PRELIMINARY
This product can be cut with one of many plotters on the market and can also be THERMAL PRINTED.
THIS PRODUCT IS REVERSIBLE….and can be cut in reverse and used on the inside of windows. It has an excellent appearance. 23.5kt 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 23.5kt 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. Thermally print Quick-Sign Gold 23.5kt 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 23.5kt to release from the liner.
Never allow the 23.5kt 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 is has a 10 year warranty, not the inks used.
This product can be THERMAL PRINTED by one of many thermal printers on the market today. By following some of this basic information, this 23.5kt 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 23.5kt engine turns 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 engine turn. Results are outstanding.
SEALING & FINISHING
SEALING AND FINISHING are extremely important processes to keep this authentic gold staying nice for years.
This material must be clearcoated after thermal printing to protect the foil colors from abrasion and UV. The 23.5kt 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 silver 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 warranty in effect.
WEEDING
Weeding the 23.5kt is actually easier than weeding many high performance vinyls. It is recommended that you weed your job immediately after cutting. Do not leave for the next day. Pre-mask and install the job as soon as possible.
This product can be cut with one of many plotters on the market and can also be THERMAL PRINTED.
THIS PRODUCT IS REVERSIBLE….and can be cut in reverse and used on the inside of windows. It has an excellent appearance. 23.5kt has a 10 year warranty as long as all technical information is followed. TECH SHEETS IN EACH BOX.
When thermal printed, the Quick-Sign Gold 23,5kt must be laminated or clearcoated with One Shot 4005 acrylic clear
*APPLICATION
The 23.5kt 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 23.5kt film. DRY APPLICATION ONLY ON 2ND SURFACE WORK.
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, 23.5kt 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 23.5kt Gold. If it is necessary to remove 23.5kt later for some reason, it removes much easier because the high performance cast material is under it.
NEVER APPLY 23.5kt QUICK-SIGN GOLD MATERIAL OVER WATER-BASED OR LATEX FINISHES.
When applying 23.5kt 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 23.5kt 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.
INTRODUCTION
Larry Hoppe, Quick-Sign Gold Technical Advisor, has been a gilder and signmaker for over 35 years and has offered these STEPS TO SUCCESS to our customers for optimum job outcome.
Larry has specialized in applying “reverse-cut” lettering and graphics on glass doors and windows for professional offices, jewelry stores, hotels, restaurants, bars, banks, etc. Here are some of Larry’s STEPS on Quick-Sign Gold 23.5kt gold vinyl cut in reverse for glass. See STEPS BELOW.
STEPS TO SUCCESS
- In your sign software, do the layout in reverse.
- Cut black outline and shade in reverse. 23.5kt Gold looks best with an outline and/or shade.
- Cut 23.5kt Gold vinyl film in reverse and cut it so it fits halfway into the black outline. Make sure not to go over the outside of the black outline. You are essentially covering the open space within the outline with the 23.5kt large engine turn.
- Apply the black outline and shade FIRST to the glass.
- Next, register the 23.5kt gold so it overlaps into the middle of the black outline and fills the open spaces of the lettering or design.
- Use a soft squeegee (applicator) when applying the 23.5kt gold. When applying lettering under 4 inches tall, just use your thumb as the applicator as the gold goes down very well and you can get more air out of the overlap area. Because of the engine turn in the goldleaf, no blemishes show even when using a soft applicator.
- Application fluid is not recommended as many times it gets trapped where the gold meets the outline. The preferred procedure is by using the hinge/dry application method.
i. Because 23.5kt vinyl shows gold on the reverse side, you may want to cover the gold with high performance black vinyl cut in reverse to go over the gold….just cut it larger than the gold itself. This effect would then look closer to the back-up black used by hand gilders when they were done gilding windows.