Plastic name tags

[Ashton Waters]

Hello all,

I have a question concerning the best ways of attaching the metal pins to the back of plastic name tags? I've looked at a couple and it looks like the findings are melted onto the back of the tag. Can anyone please tell me how this is done or suggest any other ways of securing the pins to the back of the plastic name tags. Thanks.

Ashton

[Mark Winlund]

Hi... finally, a question that an old timer can answer! A bit of interesting history... New Hermes had a patent on the process you speak of.... using ultrasonic energy to weld the pins on the back of badges. The patent ran out some years ago, and now anybody can use the process. Very expensive equipment though. Most shops use glue now... 3M #4475 works really well. Some findings come with a clear plastic strip that allow one to use the liquid solvents (methylene dichloride) to speed up the process. It works best with acrylic badges, but is nasty stuff. There is even really good double sided tape that will work. We use magnetic findings almost exclusively now (most customers willingly pay the extra buck to get them). These come with the adhesive already on them.

Mark

[Mike Null]

Just to second what Mark says, my commercial customers almost always specify magnets which come with adhesive. My college clients use a lot of pins and they also have the adhesive strips.

I have had no complaints in more than 9 years on either of these fasteners.

[Joe Pelonio]

Just to second what Mark says, my commercial customers almost always specify magnets which come with adhesive. My college clients use a lot of pins and they also have the adhesive strips.

I have had no complaints in more than 9 years on either of these fasteners.
Same here, pins and magnetic with DS foam tape on them, no problems.

[Bill Cunningham]

Now that they have some decent magnets available, I don't mind promoting magnets for my customers, but I still use a lot of pins. I use the ones with the plastic back, and a syringe of acetone to fix them on.. I put two or three tiny drops of acetone where the pin goes, then set it in place. The acetone will weld it to the plastic back. I have been using this method for almost 20 years and never had a pin separate from the badge yet.. There are some plastic backings that can not be affected by the acetone, but I have only come across them once, in one buy from a wholesaler. That particular backing was also very brittle and would actually break off the metal pinbacking. I complained to the wholesaler and they dumped them, and replaced the 500 I bought with the regular plastic backed ones..