DiBond Prep

beanpoleuk

Air-Valve Autobot!
Curiosity got the better of me so thought I would give Dibond a try

What prep work should I consider with Dibond ?

I am assuming after removing the protective cover, to either wipe down with cleaner or sand lightly with 600 wet/dry or both ?

Forget that... If I had bothered to use the search engine in the first place...
 
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I treat it like any tinware (car or Bike) and scuff, prime and basecoat.

Hope that helps
 
its quite an expensive board used in the signage industry, but if you cuddle up to one of the owners of a signage company they might give you some offcuts :p
 
Where do you get dibond


Dylan

Mainly off ebay. Also look for aluminium composite and you will find other makes as Dibond is a trademark and there are other alternatives. Be prepared as it is not the same as spraying on to paper or card!
 
its quite an expensive board used in the signage industry, but if you cuddle up to one of the owners of a signage company they might give you some offcuts :p

I dont think it is anymore expensive size for size as an artists canvas. I tend to buy offcuts from ebay that are usually 1000mm x 600mm that normally gets me around 2 A2 or 4 A3 or 8 A4. I will also buy 3 or 4 sheets as they are usually selling multiple sheets and this helps offset the postage.

That said it needs to be cut to size with a circular saw with a good (preferably fine) blade ... an exacto just wont cut it! Oh and remember to wear protective glasses when cutting! :black_eyed:
 
Steve,

If you bought it for erasing, scratching etc then I think you have made a mistake its not as forgiving as paper or board for that. I find that you can erase it to a certain extent but as the paint doesnt sink in then its very easy to go to far. You also have to let the paint set propery before doing any erasing on it or it comes off (yes I made this mistake!).

I use it because my ultimate aim is to start doing some custom jobs for my biking brothers (already have a few simple commissions but dont feel confident enough to do them yet) so we are talking Tanks, Plastics, helmets etc. All of which are hard surfaces and dont react the same way as paper or card where the paint is absorbed into the substrate a little (or a lot depending how mush paint you hit it with). Paper and card can be more forgiving with pressures than a hard surface. In Theory a finer line can be had on dibond and other hard surfaces as it doent leach into the substrate but in practice it is much harder because its less forgiving (spidering etc). I find I have to use my heat gun all the time with dibond to quicken the drying time and it is probably better suited to Uro's which flash off almost instantaneously.

You will also have to clear the finished work to protect it. I find its easy to scratch and chip until you get that protective coat on.

Hope this explains a bit more!

Andy
 
I dont think it is anymore expensive size for size as an artists canvas. I tend to buy offcuts from ebay that are usually 1000mm x 600mm that normally gets me around 2 A2 or 4 A3 or 8 A4. I will also buy 3 or 4 sheets as they are usually selling multiple sheets and this helps offset the postage.

That said it needs to be cut to size with a circular saw with a good (preferably fine) blade ... an exacto just wont cut it! Oh and remember to wear protective glasses when cutting! :black_eyed:

I hear you Talla - I just remember being blown away by the price for a full board from the one signage company (after they gave me a few small pieces for another project) so i imagine that was not the wholesale price :)
you are probably right regarding the size for size price :)

full board was about 1.2 x 2.4 m (IIRC)
 
Steve,

If you bought it for erasing, scratching etc then I think you have made a mistake its not as forgiving as paper or board for that. I find that you can erase it to a certain extent but as the paint doesnt sink in then its very easy to go to far. You also have to let the paint set propery before doing any erasing on it or it comes off (yes I made this mistake!).

I use it because my ultimate aim is to start doing some custom jobs for my biking brothers (already have a few simple commissions but dont feel confident enough to do them yet) so we are talking Tanks, Plastics, helmets etc. All of which are hard surfaces and dont react the same way as paper or card where the paint is absorbed into the substrate a little (or a lot depending how mush paint you hit it with). Paper and card can be more forgiving with pressures than a hard surface. In Theory a finer line can be had on dibond and other hard surfaces as it doent leach into the substrate but in practice it is much harder because its less forgiving (spidering etc). I find I have to use my heat gun all the time with dibond to quicken the drying time and it is probably better suited to Uro's which flash off almost instantaneously.

You will also have to clear the finished work to protect it. I find its easy to scratch and chip until you get that protective coat on.

Hope this explains a bit more!

Andy

Talla,

Thanks for the feedback, I didn't but specifically for erasing or scratching,just to experience the different media which after reading your comments looks like it will be very interesting to try.
:tennis:

Steve
 
I hear you Talla - I just remember being blown away by the price for a full board from the one signage company (after they gave me a few small pieces for another project) so i imagine that was not the wholesale price :)
you are probably right regarding the size for size price :)

full board was about 1.2 x 2.4 m (IIRC)

I'd hate cutting that up into A4 size pieces ... but I'd love to have a go at a painting that size :emmersed:
 
I'd hate cutting that up into A4 size pieces ... but I'd love to have a go at a painting that size :emmersed:
LOL - they actually cut it for me while i was watching - with a big circular saw on their table. nice machine.
 
LOL - they actually cut it for me while i was watching - with a big circular saw on their table. nice machine.

Bugger!

I had to cut my own with a rickety old work mate, a straight edge and a circular saw! I kept having nightmares about loosing fingers for days after :indecisiveness:

Sounds like your way is best!

Andy
 
Bugger!

I had to cut my own with a rickety old work mate, a straight edge and a circular saw! I kept having nightmares about loosing fingers for days after :indecisiveness:

Sounds like your way is best!

Andy
actually a router works well too :)

and then the airbrush for the giraffe camo :)
 

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