PRELIMINARY
This product can be cut with one of many plotters on the market and can also be THERMAL PRINTED.
Quick-Sign Gold 22kt has a 10 year warranty as long as all technical information is followed. TECH SHEETS IN EACH BOX.
PLOTTER CUTTING
Always make a “test cut” before cutting, at least until you have become familiar with 22kt Quick-Sign Gold properties. ALWAYS USE A SHARP BLADE. Cutting an upper case Helvetica “A” or “N” serves as a great test for blade sharpness.
A standard angle blade used for cutting standard PVC vinyl is fine; no special blade is needed…cuts like butter.
QUICK-SIGN GOLD THERMAL PRINT & CUT product cuts and weeds as good or better than a good quality high performance cast vinyl. Thermal print Quick-Sign Gold 22kt as you would any high performance material.
Never cut Quick-Sign Gold products too deep…Just enough pressure to kiss-cut the material so weeding is easy. Cutting too deep into the poly-liner can cause the adhesive to settle into the cuts thus causing difficulty in getting the 22kt to release from the liner.
Never allow the 22kt Quick-Sign Gold to be rolled backwards (with the release liner to the outside). Try to keep the material flat as it goes through your cutter to keep down the chance of tunneling. Always cut material at room temperature and do not cut material during cold temperatures below 50 degrees as premature release from the liner resulting in tunneling is possible.
PRINTING INFO.
Printing inks need laminate protection and may not last warranty length. Our material has a 10 year warranty. Inks are getting better all the time with new technology but generally speaking will not last the length of our 10 year warranty. Keep this in mind.
This product can be THERMAL PRINTED by one of many thermal printers on the market today. By following some of this basic information, this 22kt gold vinyl can add a splash of beauty and interest to many sign projects.
When setting up machine for printing, use the traditional setting used for high performance vinyl. Many printers are defaulted or set and need no changes. It is advisable to run a test before beginning actual job.
Make sure the material is free of contaminants which could cause poor printing results. Make sure material is dust-free. If using an Edge ll or FX printer, it is advisable to run at Edge 1 speed to insure good printing results.
If candy effects are desired, use translucent color foils which allow the 22kt Quick-Sign Gold to show through causing a very interesting effect. If choosing to go more opaque when using color, use a primer foil first and then print over it with the top color which hides the 22kt gold vinyl. Results are outstanding. Create your own ideas using various color choices.
SEALING & FINISHING
SEALING AND FINISHING are extremely important processes to keep this authentic 22kt Quick-Sign Gold staying nice for years.
This material must be clearcoated after thermal printing to protect the foil colors from abrasion and UV. The 22kt has a crystal clear film that helps give the product outstanding durability as long as certain conditions are met. Always do a clear-coat test first before applying to actual printed work.
EDGE SEALING WITH ONE SHOT 4005 keeps the 10 YEAR WARRANTY VALID. Note: Better edge seal coverage and protection will be achieved using a traditional brush application. Seal-It pens are acceptable but use great care not to miss any areas during the sealing process. Use a liberal coating to insure the 22kt gold vinyl edge is sealed to the vehicle background or vinyl if an outline is used. 3M 8519 and OraCal 290 clear laminates can be used by overlapping edge 1/4″ to act as an edge seal. 3M 8528 and Gerber’s G5 are also acceptable clear laminate choices which keep the 10 year warranty in effect.
WEEDING
Weeding the 22kt is actually easier than weeding many high performance vinyls. It is recommended that you weed your job immediately after cutting. Do not leave weeding for the next day. Pre-mask and install the job as soon as possible.
APPLICATION
The 22kt Quick-Sign Gold should be applied dry as the preferred method. But, a light spray of application fluid is okay. Never use application fluid with ammonia. Be sure to squeegee out all fluid under the 22kt gold film.
Use a “medium to high” tack application tape. On letters or graphics taller than 8 inches, a “high” tack tape is recommended. Using a translucent application tape like Transferite clear 1310 or R-Tape clear medium tack Conform series will make registration to your outline easier.
To insure good adhesion on vehicles, 22kt Quick-Sign Gold is best applied over high performance cast vinyl like Gerber/3M 220 series vinyl. On dark color vehicles, high performance cast vinyl is highly suggested under the 22kt gold film. If it is necessary to remove 22kt Quick-Sign Gold later for some reason, it removes easier because the high performance cast material is under it. High performance vinyl removes more easily after having been on vehicles over many years.
NEVER APPLY 22kt QUICK-SIGN GOLD MATERIAL OVER WATER-BASED OR LATEX FINISHES.
When applying 22kt Quick-Sign Gold to acrylic or polycarbonate sheets, remove substrate protective sheeting and allow surface to outgas at least 24 hours before applying any Quick-Sign Gold product.
Applying 22kt Quick-Sign Gold over wood or HDU, the surface must be sealed using an oil-based or epoxy coating to restrict moisture exposure from behind the goldleaf vinyl. We recommend West Systems Epoxy #105 Resin with the appropriate hardener.