It's Gettin' HOT in Here..... 

WOW!  The heat is really hitting us hard here in GA to the point that I think it should be mandatory for EVERY workplace to install a pool.  Well .... the pool idea didn't happen here in the office, so I decided to find a way to get out from behind my desk and enjoy the sun a little!     

Now I know most people don't jump for joy at the prospect of working in the hot sun all day trying to pull some old graphics off of a truck, but I personally think sanity is a bit overrated. 

We've been busy busy here at CrystalTek working on new options for adhesive removers, vinyl removers that work with different techniques and just spending time playing with existing products to see what WORKS!  A new client of ours was gracious enough to lend us a couple of 11 year old used Lance Trucks for testing some of our new and old products. 

Lance Truck BEFORE Removal

On the day the trucks arrived I was pretty eager to jump in there and get my hands dirty.  There I stood staring at the giant pack of crackers in front of me thinking "this will be a piece of cake, if I can just get an edge lifted, I bet it'll peel right off all by itself."  Dennis parked the truck out in the sun for a bit and suggested we try removing the graphics without the use of products first.  There I go with my ladder and lil chizler excited to work in the sun for a bit and ready to get down to business.  Little did I know.... ha ha (its ok .. you can laugh). Obviously it was a bit harder than that.  I could barely get an edge to come up at all, and once I did ... there wasn't enough to hold onto to pull.  The vinyl just ripped and left me digging with the lil chizzler (and my nails) to get an edge started again.  I worked at this for about 30 minutes and decided its a lost cause.

Chasity Removing Graphics From Lance Truck

After trying (and failing) with the all natural approach I decided it'd be better to use some of our products and see what they could do to help me out.  On the crackers pictured here we decided to try a new technique with Reflective Vinyl Off just to see what happens. 

Chasity Removing Lance Graphics

Step 1: Park in the sun Step 2: Thoroughly coat graphics to be removed with Reflective Vinyl Off  Step 3: Go sit in the AC for about 45 minutes and have a margarita Step 4: See the Vinyl wrinkled up and ready to come off, start at an edge and lift pulling off vinyl and adhesive together Step 5: Clean remaining residue with Ultra Adhesive Off Step 6: Water rinse clean

Lance Truck AFTER Graphics Removal

Clean, beautiful & ready to be put back into action!!  After removing the graphics and adhesive from the truck, I rinsed it down with cold water, sprayed on a good amount of Ghost Off and got busy with a little elbow grease and a scrub brush.  This helped to remove some of the oxidation build up covering the areas that had been exposed to the sun and weather all these years.  The Ghost Off also helped to remove what I call the "Band-Aid Effect" (you know, that crusty dirty stuff along the edges of where the graphics and adhesive had been). 

I can't imagine how long I'd be stuck there scraping and digging for an edge if I didn't have CrystalTek products there to help me out. 

 

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Factors Impacting Vinyl Removal, Part I

Learning what vinyl film is, the impact that the environment and the surface finish has on vinyl are all factors that will help you deal with the ultimate need to remove vinyl graphics.

By Dennis Lasik

Let's begin with what vinyl is. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is a chemical species used to produce flexible vinyl film which in turn is used to produce a wide variety of protective and decorative film products. One such class of products, referred to as "graphic film", possesses unique features that make them well suited to decorate mobile and stationary surfaces exposed to the public eye.

The unique features of vinyl "graphic film" are achieved through the use of an opaque vinyl film whose surface receives colorful, ink-based, printed messages and images; and whose underside is typically coated with a non-permanent pressure-sensitive adhesive carried on a release liner. Before the "graphics" leave the printer or sign shop its printed surface frequently receives a clear protective finish which can be either a liquid or a layer of clear vinyl. Polyester over lams should seldom be used for outdoor applications. Protective lamination may be applied to the top surface for additional stability during storage and the installation process. Care must be taken by all concerned to maintain product integrity during every step of processing, transport and storage.

Vinyl in a word  

We use Vinyl as a word that applies to a broad spectrum of products engineered and designed for different purposes. In our industry, and for this article, we use the word Vinyl to describe a film that is usually less than four thousandths of one inch in thickness and almost as complicated as a living organism. And, in fact, like a living thing we can make this film grow, shrink, swell, take on new shapes and at the same time increase it's strength or make it weak enough to fail. Actually, that is a loose definition of chemistry and that is exactly what we are dealing with. Thinking of the vinyl you are working with as a living thing you can begin to appreciate how every little thing that happened during its life has the potential to influence the way it reacts right now.

