Big Squeegee tutorial

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

This morning I had to tape some stripes that are 177" (14.75 feet) long with the big squeegee and I figured I would take a few pics and show you guys how I do it and line everything up nice and straight. The stripes are just over 14.5" in width and I'm using a 16" roll of RTape Conform 4075-RLA to tape them off, which leaves little room for error, but it's actually quite easy if you have a cutting mat or table with a grid on it. In the first pic you will see the weeded stripe. I'm using Oracal 751 #537 deep blue. In the second pic, you will notice that I line the backing paper up with the grid down one side and then I use a straight edge and razor to cut the end at a perfect 90 degrees. Next I pull back a few inches of the transfer tape and line it up with the grid also as shown in the third pic. Next I pull the vinyl up underneath the roll of tape while being sure to keep it aligned with the grid. Next I just push the tape along with the squeegee until I work it all the way to the end and then trim the excess backing paper and tape away. In this particular case I think my tape ran out of alignment maybe a 1/4" over the entire length. Before learning this alignment technique through trial and error, I would have opted to use a 24" wide roll of tape, which would result in a lot of excess waste and less profit.

 

[Zac]

This morning I had to tape some stripes that are 177" (14.75 feet) long with the big squeegee and I figured I would take a few pics and show you guys how I do it and line everything up nice and straight. The stripes are just over 14.5" in width and I'm using a 16" roll of RTape Conform 4075-RLA to tape them off, which leaves little room for error, but it's actually quite easy if you have a cutting mat or table with a grid on it. In the first pic you will see the weeded stripe. I'm using Oracal 751 #537 deep blue. In the second pic, you will notice that I line the backing paper up with the grid down one side and then I use a straight edge and razor to cut the end at a perfect 90 degrees. Next I pull back a few inches of the transfer tape and line it up with the grid also as shown in the third pic. Next I pull the vinyl up underneath the roll of tape while being sure to keep it aligned with the grid. Next I just push the tape along with the squeegee until I work it all the way to the end and then trim the excess backing paper and tape away. In this particular case I think my tape ran out of alignment maybe a 1/4" over the entire length. Before learning this alignment technique through trial and error, I would have opted to use a 24" wide roll of tape, which would result in a lot of excess waste and less profit.

Thanks for the tutorial! I'm currently researching easier application methods like the big squeegee and it seems like a dream for production efficiency. Did you make your table top?

 

[kheebl]

Thanks for the how to. I really need to order up a big squeegee.

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

Thanks for the tutorial! I'm currently researching easier application methods like the big squeegee and it seems like a dream for production efficiency. Did you make your table top?

I did make our work tables from scratch. The top is 3/4" MDO, topped with 1/8" ACM sheet. The one I use most frequently also has the Xtreme cutting mat top that you see in the photos.

 

[phototec]

This morning I had to tape some stripes that are 177" (14.75 feet) long with the big squeegee and I figured I would take a few pics and show you guys how I do it and line everything up nice and straight. The stripes are just over 14.5" in width and I'm using a 16" roll of RTape Conform 4075-RLA to tape them off, which leaves little room for error, but it's actually quite easy if you have a cutting mat or table with a grid on it. In the first pic you will see the weeded stripe. I'm using Oracal 751 #537 deep blue. In the second pic, you will notice that I line the backing paper up with the grid down one side and then I use a straight edge and razor to cut the end at a perfect 90 degrees. Next I pull back a few inches of the transfer tape and line it up with the grid also as shown in the third pic. Next I pull the vinyl up underneath the roll of tape while being sure to keep it aligned with the grid. Next I just push the tape along with the squeegee until I work it all the way to the end and then trim the excess backing paper and tape away. In this particular case I think my tape ran out of alignment maybe a 1/4" over the entire length. Before learning this alignment technique through trial and error, I would have opted to use a 24" wide roll of tape, which would result in a lot of excess waste and less profit.

Thanks for the tut, good explanation and photos, lots of times people on here try and explain a process without any photos, and it's hard to understand, (in their mind they know what they are talking about, but we don't), photos always help.

Question, is that ONE long cutting mat, or two put together to make 16'?