I'm curious as to which brands you folks use for making your decals and signs? And why you use that particular brand over any others you may have tried?
I'm still feeling things out myself, and have used only FDC 4200 Series 5-Year Vinyl Film that Specialty Graphics carries. So far, I've had great results and it weeds super easy.
I use themoflex plus and spectra eco for garments...still playing with the best for window signs...don't plan on doing vehicle wrap so can't comment on those
Oracal is a great vinyl for most applications.. Ive never used a oracal product that didnt work as it was suppost to..
that being said.. for intermediate vinyl jobs I also use the house brand of vinyl that sign mart in orange county calif sells.. as it works for alot of the alum signs we make for parking lots and such.
We use Oracal almost 100% of the time. 651, 3651 and 3164 w/ 210 laminate being our most frequently used. We use it because it comes highly recommended by many seasoned sign folks and the company backs up their product 100%.
Thermoflex and Spectra EcoFilm for shirts and Oracle 651 for window decals.
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Oracal 651 for decals and 751 for vehicle graphics. Great stuff IMO!
Ok hope this is not to dumb of a question. decals and vehicles graphics whats the difference. i thought decals were for cars so in essence vehicle graphics. looks like im wrong.
I figured my husband would have chimed in on this post already......we use oracal most of the time & FDC for a specific customer who really likes that product.
I use Oracal. I have used other brands but always come back to them. Best product for the price IMO.
2strong, Decals are not an expensive product and most customers would not be upset if there decal only lasted 4 years but for expensive vehicle graphics and outdoor signs the customer expects a little more. That said, I have a huge American flag that I put on my company truck 8 years ago with Oracal 651 and it still looks great. The truck is always parked outside too. But for a customer vehicle I will only use a good 7 year outdoor vinyl. Redoing work costs to much.
Sean
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Disabled Sign Painter Just getting started with T-Shirts.
I use Oracal. I have used other brands but always come back to them. Best product for the price IMO.
2strong, Decals are not an expensive product and most customers would not be upset if there decal only lasted 4 years but for expensive vehicle graphics and outdoor signs the customer expects a little more. That said, I have a huge American flag that I put on my company truck 8 years ago with Oracal 651 and it still looks great. The truck is always parked outside too. But for a customer vehicle I will only use a good 7 year outdoor vinyl. Redoing work costs to much.
Sean
Well Sean, I never thought of it that way, but it makes pretty good sense. I'll defeinitely have to upgrade my vinyl for any sort of vehicle graphics work I may get.
So far, the vinyl I'm using is working great for the decals I'm doing though and for the price, I can't complain one bit. It's also how I learned to use this cutter. Very cheap material to practice on and I still have over half the original roll left.
I use Oracal. I have used other brands but always come back to them. Best product for the price IMO.
2strong, Decals are not an expensive product and most customers would not be upset if there decal only lasted 4 years but for expensive vehicle graphics and outdoor signs the customer expects a little more. That said, I have a huge American flag that I put on my company truck 8 years ago with Oracal 651 and it still looks great. The truck is always parked outside too. But for a customer vehicle I will only use a good 7 year outdoor vinyl. Redoing work costs to much.
Sean
i guess my customers will be getting some good decals then because i ordered the oracal 751 and have been using that. so i should have ordered the oracal 651 then. i could have got and extra 50yrds for the same price that i paid for the 751.
has anyone used the pressure sensative vinyl from stalhs i bought a row but in fear of it being cheap i ended up getting the oracal 751 and you could tell it was strong stuff so i thought the stahls stuff was week. hopefully since i was incorrect about decals and car graphics i have a good row sitting right next to me.
One more thing Application tape. should that be another thread or keep it in this one. what do you think. i say lets start one.
mactac 9800 for the last 7 yrs - i don't do wraps so that's never been an issue - i keep some basic colors of their intermediate vinyl for banners & other temporary stuff.
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i use Oracal and sometimes Avery.
as i am a beginner, prefer Oracal, because Avery doesn't has that lines printed on the support paper that i find very useful when i need exact scissor cutting and registration.
Which brand of vinyl do you use and why? 
