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I am going to give a proposal for a 2' x 6' plexiglass sign that will go in a box on a wall. The customer has old plexiglass but is it not a good idea to try to re-move old vinyl and use same glass and should I not use alcohol to clean? It thought that vinyl that has been under the light of the box may make it hard to re-move. Also, vinyl is on outside of glass. And glass is not clear but seems to be closer to white but not like painted white. I thought vinyl is usually cut in reverse and applied to inside of glass but maybe that was for clear or when painted over vinyl and glass. Can I use just regular cast vinyl and apply to outside of plexiglass. It seems like I am complicating something that is very simple but I am pretty new at this and still learning. And what is the color of plexiglass that is not a color but not clear? Kinda like a light white color?
-------------------- Michael Grant Mike Grant Signs 2140 Glasgow Ave. Cardiff, CA. 92007 mgrant@nethere.com Posts: 29 | From: San Diego, CA. | Registered: Aug 2004
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The material you describe sounds more like the translucent lexan stuff that comes off a roll. Either way you can apply vinyl to face. How the old stuff comes off and if it's worth it is iffy ... not seeing what's involved.
-------------------- Compulsive, Neurotic, Anti-social and Paranoid ... but basically Happy Posts: 2677 | From: Rochester, NY, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Michael, I found another example of an inside sign. This was for an insurance company. Sandblasted HDU, 66" X 14". Again, it all depends on how professional they want their office to look and their budget.
-------------------- John Smith Kings Bay Signs (Retired) Kissimmee, Florida Posts: 816 | From: Central Florida - The Sunshine State | Registered: Jan 2000
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Michael, Removing vinyl letters from a piece of plexi is a piece of cake. Use a dulled and burnished razor blade, in a holder, and spray with Windex, keeping the plastic wet. The Windex will prevent your blade from sticking to the adhesive and it will slip right under the vinyl. You can use 91% alcohol to remove the residue, but be careful NOT to get it on the edges of the plastic. It will sometimes cause crazing. Whether Lexan OR plexi, the alcohol is a safe remover. If it is Lexan, you should NOT use anything stronger, unless it is a specific remover for polycarbonate.
To test for Lexan, a sometimes succesful method is to "carve" the sharp edge of the plastic, as if you were whittling it. If it is Lexan, it will usually carve a soft "curl". If it is plexi, it will "chip and chatter".
Tell your customer that you will attempt the removal, but it is not always successful. Also give them a price for a new replacement face. Don't forget to charge for the removal. Allow about an hour for that time, it really should take no longer than 20-30 minutes though.
-------------------- Gene Golden Gettysburg Signs Gettysburg PA 17325 717-334-0200 genegolden@gettysburgsigns.com
"Art is knowing when to stop." Posts: 1578 | From: Gettysburg, PA | Registered: Jun 2003
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Heat gun and soem patience and you will remove teh old vinyl easy.
RApid REmover for the adhesive. Nutin but pure pleasure. No bad smells, no alcohol poisoning, and no nasty mess except for removing the snot.
However. The time u take could be better spent buying a new sheet.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5273 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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When removing the letters from the old sheet you will find them "ghosted" on the face. That is they will be nice clean and bright "opal" or white of the original sheet and the background yellowed off with age.
Depending how bad this is you can reverse the sheet and use the back but often this effect still shows thru under strong lights.
-------------------- Michael Grant Mike Grant Signs 2140 Glasgow Ave. Cardiff, CA. 92007 mgrant@nethere.com Posts: 29 | From: San Diego, CA. | Registered: Aug 2004
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