Where to get Wide sheets of vinyl

[Nacimroc]

I can't find a place to get wide sheets of vinyl. i.e. over 900mm.  Most places sell them in rolls 900mm wide. I don't want a strip down the full length of the side and the painting just isn't going my way!  I live in Ireland so would have to deliver here if possible.

Thanks

[Turnarcades]

Can be very difficult unless going for an industrial application. Fablon offer many of their styles in industrial sizes over 900mm wide but you usually have to ask them directly to give you details of a supplier. The only style they are likely to do suitable for cabinet application though is the satin black as all larger cuts are designed for things like door skinning, so you only tend to find wood-grain type designs in larger sizes.

[shrunkenmaster]

You could try Vinyl Depot Retail. There's a link on my Mystery Machine thread (in my signature). I got 900mm from them but they may stock wider. Worth a punt anyway

[javeryh]

You should use 1mm laminate (not vinyl) to laminate an entire cabinet side - it is way more durable and imperfections in the side panel are way less likely to show through.  These can be bought in 4'x8' sheets in a lot of different places (1219mm x 2438mm).  The last one I bought was off of eBay and it was $57.50 shipped.   

[alfonzotan]

This probably won't help any in Ireland, but in the States, you can get HDPE material in many different thicknesses, colors and lengths from Grainger Industrial Supply for very cheap.  I got a 2' X 4', 1/16" black sheet for $15.  Worked like a charm for surfacing my new control panel.

Problem with Grainger is, they don't sell to the public... you have to have a business account, or work for a company that already has an account with them.

[Franco B]

I've been meaning to try some High Impact Polystyrene (HIPs)

You can get it in a variety of thicknesses and colours and its VERY cheap.

For example, a 1220x915x1.0mm RED M/P HIPS sheet is £5.48 

I think someone used it on there Vewlix cab (Spaced Hedgehog?).

Look [here] for a UK supplier.

[dmarcum99]

In the US, I found a dealer that sells the same vinyl that Happ sells, and cheaper...including shipping.  They're located in Cleveland, OH

http://www.veii.com/  1-800-321-2311

I was going to order some black pica viny...and quoted for $3.70 a foot. (40" or 48" wide) It's been over a year since I was quoted, so the price may have increased.

[shrunkenmaster]

I've been meaning to try some High Impact Polystyrene (HIPs)

Would you trim it in the same fashion as laminate? Sounds like a viable (and cheaper) alternative.

[Franco B]

[This] is where I saw it being used before.

And a little quote from further down the thread:

It comes in lots of colours and is very easy to work with. The .5 and .25mm is very flexible although the former doesn't bend round sharp angles. I wish the thought had come to me sooner to use this as it would have saved a lot of time prepping the wood on the front sections and control panel pieces to get them completely smooth before applying the vinyl. Glueing this on top of the wood and then applying the vinyl would make a very smooth and clean looking surface. It's possibe to use vinyl dye on it as well so there are lots of options for its use.

It really does sound like good stuff. I phoned them a while back to get some samples and they said they would send some out if I emailed them. I did, but never heard or received anything. I think I may try and get some sampes again. I don't have a project in mind for it at the moment but I would like to get some samples to have a play with.

[javeryh]

Hey Franco - any idea why you would need to vinyl over top of this stuff?  Is there any way to tell if there is texture (like laminate) or is this just smooth plastic (in which case I could see why you might want to add vinyl for some texture)?  It seems to run about $30 a sheet in the US based on a quick Google search which is a bit cheaper than the Formica laminate.

[Franco B]

Hey Jav. I'm not sure buddy. After re-reading the post I'm not entirely sure what to make of it

It would seem a bit pointless to put the HIPs sheet down and then put vinyl on top as the vinyl would only get damaged anyway.

I only guessing here but I think that the HIPs will be very smooth. I'll email them again to see if I can get some samples so I can evaluate it.

[Nacimroc]

Thanks for replies! Will check them out! I did laminate my last cab, but 2 x (12x5) sheets cost me 200 euro!  

That HIP stuff looks perfect Franco, but what is wrong with leaving it as is I wonder! Why the need to vinyl over it! The finish he got on the viewlix cab looks exactly like matt black laminate.

I'm contacting them about international delivery so will post back if/when I get it and install it!  Hopefully they won't go mad with delivery costs!

[The Lumberjackass]

ive been to a1 signs in galway recently.

they are printing me out custom vinyl , and i'd nearly swear the guy said the sheet of vinyl i chose was 1000mm wide.
it is a special vinyl , which is designed to hide previous art or posters that are on the item for covering.
the front of it is solid white and the rear of it , where the adhesive is, is grey . so no matter what you place it on ,
it'll block out filler holes , and bad colour imperfections.

what it wont hide is holes / lumps n bumps in the wood . i used a test piece on my cab and it sticks perfectly and hides
the filler holes perfectly ( they dont show through ). i'd ring them just to verify that you can get it 1000mm wide first.

www.a1signs.ie 091-756855

if your not living too far away , i'd call into them.

[Franco B]

I personally wouldn't use vinyl. Its too soft for a material that is meant to protect the cabinet and it will just end up marking too easily.

If I was going to put time into another scratch built cab/pin etc I would only use laminate or possibly HIPs if its up to scratch....or should that be not up to scratch