print width

[maynemag]

I am about to embark on my first wrap. I have a Roland FJ-50 that has been converted but I was wondering how wide should I make my panels? I know it says 54" printer but I have heard it will only print as wide as 52". If I have 54" media then do I just use the extra 2" as my overlap. or should I just try and find some 48" media. If I use 48" should I print full bleed. Thanks in advance.

[Pat White]

Not sure about the FJ-50 but we have an XC-540 (54") and I can print up to 53" wide. The only thing holding you back are the pinch rollers. For wraps just print your panels as big as you want them (within that 53") then account for an overlap. You're gonna want to trim out that unprinted area once laminated, you won't want an overlap that big.
Hope that makes sense...!

[insignia]

You'll want to use 54" material, printing about 51-52" wide. The overlap in a wrap is not the white unprinted edges of the media. When you set up your tiles or panels in your RIP you will have to specify how much overlap you need between each panel. Everyone likes something different for overlaps, I prefer .25"-.5", some people like more. But you tell the RIP how much overlap, and when it divides the large file into the individual panels it will incorporate overlap in each panel. If you don't tell it you want overlap, the panels will butt together which will cause the wrap to fail as eventually they will pull apart.

[maynemag]

Thanks that is what i was thinking. So what method do you guys use to cut off that extra unprinted area? What could I use to keep it straight, I really would like to stay away from hand cutting that long, especially when I get things rolling and have to do a trailer or something that big. should I invest in a large plotter?

[Pat White]

A plotter is great to have for other shape cut graphics, but I personally prefer to hand cut my wrap panels. It really doesn't take that long and I trust my knife/straight edge more than I do a plotter for long runs.

[maynemag]

cool I will give it a shot.

[B Snyder]

How are you going to laminate the prints?

[maynemag]

I use the big squeegee for laminating its in my budget.:wink: