bumper sticker tip

[radfringe]

Like to put a bumper sticker on your vehicle but hate adhering it directly on the vehicle... or fear your car being freeperized when left in a parking lot because of the bumper sticker?

Many stores carrying printer supplies also have Ink Jet Printable Magnetic sheets (8 1/2 X 11). The problem with printing directly on the magnet sheets is two-fold - the ink will run when wet and/or ink will fade within a short period of time.

my "tip": buy the magnet sheets, and stick your favorite conventional stylebumper sticker directly onto a magnet sheet. Trim the magnet sheet to fit the sticker and slap it on your car. Easy on and easy off.

most packets of magnet sheets contain 5 sheets. With careful placement you can get two conventional bumper stickers to a sheet.

[B Calm]

1. excellent suggestion

[Sherman A1]

2. Good Post- Thanks!

Then when they fade, you can just put a new one on top of the old one.

[jgraz]

3. Yep, I have about 50 stickers that I rotate on and off

Great for keeping your car current with up-to-the-minute news.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

10. See My Post Below. I Think It Would Be Perfect For You.

[B Calm]

4. Can you purchase these at an office supply store?

[radfringe]

5. Staples has the Avery brand

http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StaplesProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&prodCatType=0&catalogId=10051&productId=85927&cmArea=SEARCH

Avery Personal Creations™ Inkjet Magnet Sheets
Create personalized magnetic business cards, logos and more!

Print one or multiple designs on blank sheets, then cut out
Matte coated to create rich colors and vibrant photo reproduction
Guaranteed to feed easily through most popular ink jet printers
White
8 1/2" x 11"

11.99 for pack of 5 sheets

but you can probably find it at a "box store" for less money, possibly a different brand too

there's also this place on-line: http://www.decalpaper.com/magnetic-decalpaper.html?gclid=CPahnPLs3YwCFRUHWAod4TDB7Q

5 sheets for $6.95

[Sydnie]

6. I buy larger magnetic sheets at a craft store

I buy them at A. C. Moore, but they might be available at other larger craft stores too. They are not printable in a regular printer, but you can get between 8 and 10 regular bumper sized stickers out of a sheet this size. I sticker on my store bought stickers, cut it to size, and repeat until the sheet is too small to fit any of my stickers.

You can also buy bumper sticker printable paper at most large office supply stores and print your own sticker. Then, stick this to the magnet sheet too. I seal it with a craft grade spray adhesive to keep the ink from fading too quickly or running after repeated exposure to the elements. The good thing about printing your own is, once it's faded, you can print a new one and change the message to fit the expression of thought needed at the moment.

I guess you can say that I have a wardrobe of bumper stickers now, that I can change to fit the occasion. Not unlike my clothes. ;)

[ordinaryaveragegirl]

7. Great idea, thanks!

I have the "fear of being freeperized" thing where I'm at, and need to try this. Thanks for the fantastic tip!!!

[madokie]

8. excellent idea

I've been using clear cling sheets to print them on and placing them on the inside of my windows.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

9. Got Somethin Better Than That I 'Invented' Over Two Years Ago That You'll Love Then!

Especially if you like doing your own.

Same concept but a bit better and it works great! Ya take the same magnetic sheets, but cut it about a centimeter larger on all sides. Then, cut out the middle square which should be the size of the bumper sticker you want to use. Now you have two pieces; a solid center piece and an outer frame. Now take a piece of laminating paper (which is what I used, but any durable and thin plastic sheeting would suffice) and cut it to the exact dimensions of the outer frame, but leaving the center solid. Glue it to the edges and voila! You're done. Now just make a template in MSWord the same dimensions (use the ruler) as the inside square, and design ANYTHING you want in color. Print it out, cut it out of the paper, slap it right on the backing square WITHOUT glue, and just put the frame around it. The magnetic frame part will fit perfectly around the inner piece and all of the sides of it, including the backing square, will lay flat against the vehicle. This means the whole thing is sealed from rain. When you are tired of whatever sticker you printed, just take off the frame piece and put a fresh design right in! Switch it up in 10 seconds flat!

I've always wanted to share that here because it works great and you can literally print out a new message every single day if you wanted to and switch it up in seconds. The only reason I haven't shared it is because I still didn't know if it was something I could patent and market. But fuck it, it's been so long I might as well share it with my DU'ers. I hope you all like it! Maybe later I'll post a picture of it if anyone wants.

[B Calm]

12. Pretty neat idea. Maybe you should try to market it....

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

13. Thanks. It Works Really Well Too. Reason I Haven't Taken It Further Though,

is because when I first was creating the prototype I was under the false impression that most bumper stickers were some sort of standard size. I thought a big part of this was that people could buy bumperstickers but not have to actually 'stick' them permanently to their vehicle. But then when looking into further, I quickly discovered that bumpersticker sizes are all over the map, so I have NO IDEA what dimensions to actually make this thing! But I guess I should try some sort of default size that would be popular, and at least people could still print out any design they want just scaled to that size.

But when it comes down to it my problem with inventing (my hobby on the side) is the follow through. I come up with a good idea but then end up not being committed enough to invest the money or time into making it real. The only one I've ever come close on was my long life lightbulb invention, but the investors I found ended up not wanting to take it further because they weren't sure of the risk vs reward, since to this day the market for longer life bulbs sucks compared to the conventional ones. But when I watch that show 'American Inventor', I get all sorts of motivated to finally take some of this more seriously and do somethin with it. Someday! :)

[Libby2]

17. I would love to see a picture...please. n/t

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

18. Ok. But It Won't Be Until Later This Afternoon/Evening.

After work I have to go pick up my 3 yr old to go to his 'Move Up' daycare class graduation ceremony. But after that, I'll see what I can do. :)

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

23. Here Ya Go!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1119794&mesg_id=1119794

[jgraz]

21. Cool -- that's a great idea

And yeah, I'm pretty sure you could still patent it.

[EstimatedProphet]

11. As a meanspirited idea for this

I've always wanted to print up stickers that say "Jerk", Fucktard", "Asshole", etc on magnetic sheets, to secretly put with the stickers on Freeper cars - the kind that are covered with Clinton-bashing and liberal-bashing crap. You could drive through a parking lot, see one of those kind of cars, slap a "This person is an asshole" sticker on the back as you go by, and no one would ever be the wiser.

[Catshrink]

14. Or "Kool-Aid drinker" to put on cars with W'04 stickers still on them

Or maybe simply "Moran."

[EstimatedProphet]

19. Yeah, those are good

[jgraz]

22. I know "someone" who's done that quite a bit

Except "he" (who is in no way "me") usually forgets the magnetic backing part.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

15. I've stuck bumperstickers on those ink jet magnet sheets and they always curl up.

Those magnetic signs people put on the doors of their work vehicles look like they're heavier material-- I wonder if they'd resist curling more than the printer stuff...

[radfringe]

20. there are some sites which sell

the heavier magnetic sheets or even in a roll

[Elspeth]

16. I saw a magnetic yellow ribbon here in San Diego that said "Support the magnetic ribbon industry."

I loved it. (Sorry if this is OT)