posted
As many of you know, I haven't been doing signs and vinyl graphics very long. Which brings me to this topic. We (my husband, Garry, is now working for me)were just doing simple 15" letters on a bus yesterday and today. I say today because we couldn't get the vinyl to go down right-no bubbles, nice around rivets. The vinyl seemed SO thin that if I took a finger or thumb to try to work water and/or bubble out, the vinyl shifted and I got folds in it. I had to re-do so many letters today that there was no profit. I ordered from my regular supplier, who carries FDC, so I didn't think about checking to make sure that's what I got.
We then went to install a big decals on a racing trailer. We got so many bubbles and folds that we re-did the first layer. Thinking it looked great through the pre-mask, he wet it and gently pulled it off only to find zillions of tiny bubbles. We packed up and came home for the night. We'll tackle it again in the morning.
[ April 18, 2002, 10:13 PM: Message edited by: Laura Butler ]
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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One cause of bubbles is how the transfertape is applied. You may want to look into a Sabel Block Roller.
It applies the transfertape much faster and smoother.
Also, look at the surface of the table you are using. Is the surface scarred from using the x-acto knife? The little channels the scarring creates also help to trap tiny bubbles between the vinyl and transfertape.
posted
As Glenn says, the first place you will get bubbles is when applying the transfer tape. Treat it when laying it down as if you are laying vinyl down, very carefully!
I have a method I use for applying vinyl that's a little different. After I lay my transfer tape, I take a rivit brush and make a light pass on top of the transfer tape (in circular motions), this makes sure that all the letters or pieces come off of the backing paper. Then to actually apply vinyl, I use a 3" roller and start from one end and work my way to the other. I do this dry all the time and almost never have bubbles.
After it's applied, with transfer tape still on, I take my trusty rivit brush once again and make a pass over the graphic in clockwise motions,(with firm pressure) then back over it again counterclockwise. Sounds crazy, but what this does is it really gets the graphic down, especially the edges. Try it, you'll see how the transfer tape really conforms around the graphic edges.
Call me crazy but it works, never had a failure and I do big trucks that get pressure washed all the time.
Hope this helps
-------------------- Tony Broussard Graphic Details Digital Media Loreauville, LA Posts: 395 | From: Loreauville, LA | Registered: Jul 1999
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Ditto on everything said. I'm not familiar with the Sabel Block Roller but I've tried the hard rubber rollers for applying transfer tape and found it to take too much time for me. The work surface should be fairly smooth. I usually pull the transfer tape out and over the weeded vinyl... the transfer tape on the (coming off of the roll) end is elevated a little, so I stick the pulled end to the table just beyond the weeded vinyl and then use my hands to smooth the transfer tape from the stuck end back towards the roll of T-Tape. Then I use two hard (green or gold) squeegees (one in each hand) and work from the center out or flip-flop up and down from one end to the other. Does that sound complicated?
I usually apply everything dry and have very few if any bubbles. Rivets... there you might try using a little heat (hair dryer) over the tranfer tape and maybe again after it is removed to conform the vinyl to the rivet. I run my squeegee edge around the rivet to set it in place.
Another thing is humidity in your shop. This can cause the t-tape to wrinkle up a little... causing goofy patterns and bubbles in your vinyl.
Maybe it was just one of those days.
-------------------- Jeff Vrstal Main Street Signs 157 E. Main Street Evansville, WI 53536 1-608-882-0322 Posts: 670 | From: Evansville, Wisconsin | Registered: Sep 2001
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posted
and this is why i still paint big stuff.....and i also apply dry, and when i do use fluid i use it ever so sparingly.....if you put on a lot, you spend more time tryin to get it to stick then ya did cuttin and tapin....
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I agree with Jeff and always use my hands to apply the tape and never put tape on over the cutting mat.Then I squeege again and always apply dry.Only applied wet a couple of times and it was over 100 degrees. Old Paint-I'm with you Paint the big stuff!!
-------------------- Randall Campbell Randy's Graphics, 420 Fairfield N. Hamilton Ontario Canada Posts: 2857 | From: Hamilton Ontario Canada | Registered: Jan 2002
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The smoother the surface you are applying to, the better things go. The more abrupt the angle you apply to the substrate the better. I use glass sheets on my tables to cut on and to apply the transfer tape. Today I was using low tac transferRite onto Dupont automotive that had yet to recieve the clear. Some spots had bubbles some didn't. I think it's because the paint was rougher (overspray) than most paints, and helped trap the air. The bubbles didn't appear until I used a heat gun which I normally use to finish. Avery says a pin is standard equipment... 15" letters I would use Rapid Tac. I'd do each letter seperately, from top to bottom so the air and rapid tac run out the bottom as I squeege down. If It's a larger piece, I would use two people to apply, one to hold up one end the other to squeege towards the first person. It would actually be interesting to see one of the Vinyl suppliers provide a link to a great "How TO Apply Viynl" maybe somebody knows one better than Avery's. (That shouldn't be hard to beat). Avery 2mil seems better than their 3.2 at laying down with no bubbles. Good luck!
-------------------- Brian Crothers CR Signs 1790 C Tamarac St. Campbell River B.C. V9W 3M6 briancrothers@crsigns.ca Posts: 82 | From: Campbell River B.C. Canada | Registered: Apr 2002
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