Flight/Road Case stencilling advice

Not sure what you can do that quickly.

The right way to do this is to go to a screen-print place (think T-shirt stenciling) and have a silkscreen label made that you can apply to the case.

There may be other things you can do, but we were doing this in the 80s and 90s.

These days, we use gaff tape and magic markers because our cases tend to change duty or be sold off when they age out. And we aren't pacing them onstage as props.

 

Always happy to help...

You might to ask them about actually applying the silkscreen to the case. I think we've used a hair dryer in the process. Our sound guy at the time came up with the idea. It was back in the 80s, so I can't quite remember what he did to apply the stencil.

Also, keep in mind, that logo will be permanent. Hope you guys are together for a long time!...)

 

Try your local "quick signs" shop. They can print self-stick letters pre-spaced on a backing sheet. Sort of like a big sticker, but with just the text. They should be able to do almost any standard font on short notice. The vinyl used in sign/banner printing is also designed to be pretty durable.

 

Id make my own with thick paper and an xacto knife. that or go find a friend with a vinyl cutter...

 

Check this out... http://www.ebay.com/itm/REUSABLE-Pa...522?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c915b5f52

I've seen these in Wally World. You could tape together what you need. Don't know IF the font would be to your liking, but it's an idea?

 

+1 for the vinyl cutter. A good one (I recommend the Graphtec/Silhouette Cameo, or just about anything by Roland - stay away from Cricut though!) will be a couple hundred dollars, and you'll find all sorts of other uses for it as well. I use mine mostly for cutting PCB stencils.

 

If it's not so permanent, you can print out big letters, cut them out, or match the background color.
Double stick tape them down, then cover with clear contact paper.
Quick and easy and reversible.

 

Any sign shop can get you the letters in plastic to stick on. Shouldn't be that expensive, and quick application/removal.

 

Stencil fonts printed onto 110lb card stock and an xcacto knife.
It's quick and dirty but will give pro looking results if you don't spray the paint too close to the case. Mask it with newspaper.

http://www.urbanfonts.com/fonts/stencil-fonts.htm
http://www.creativebloq.com/typography/10-top-free-stencil-fonts-2131956

 

Too bad you need it so quick. A vinyl cutter could create a stencil that would be exact. I recently used mine to stencil a recycle symbol on a garbage can. It turned out perfect.
The only vinyl cutter you can get ahold of quickly is a CriCut and they suck.

 

The problem with the stick-on labels is the textured finish on most road cases. Very difficult to make a label stick unless the label is made like some bumper stickers with very tacky adhesive.

I guess the silk-screening shops have stopped making silkscreens on a custom basis. Did you call just T-shirt shops, or did you talk with print shops that do silk-screens?

At this point, all of this is probably too late to be of any help.

 

Geri O is correct. Most of the road cases are goign to have a textured finish, so vinyl isn't really a viable option. Painting is what you're going to need to do.
Silk screening shops probably don't want to deal with that on such a short notice.
If you can hold out for a bit, I can cut you some negatives and you can paint it on with that for your next gig.
PM me if you're interested.

 

Actually, if you get it done by a sign shop they can use "banner vinyl" which sticks like the proverbial to rough surfaces. It even has a matt finish, looks more like paint.

 

They could make you an actual stencil just as easily.

 

Yep. Any kind of sticker of any sort is going to get beat-up instantly.

Honestly by real world standards some of you guys are kinda overthinking this. I've painted a few road cases in my day and I've worked on a lot of tour pre-productions where they got painted and I honestly don't recall ever seeing anything other than a cardboard stencil being used by anything but the biggest tours like U2 and Janet Jackson or rental houses. If I were doing a lot of cases for a big tour or a rental company I'd go full on and water cut 5mm stainless. Where the paint job is playing on stage a water cut stencil might be the way to go. Thin Lexan (1/8"?) would probably work too and be less susceptible to creasing.

 

I know that some dislike Cricut. I'm assuming its because you need the cartridges. However, mine with a sharp knife will cut heavy cardstock. Thus "Voila" one stencil. My only issue is if I have that particular font cartridge.

 

In my case, it's not so much that you need the cartridges as it is that you can't download custom artwork/fonts to the machine, and also that Provo Craft has aggressively sued third-party providers of software that allowed the Cricut to work with non-cartridge artwork. The machines themselves are quite solid, however, and work great within their limitations.