Keep in mind I'am fairly new at this Vinyl stuff.. I have been using Tranfer Rite high take and it seems to be very good.. but is there any others you might recommend for most applications? I have a couple rolls here that is adhereing to itself along the edges.. is this because it's going bad? I bought it maybe 8 months ago and stored it properly ( in a bag)..
[ February 20, 2005, 01:56 PM: Message edited by: Gonzalo (Peewee)Curiel ]
Posted by Alphonse Dente (Member # 4993) on :
TransferRite all the way. Mostly 1320 series, high tack. Tried R-Tape recently and there was no comparison. (I actually threw out the R-Tape).
Posted by roger bailey (Member # 556) on :
Transferite is great tape, a little tip about types; "high tac" is for small detailed work (fine cuts,lines or points). "mid tac" works well in most average size applications.
The larger the vinyl, the less aggresive tape necc. (lots of bonding area there) the smaller or more detail needs aggresive tape (not much surfase to bond to)
keep it dry,out of the air, and out of sunlite. The older it is, the more aggresive it becomes.
Roger
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
R-TAPE CONFORM....best all around....also i keep 1 roll of 12" clear, for the jobs when i have to layer vinyls....
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
I always used Transfer-rite High Tac for everything. They say it creates extra work for your self trying to remove large pieces onfleet graphics, but I need the exercise anyway .. & they say it is not suggested for use on edge prints, especially the first hour or two after printing, but I always use it anyway, right after printing... no problems yet. The sticking to itself problem is one I've had a lot lately with some other layflat" brand someone talked me into trying & I ended up throwing away about 20% of the 12 rolls I got. Finally using up the last roll now & I got about 16 rolls of the H-T Transfer-Rite stuff coming any day now.
hmmmmm, that reminds me, Sara Bogue has some new "Stencil-Rite" product I wanted to get a sample of at the USSC show. Anybody tried that stuff yet? Use it like a paint mask, comes on a release liner & cuts on a plotter.
Posted by Jon Butterworth (Member # 227) on :
Transferite Hi-Tac. I get a full log cut into two 2ft rolls to fit my weeding bench.
Also have a 12" roll of Transferite Clear. Had it over ten years now and it's still good!
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Gonzalo - Here's why your transfer tape is sticking together at the edges:
You are buying it from a distributor that is "baloney slicing" it to your size preferences. Baloney slicing is notorious for "smooshing" over the edges and pushing the adhesive along with it.
It costs a little more, but you're better off asking for stock size factory (supplied from Transfer-Rite or R-tape) cuts....ask your supplier what sizes are available pre-cut from the manufacturer and you'll eliminate this problem of sticky edges.
Transfer Rite is top notch in my opinion....although I do use R-tape often...they have a brand called Conform which stays flat to the liner where no vinyl is present...so you don't have the "curling" edges problem that can cause a bunch of self sticking issues when you're carting around a stack of ready-t0-apply graphics.
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
I think the roll picking up some moisture is a likely source of the problem. I've been buying my transfer-rite in 48" lengths cut to my specs, for 10 years & I've only had that type of sticking-at-the-edges issue about 2 or 3% of the time.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Doug....moisture may account for some issues, however, a former TR employee is a good friend of mine...and "baloney cutting" by distributors with not-so-sharp blades or cruddy equipment is the bulk of that problem....
this guy knows everything there is to know about transfer tape....and some stuff you don't want to know...
Take a kitchen knife (dull butter knife) and put some pressure on a roll of transfer tape very close to the end of the roll...and observe what happens.
You'll notice that there is a lot of "give" in the underlying winds of tape and you'll push several winds of tape toward the core.
Now imagine a dull, unbalanced baloney blade spinning very quickly and coming down on a roll of transfer tape like a Dewault chop saw....the dull blade cuts more from friction than sharpness and "smears" one wound layers contents on down across the edges of the underlying winds of tape...thus, effectively gluing them together.
I too, have had only periodic problems of this nature....but I am assured that is the cause.
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
If the bonding of the outer layer, with one or more inner layers is clearly originating at the very edge, your scenario sounds highly probable, but in my recent troubles with the "layflat" brand, the outer inch to inch & a half is delaminating as I unroll the material & the inside, adhesive-coated, half of the tape is sticking to the next layer down. This "bonding" is clearly pre-existing well into the roll from the edge, at an irregular amount, like you might expect from moisture absorbtion.
I've dropped a roll of tape where the edge hit the corner of a table & even when the outer layer was not ripped, I've seen such a dent or ding encourage a trouble spot that causes glitches in unrolling that DO originate at the edge. When this happens without me dropping the roll... I'll now know the dull-balony-blade theory is to blame Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Ahhh....I see what you're talking about now Doug...yeah, that sounds like a different animal.
