Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Hangers

Bill Henry-

Brussel Sprout Connoisseur
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For several years, I have used “pressure sensitive adhesive hangers” (United # 3092) on foam board for those customers who simply want to hang dry mounted posters and who are too cheap to frame them.

In the last three weeks, I have had two of those posters returned because the Propylene hangers have torn! The adhesive is intact, but the plastic has ripped. Neither of the posters have been larger than 22 x 28 and both customers claim that the posters have been relatively immobile i.e. not swinging on the breeze so to speak so I doubt the hanger has sawed through the plastic. Both pieces were hung from 20# wall hooks and not nails alone. Both posters were hung less than 6 months ago.

Both of these posters are, I believe, less than the one pound weight limit that the specs allow.

Has anyone experienced this problem? Anybody got an alternative?
 
Bill,
I use the metal foamcore hangers that you press in to the back of the foamcore and lock in place.
They seem to work well.
 
Bill

I too have seen this. They have always been that way. I have tried several different vendors over the years and they are all the same. The metal ones with teeth do hold up much better, but I am unhappy about poking holes in the shrink wrap film. When I give a customer a plastic hanger I tell them that they don't last forever.

Some of these customers I have actually got to upgrade the sale to a $50 "poster frame special" as opposed to just a $15 shrink wrap job.
 
Those plastic hangers do better when they're hanging on a real picture hook instead of just a nail, because of the larger surface area, but - yes - I've had some that tore through the plastic.

Those metal hangers that Jerry mentioned work well, though some will penetrate the face of 1/8" fomecore, so they are safer with 3/16".

When I use either type with shrink wrap, I attach the hanger before shrink wrapping, then cut a little slit for the hanger and put a piece of tape across the slit to prevent tearing.

It looks like crap, but it's not a service I want to perform all day long. I do maybe a half-dozen of these a year.
 
I also use the metal hangers(being very careful to NOT push the 'locker' tab too far in) and cover it all with a piece of tape which, I believe, does a good job of ensuring the hanger remains in contact with FC.....tried it without and just wasn't satisfied! w.w.
 
Thanks for your advice.

For those of you who are using the metal poster hangers are you using United’s “Kwik Hanger” ( #4191) or the “Picture Poster Hanger” (#3721)?

I can’t tell from their web site image which looks to be better.

Ron,

I am shocked, … shocked, do you hear, that you didn’t suggest Wall Buddies!
 
I like to reserve the WallBuddies for those discriminating customers who are willing to spend more than $10 on wall decor.

Bill, I've use both types. I like the Kwik Hangers 'cause they're Kwik (and I suspect they're made in New Zealand.) The Kwik Hangers have no moving parts so, without looking, I'm guessing they're cheaper.

After you've pushed them into the fomecore, there is a little tab you can push/pound in that locks the hanger in place so it doesn't easily back out.

The Picture Poster Hanger has, I think, a similar device so - as they say around here - it's a horse apiece.

If you'd like me to mail you a few to try out, let me know.
 
Thanks for the offer, Ron, but the Kwik Hanger is 5¢ a piece while the other (with a hinge?) is 69¢. That made up my mind in a hurry – I’m goin’ Kwik! Getting 1C of ‘em will cost less than shipping from Wisconsin, you betcha …or is that a Dakota expression?
 
Bill,
You might want to consider carrying the Uni-Frame 20 and/or Uni-Frame 40. They are kits with clear plastic clips that go over the sides with cord and a tension spring for the back.

Some customers use it with acrylic or glass over the front (I personally won't use these with glass) OR use nothing over the front.

These clips help the posters keep from bowing. Take a look:

www.eubankframe.com
 
If the plastic is tearing, you might be able to
relieve the problem by adding a layer of strong
tape, such as box sealing tape, to the hanger
before it leaves the shop.

Hugh
 
Sherry, I'm glad you've had a good experience with the Uniframes. Let me share my experience (for balance, ya know.)

The Uniframe system depends on tension (provided by the weight of the "framed" item and the spring on the hanging cord) to work. That tension has the tendency to warp the piece toward the back.

On larger pieces framed with acrylic, I've seen the Uniframe - slowly, over time - fold a piece of Acrylic until the clips just slipped right off. There are special directions with the Uniframe for using Acrylic, but I've personally had mixed results with that procedure.

In fact, while I sometimes use the Uniframe 20 on smaller pieces, and the Eubank stainless clips on larger ones, I ONLY use them with glass. I think the system relies on the semi-rigid nature of glass to work at all. (A precarious arrangement at best.)

I switched from the Uniframe 40 to the Eubank stainless clips several years ago after seeing a few 40s break on the wall after a few months or years of hanging.
 
Sherry,

We’ve been using Uni-Frames for several years, but they still scare me. Acrylic, in our experience, will bow too much for larger pieces; glass, even when seamed, is still exposed and potentially lethal. I always beg the customer not to hang a Uni-Frame in a house which has kids. (They do anyway.)

I’ve never sold Uni-Frames without some glazing, since I harbor a fear that without glass, the tension of the “claws” on unprotected foam board will damage the edges of the poster. I’ve never tested this, however.

A few years ago, I watched a customer walk out to her car with a Uni-Framed piece under her arm as she realized she didn’t have her keys in her hand. She dropped the package down on the asphalt to look in her purse. She returned a minute later screaming at me that I had sold her “defective” glass.
 
Ron & Bill - I "hear" you!

Honestly, I rarely use them and save them only for the occassional high school/college poster when Mom & Dad don't want to cough up metal moulding monies. One was for a nephew and I built up the back of the poster and did not use any glazing. By the time it bends, he will be done with his 'Mustang GT-500' poster and will be working full time for the real thing!!
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I have a sample of the stainless steel 'clips' by Eubank but have not used it yet. I'll have to give it a try!
 
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