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Basic Sign Making question?

T

Tagdog

New Member
I am new to the digital world. I have a Summa DC 4. I will probably buy an inkjet at the end of the year, which I will seek some advice and input. I have done my on door magnets and a full color banner( I had to print on vinyl and stick it on to the banner material as the summa is not great for this, hence the reason for an inkjet.)
Anyway to the basic stupid question.
If I make a sign and use Diabond or Allumacore ( have not seen it yet or sure I'm spelling right) and print it out in full color on one large piece of vinyl, what do I do with the edges?
Doe I cut and leave a couple inches all the way around and wrap the vinyl to the back side? What if its a two sided sign do I do the same thing and just not worry about the little ridge I would have to cover. I guess if the sign is in a frame I would not have to worry about this.
Like I said I am very new to this. The first vinyl I tried to stick on without any soapy water on my substrate. It was horrible. I tried soapy water and it worked great. I have been screen printing and came into the digital by need of making stickers.
Our company is called Signs Up which is really a gift item wholesale company www.signs-up.com I kept getting calls local for making signs. We have always told them that we did not do that. Well now I am going to get into it.
I am a fast learner. Any help or input would be appreciated.
Signs Up
 
Billct2

Billct2

Active Member
First...NO SOAPY WATER.
If you must do wet applications use a commercial product.
You can do a search for the many threads on wet vs dry application.
Second where the edge of the print ends up depends on the job, but most of the time you'll apply right to the edge. Wrapping around the vack is OK we do it sometimes. And yes, if you're capping or framing the substrate then it's less of an issue.
 
Bigdawg

Bigdawg

Just Me
We go right to the edge, but I if I lay the vinyl down by hand (don't use the laminator) I leave about 1/4" all the way around and trim the excess vinyl from the back. That way if it's not quite straight the substrate doesn't show.
 
T

Tagdog

New Member
Thanks

Okay, so I'll try some rapid tack.

What about applyiny to large surfaces like a 3' by 4' or bigger.
Do you take all the backing off thevinyl and try and put down all at once or do you start with an edge and put a little at a time down?
 
B

beckys

New Member
i use dawn and water, just a few drops in spray bottle, for 13 years now. I would trim the edge back right along the substrate w/a blade.
 
weaselboogie

weaselboogie

New Member
Learn Dry and it will change your life.

I used Baby Shampoo and water for YEARS. No failure issues whatsoever, but now that I do everything dry, it's so much faster.

I refuse to endorse Rapid tac becasue the owner is an ass. Roger used to be a merchant member here until he got Rapidly Removed.
 
gabagoo

gabagoo

New Member
we find depending on the ink usage that the vinyl is very soft and can stretch. If it is a 4 x 8 sign we have used soapy water and they come out fine.
 
hammered

hammered

New Member
Ive tried and failed with RT and RT2. I use the cheaper and seemily better solution of a couple drops of cheap dish soap and water.
 
d fleming

d fleming

New Member
I agree with darlak. Nothing beats a laminator for ease of use putting large stickers on large boards. The daige is about the least expensive besides the big squeegee everyone talks about. I use the daige and am happy with it for what it does. Nothing fancy. Met the guys from there at the show in Orlando. Great people. Big squeege is definitely the least expensive and from what everyone says on this board about it, worth a try first before you get to spending a few grand instead of a few hundred.
 
eforer

eforer

New Member
+ 1 for using a laminator, but if you don't want to shell out for a high quality laminator (GBC, Seal, Ledco etc.) a big squeegee is great for mounting and a terrific backup if you do own a laminator. I have a variety of big squeegees that I keep around in case my GBC Orca ever has problems (rare but its happened). I also like using my big squeegee to adhere that first 1" or so of print to the edge of the board before running it through the laminator.

Definitely apply dry too, a laminator or big squeegee makes this pretty easy, but even without those tools, a center hinge will work well dry.
 
T

Tagdog

New Member
Thanks again

Okay, Ill look at the big squeege site later today. But I'll proabably eventually want a laminator. Let me see if I understand this. With the right laminator, I can print a large 4' by 8' piece of vinyl and put it onto a 4' x 8' piece of substrate dry without any problems? Do you know of any video links where I can see this done?
:thankyou: Signs Up
 
iSign

iSign

New Member
I don't know of a video link, but I have $5000 laminator, and I use it to laminate the 4x8 prints I do... but I use my big squeegee to do the application to the substrate.

For one, I would have to remove the laminate from the laminator to use it for mounting, and then I would have to web it up again to use as a laminator... these 2 steps both use time and waste material.

Using the big squeegee, I am done long before I would have been done on the laminator, not even counting re-webbing... PLUS I don't waste laminate.

Another reason I don't use my laminator to mount 4x8's is because I'd need a huge empty room with a flat 4x8 space in front of the laminator, and behind the laminator... and I just don't have that kind of space.
 
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