And yeah, the dreaded corner smash is a big headache! I usually see this from UPS...the box is tossed around and smashed all to crap before you get it...you pull out the roll, and no-surprise - the tape is in about the same shape as the box it shipped in.
Posted by Ron Wakefield (Member # 4816) on :
R-TAPE CONFORM gives me a warm fuzzy. Posted by Gonzalo (Peewee)Curiel (Member # 3837) on :
Well I took a razor blade and cut about a 1/16" off the outer edge and it worked .. I shouldn't say cut, more like shaved it ain't pretty but the roll now can be used.. thanks guyz!!!!
Posted by Jason Davie (Member # 2172) on :
I like R-Tape Med Tack , But use R-tape clear quite a bit, If your like me you'll reuse the clear 2-3 times once and a while, I have used transferrite before but not sure why i dont use it now? I guess i'll order a roll and try it again to see..
Jason D
Posted by roger bailey (Member # 556) on :
I agree with Todd, poor equip. or poor maint. is usually the "edge sticking thing".
Doug, sounds more like moisture or maybe just not so fresh tape ?
The other thing I have seen is when the tape was applied to the vinyl and left on for more then a few days, this (after a few days) starts to bond more aggresively (maybe a chemical outgas situation) causing stronger then normal bond to vinyl ?
Roger
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
hmmm... what could be "more like moisture" then the "moisture" mentioned in both my posts?
(the layflat brand was bought from a reputable supplier, & I think a fairly recently aquired "house brand" but although it did not sit around aging on my shelf, I really can't say how old it was when I got it, all I can say is I will never order it again)
Posted by roger bailey (Member # 556) on :
I don't carry a degree in english lit. and admittedly don't always spell perfectly, and probably form sentences poorly at times.
I was agreeing with your 2nd. responce to this thread, was it that difficult to understand?
Roger
Posted by Sara Bogue (Member # 3227) on :
When the edges stick together, often there are "glue balls" on the ends of the rolls, it is indeed from being baloney cut with a dull blade, or too quickly. When the material won't unwind, or is delaminating the paper, it is an adhesive formula or paper problem, sometimes complicated by a machine issue (being wound too tight).
Roger had the tack explanation just right - the higher the tack, the smaller the letters. Application tape has a long shelf life of 30 months. And you shouldn't have any problem with Edge prints or leaving the vinyl masked with the paper products for days or weeks.
As far as curling up from the edges of the liner - try TransferRite Ultra - that's been formulated to stick to the backing paper.
If you ever have a problem with TransferRite, we want to hear about it. You can contact your supplier, or us directly. But we like to keep track of what's going on.
Thanks for the compliments, and yes, Doug, we'll send you a sample of the StencilRite!
Sara
Posted by Checkers (Member # 63) on :
Hiya Peewee, I've been a fan of R Tape for many years. They are located right up the street from a shop I used to work at. When they were working on the Conform formula I was the first one to try it out. Although it needed some tweaking, I was very happy with the prototypes. Now I use is exclusively. I will admit that after meeting Sara and the rest of the team from American Builtrite in A.C., I do need to take another look at their products. YOu can never be too comfortable with any oe product.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
Posted by John Largent (Member # 4606) on :
First . . most edge bonding is caused by storing the application tape in hot areas . . . Baloney cutting could be a problem, but most of the problems I have seen with it is from heat. R tape for some reason will be affected worse than Transferite.
And, depending on what you choose to use it for . . . I don't do vinyl so I prefer R tape for cutting masks, it'll stretch a little, lays flatter, cuts easier, all because it's just a little thinner than Transferite . . . On the other hand, I also keep several different widths of Transferite, also for masking, but for different types of materials.
As is apparent, everybody has a preference, even when doing exactly the same thing (almost)! You almost have to try em all to gain a preference . . As Monte Jumper sez: " If it werks fer you . . "
Posted by Gonzalo (Peewee)Curiel (Member # 3837) on :
Well it looks like I will stay with Transfer-rite.. I figure since I stand the tape on edge that is probably not helping I was probably dinging up the edges.. I shall change my ways!! I too use it as a paint mask also and like how it works for that.. I'm the type that doesn't welcome change, "It ain't broke so why fix it" I was sent a sample of Endura mask and was not impressed at all... Gracias again!!!!!!!!
Posted by Michael Latham (Member # 4477) on :
TransferRite ultra all tthe way, in 48" logs cut into 6, 12, 18 and 24" rolls. Clear by TransferRite also. Very few problems ever with edges sticking, I guess my supplier, Trim usa, does a good job.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
.. & they say it is not suggested for use on edge prints, especially the first hour or two after printing, but I always use it anyway, right after printing... no problems yet. The sticking to itself problem is one I've had a lot lately with some other layflat" brand someone talked me into trying & I ended up throwing away about 20% of the 12 rolls I got. Finally using up the last roll now & I got about 16 rolls of the H-T Transfer-Rite stuff coming any day now. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)