charts, and remove the samples. Attach velcro to the tops and bottoms of the samples and chart, and reattach. Now you can lay those samples on vehicles and not rip up the chart.

Need to measure an area but forgot your measuring tape? Extend your hand as your guide, and move it along, thumb to pinkie over and over. Some of my stencils read 7hw (7 hands wide) Then measure when you get into the shop. Crude but gives you an idea. String is another good idea to measure without a proper device handy.

Attach masking tape to the two ends of your straight edge or ruler when trimming on vehicles, decals on a table or cutting a thicker substrate. Absolutely no slipping!

When cutting a multi colored decal out, sprinkle mini triangles around the graphics. Ensure to cut the triangles out when cutting each color. Instant registration marks!

If cutting an oval or round graphic, also cut out a thin line somewhere so you can install the thing straight.

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Graphic Impact
located in BC Canada
gisigns@sprint.ca



 

Posted by Graham Hodge (Member # 168) on :
 
Magnetic straight edges.
I buy lengths of flat aluminium strip, say 2" wide, from the hardware store, glue magnetic rubber to one side, this makes a nice straight edge which holds nicely to truck doors/sides etc.
It doesn't work on Landrover doors

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Gray Hodge camriver@southcom.com.au
Cam River Signs
Somerset, Tasmania,
Down Under


 

Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :
 
Along the line of what Donna suggested about non slipping rulers/straight edges. I bought a package of self stick little round rubber feet at home Hardware. Stuck a row of them under my 4'ruler works great. There is also a product that is sold at Recreational Vehicle stores or marinas. It looks like loosely woven rubber, and is used as place mats to stop plates etc. from slipping on a tilted surface. It is also the stuff that is in the recessed part of the Big Yellow Rulers. It would work great for making your straightedge non slip. (Just gotta remember to go get some! )

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Dave Grundy shop#340
AKA "applicator" on mIRC
"stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!"
in Granton, Ontario, Canada
1-519-225-2634
dave.grundy@odyssey.on.ca
www.odyssey.on.ca/~dave.grundy
"A PROUD $ supporter of the website"



 

Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
 
I use that same rubber place mat stuff to set small signs on while applying vinyl. It keeps the substrate from sliding around your bench.

A US dollar bill is just over 6" long. I've used them many times when I've forgotten my tape measure. Fold it in half for 3" fold in thirds for 2 " etc.

When dry applying medium size vinyl by myself I use an aluminum straight edge to help hold the vinyl mask taught along a long length. I bought a 24" wallpaper squeege just for this. Its the same device that comes with the Weber Tool but longer. It is very stiff and has a nice big plastic handle for gripping. I slip the metal edge between the transfer tape and release liner, (after applying the graphic with a tape hinge), press the transfer tape on firmly, grab the handle and hold the whole graphic taught and remove release liner, then swing down and squeege. It holds the graphic taught across its whole length. Wider graphic than 24"? A yard stick works too but you have to be careful as the transfer tape doesn't stick quite as well as it does on the aluminum. A varnished yardstick works better.

My vinyl storage rack is made from vegtable and fruit cans. Saw this one in Signcraft. It holds 50 yard rolls no problem. I used hardwood as I had alot of it but you can use 2x4 pine as a backer. I had instructions but deleted them as my first attempt at posting pics worked. Hooty Whoooo!!!! Now you guys are in trouble. hehehe
I know you can figure it out from the pictures.


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Dave Sherby
"Sandman"
SherWood Sign & Graphic Design
Crystal Falls, MI 49920
906-875-6201
ICQ: 21604027
sherwood@up.net

[This message has been edited by Dave Sherby (edited April 20, 2000).]
 



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