Source for Vinyl Graphics

[JohnAJohnson]

I'd like to get a couple of stick on vinyl graphics (nose art) for my plane. I'm looking for a company that'll take my oval 4"x3" JPG and turn it into a vinyl stick-on graphic. It is in full color.

Anyone have any suggestions as to who does this type of work?

 

[X3 Skier]

Cool! Rode that hummer several times on NOLA visits.

Check any vinyl wrap store that does cars and trucks. There’s a couple in my city that will take art work in the right format and produce (and install if you want) the sheet goods.

Cheers

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Try some local sign shops.

 

[Kelvin]

Local sign shop...like a Fast Signs or the like...

 

[JohnAJohnson]

Cool! Rode that hummer several times on NOLA visits.

Even though I haven't lived there for 45 years, it's where I was born and raised, and is still home.

 

[JohnAJohnson]

Local sign shop...like a Fast Signs or the like...

I was wondering about FastSigns and places like that. We have one about 20 miles away.

 

[Sundancer]

I used a a place called "1060 Graphics" for two "N" number vinyl graphics; came out very nice, plus they had a quality video on-line for a rookie installer like me.

I hit them up on the web, and they shipped pretty quick, as I recall. Not very expensive, and I'd order an extra one, if I were to do it again, as I had a little "learning curve" on the first installation.

 

[Velocity173]

Callie’s Graphics. She does all my RC decals but she does full scale as well. Just send her a JPEG and dimensions and she’ll make it happen.

https://callie-graphics.com/

 

[Skibum44]

B&E graphix does all my RC stuff and had them do my boat decals too. Fast to ship priority mail. Heard nothing but good things about Callie too.

 

[frfly172]

Just about any sign shop ,can make the decals,it’s the installation,that creates the problem.

 

[FlySince9]

Just about any sign shop ,can make the decals,it’s the installation,that creates the problem.

Why? IIRC soak the vinyl decal in soapy water, put in place and squeegee the bubbles and water... whalla!

 

[Shepherd]

Callie’s Graphics. She does all my RC decals but she does full scale as well. Just send her a JPEG and dimensions and she’ll make it happen.

https://callie-graphics.com/

I second Callie's Graphics.

 

[John221us]

That is going to have to be a printed decal. There are too many color variations for vinyl. With vinyl you need to separate the colors and cut each color separately. Make sure they laminate it, so it will last.

 

[evapilotaz]

Fastsigns does all my printed vinyl for my business.
They can do custom work or I provide the graphics and the print and install for me.
They are a franchise

 

[flyer770]

That is going to have to be a printed decal. There are too many color variations for vinyl. With vinyl you need to separate the colors and cut each color separately. Make sure they laminate it, so it will last.

A printed decal is going to be on vinyl. You're right that traditional layered vinyl is not the right choice for more than a handful of colors, but if you want it to last it's going to be printed on a vinyl substrate.

 

[John221us]

A printed decal is going to be on vinyl. You're right that traditional layered vinyl is not the right choice for more than a handful of colors, but if you want it to last it's going to be printed on a vinyl substrate.

I have 60” water based ink plotter / printer. I have done some decals with it on Kodak Photo Tex. Those typically last about a year, before they fade to the point they don’t look good with my printer. A solvent based printer will make stuff that lasts about three years, I understand and if they laminate it, it will last longer. I suppose you are right and most substrates will be vinyl. I imagine most sign shops or wrap shops are setup to do it. I have a 24” vinyl cutter and have used that for making vinyl signs and stickers on occasion (we mostly use it for stencils).

 

[Half Fast]

When I was racing cars, several guys were using these folks:
https://www.racinggraphics.com/

They do custom stuff. If it works on a 200mph racecar, it should work on a plane. Of course, no guarantees following metal-to-metal contact....

 

[Hank S]

When I was racing cars, several guys were using these folks:
https://www.racinggraphics.com/

They do custom stuff. If it works on a 200mph racecar, it should work on a plane. Of course, no guarantees following metal-to-metal contact....

It should hold up. Rubbin' is racin', right???

 

[JohnAJohnson]

PIREP
As recommended by many of you, I used Callie. Got the decals back today in the mail, two weeks since sending the jpgs to her in email. Very nice work, and $12 total for four of them (four inches wide each).

 

[yakdriver]

Not only can you do vinyl for small stuff the colors on this Cub I did are vinyl. Looks like paint and the guy that did it says it will last as long as any paint. The stars and bars and all the other numbers and letters are vinyl on the other Cub.