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Does all 3M have markings on the backing paper?

Stacey K

I like making signs
So, I accidently bought 3M IJ35 and not the 3M IJ35C - there are no markings on the backing paper indicating it is 3M and it jammed my printer up 4 times within 8 feet! The backing paper seems to have a wax or something on it so I'm thinking it's sticking to the bottom.

I chatted with a rep from Fellers and he said I got what I ordered, it came in a 3M box.

Is he correct or did I get some crap vinyl? Shouldn't there be markings on the backing paper?
 

White Haus

Not a Newbie
Can't say I've ever met a 3M material that didn't have their logo splattered on every single inch of the liner....that said we've never used IJ35 before.
 

DL Signs

Never go against the family
The only difference between 35 and 35C is the "C" is comply (air release). They both use the same liner material, and though I don't have any 35 in stock, every roll of 3M I have (ot that I've ever gotten for that matter) has branding on the liner. Sooooo..... I think something is amiss with what you got.
 

Boudica

Back to "educational purposes"
Echo what's been said - we always get 35C so I'm not sure what the non-comply looks like, but every 3m vinyl we have has marking on the back. Are there any stickers inside the core?
 

DL Signs

Never go against the family
Hard to imagine the regular 35 doesn't have branding. 3M goes so far overboard with branding that I'm surprised they don't tattoo their logo on employees.
 

ikarasu

Active Member
3m is in the midst of replacing their liners on a lot of materials.

Ij35c is now a blue backer that says scotchcal and looks almost identical to ij40c.

We've had some rolls of ij35 that has named backer.... And some that doesn't.

It all depends on which factory it was made in - but yes... There are a lot of non branded ij35 rolls out there.

Does the core have a sticker that says ij35 on it?
 

Splash0321

Professional Amateur
So, I accidently bought 3M IJ35 and not the 3M IJ35C - there are no markings on the backing paper indicating it is 3M and it jammed my printer up 4 times within 8 feet! The backing paper seems to have a wax or something on it so I'm thinking it's sticking to the bottom.

I chatted with a rep from Fellers and he said I got what I ordered, it came in a 3M box.

Is he correct or did I get some crap vinyl? Shouldn't there be markings on the backing paper?
51CFCB5C-8E27-4875-855D-21674E1139E2.jpeg

I’ve never seen any 3m vinyl without the markings on the liner. Found a photo of it online…doesn’t mean it all comes this way nowadays. I’ve used the ij35C and it definitely does. Even their lower end 50 series scotchcal does.
 

rydods

Member for quite some time.
There should be a decal inside of the core tube that lists what it is and where it came from, I think??
 

Stacey K

I like making signs
I guess there is a tiny 1"x.5" sticker on the inside. I had to take a picture of it and blow it up to read it. It says Product IJ35-10 Date 9-1-22

I'll maybe unroll a bit of it and see what the deal is with the liner. Like I said, it seems waxy on the bottom which I THINK is causing it to jam up.
 

ChicagoGraphics

New Member
Some years ago I have gotten 3M film with no markings but their was a label on the inside core, it was their cheapest vinyl and the backing paper was ultra thin, never used it again
 

Kemik

I sell stickers and sticker accessories.
So, I accidently bought 3M IJ35 and not the 3M IJ35C - there are no markings on the backing paper indicating it is 3M and it jammed my printer up 4 times within 8 feet! The backing paper seems to have a wax or something on it so I'm thinking it's sticking to the bottom.

I chatted with a rep from Fellers and he said I got what I ordered, it came in a 3M box.

Is he correct or did I get some crap vinyl? Shouldn't there be markings on the backing paper?
I've used IJ35 for years and it does not have any markings on the backing paper. I stopped using it after they discontinued the 60" wide rolls.
 

BigNate

New Member
.... so this thread with the uncertainness in the responses goes to show our industry is ripe for a counter-fitter to jump in... if no one has a way to tell what actual media they have in their hands is..... With paper we can look at the fibers under a scope and caliper the sheet - I have seen no such test to check vinyl. We are at the mercy of the vendor who sold it to us, and the vendor may not actually know what they have....

has anyone heard of a test that is cost-effective at our user level to test the composition of a plastic media? there are plastic scanners that cost many thousands of dollars, but I have not seen one that has enough accurate and precise measurements to facilitate differentiation much beyond gross composition of the material.
 

damonCA21

New Member
If you buy from an official dealer for the vinyl manufacturer then you can be pretty sure you are getting the genuine article. No dealer is going to risk it selling counterfeit vinyl.
I have never even seen or heard of counterfeit vinyl. There really isn't enough margin in it to make it worth a fakers while. There are so many cheap vinyls out there already there is no need to fake the expensive ones.
The only times I could see this happening is if a non official dealer was selling it on ebay for example, or if it was coming direct from China but they would have be selling tens of thousands of metres to make it worth doing
 

DL Signs

Never go against the family
I notice differences in the same vinyl's. We go through quite a bit of IJ40C, and select rolls from recent batches have a much stronger adhesive smell compared to other batches. Like standing over an open bucket of glue. I'm sure that there are variations like that, and more, from every batch, run, plant... I think consistency is a relative term, especially from a company as large as 3M that has so many facilities and product lines. As long as it still prints, lays, and lasts as expected, I'm sure it's within spec to them.
 
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