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Resources
American Graphic Specialties
Make your sign shop a profitable t-shirt shop
Gemini Inc.
Your source for letters: plastic, cast metal, custom letters and logos, changeable copy and letter trim
Gerber Scientific Products
A complete line of computer-aided sign making systems, digital printers, routers and materials
SignGold Corp.
World's only manufacturer of 23k gold vinyl films for sign making and digital printing
West System Epoxy
Resin, hardeners, fillers and additives for bonding, sealing and coating sign substrates and graphics
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TIP OF THE WEEK
Add some landscaping to your sketches
Adding some background to a drawing of a sign gives it a sense of scale and makes a better presentation. I like to add a little landscaping and texture to my sketes, and use images from www.marlinstudios.com.
Their trees, shrubs, and flowers come with an alpha channel, which means the background is transparent. You can put layer upon layer on top of each other without one layer leavine a white sqare behind it. Visit their site and look under "Virtual Trees and Foliage" under their Products listing.
Gary Godby, Graphic Services, Inc., Bealeton, Virginia
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RECENT TIPS
Try steam to remove vinyl film
At our shop here in Germany, we use steam to remove vinyl lettering. I bough an inexpensive wallpaper remover for the task. The reservoir holds about one gallon of water, and it only takes the device about three minutes to heat up and start producing steam.
I hold the nozzle about a half inch over the surface of the car, sign, boat, or whatever it may be, and give the steam a few moments to heat up the adhesive. In most cases, the film comes right off without leaving any adhesive behind. Plastic and acrylic sheets tend to bend from the steam, but straighten as they cool.
When temperatures fall below freezing, one has to be careful when using the steam on glass. Oh, and don't ever use steam on water-based paint.
Michael Beil, Grafikstudio, Germany
Business card printing
I don't know if this is old hat to most readers or not, but we print business cards on scrim vinyl, canvas, satin and magnetic material. We get a lot of good comments on them. This really shows customers the variety of material we can print on.
Ray Coequyt, Ray's Sign & Banner, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Brush Care
When kept properly clean, brushes can last for years. Some tips on cleaning your brushes properly: Brushes used in oil-based enamels should be thoroughly rinsed in thinner or turpentine. Make sure you get the paint out of the heel. When the brush is finally clean, oil it. I use transmission fluid, because it seems to be the easiest oil to get out before you start again.
Gino, via the Internet
I use Langnickel and Scharff brushes from Letterhead Sign Supply [800-531-3359; www.letterheadsignsupply.com], and thin my 1Shot with turpentine. I put a drop or three on the palette, just to make it flow nice and smooth. Mineral spirits will work, but the paint won't last as long outdoors. It breaks down the binder in the paint.
Geary, via the Internet
Check back each week for new tips,
and check recent issues of SignCraft for time-saving tips.
Since we haven't tested any of the readers' suggested tips, SignCraft cannot assume responsibility for their validity. We recommend that you experiment and test any such information. -- Editors
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