Factors having the potential to make the removal of vinyl graphics difficult go all the way back to the planning of the production run. We are going to begin at the time each layer of material was made. For our discussion today we will assume all the layers used for our roll of vinyl were produced at the same time, in the same location with temperatures, humidity, etc., ideal. Also we will pretend that the materials used to make our top quality vinyl were near perfect chemical matches. All these ideals quickly change and multiply according to the type of vinyl, type of adhesive, type of release liner, type of laminate and even the protective install lamination. Then we need to add how all these components were stored and handled.

Now, let's consider design: Our layered system eventually gets applied to all types of substrates which usually are not considered at time of the original design. In fact the material designers usually come up with one formulation for a difficult customer specification. With only that application satisfied the design is considered complete and the search begins for other markets for this formulation/product so they can recoup their engineering costs and hopefully establish a new profit stream for their company.

Moving along to our next step in the life of our chosen vinyl, even with "perfect" vinyl...engineered and manufactured exactly as specified...the factors are multiplying even before it rolls off the line. Environment from that moment begins the aging process and differentially affects the vinyl depending on how "perfectly" it is transported, stored, re-shipped, re-stored, re-transported, cut, printed (an endless spectrum of inks!), new and old curing processes, packed then again and transported, stored and ultimately installed. And that is the short cycle!

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Answers in "GREEN"

We are a new breed of chemical compounder with a performance, health, and environmental focus unique in the marketplace.  Our tech support team has over 38 years experience with graphics failure analysis, printed circuitry, fleet graphics, large format, removals, installs, and maintenance.  We have 50+ years experience in working with various adhesives, coatings, sealants and finishes.  Our extensive knowledge combination in these fields has allowed us to become experts in Green Chemistry, product innovation, and graphics care & removal products.  

Q:  It´s not 100% clear for me if I should warm the vinyl before or after I apply Vinyl Off, or even both. What do you say?

A:  Heating the vinyl BEFORE application of Vinyl Off is preferable, this will relax the graphics and all ow the product to penetrate through and do its job.  Above 50F degrees is ok, but warm to your touch (approximately 100F) is best.  Keeping the surface warm through out the process does improve removal, however care should be taken when warming after Vinyl Off has been applied due to potential evaporation of the product. 

Q:  Does ghost off work on acrylic and polycarbonate sign faces?

A:We do not recommend using Ghost Off on Acrylic.  Ghost Off is a caustic product and will probably haze aged Acrylic.  Keep in mind that Ghost Off removes OXIDATION and will not correct paint that has been sun damaged and faded. 

Q:  What if my graphics feel gooey after letting Reflective Vinyl Off dwell and they are too soft to pull off?   

A:  Sometimes this can mean you simply used a little too much, just give the graphics some time to dry a little and then pull them off along with the adhesive!       

Q:  How do I remove the sticky balls of adhesive residue that are sometimes left after using Ultra Adhesive Off.    

A:  These sticky balls sometimes become an issue after you have let the Ultra Adhesive Off sit a little too long and the adhesive starts to try.  You can give them a couple of squirts of water or Ultra Adhesive Off and they should wipe right off. 

Have a question about our products, graphics care & removal, or other common issues?  SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION HERE and see it in our next Newsletter.

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Tools, Tips, & Tricks of the Trade

Did you know????

Over the years we've had customers share other uses for CrystlaTek products so now we'll share a few of those with you.  

We've received great testimonials about the use of Ghost Off for screen cleaning even though it is primarily used for removing oxidation from OEM paint. Another potential option for cleaning inks would be our Ultra Adhesive Off. 

Both products break down with water and are non-flammable, non-toxic, biodegradable, etc. We do not have experience with every ink system currently used. We have found that some inks take a little longer than others so some trial and error may be necessary to determine the right amount and best waiting time for what you are using.

I would suggest the following as directions:

For Ghost-Off:

Spray on Wait about 60 seconds then agitate with brush Water rinse

For Ultra Adhesive-Off: Our suggestions for use are similar:

Spray Wait about 60 seconds Water rinse.

 Have a useful tip or trick to share? TELL US HOW YOU DO IT!

CrystalTek Distributors