Half-cutting/splitback stickers and decals.

[Heebeegeebee]

We're doing a ton of stickers and decals these days. Does anyone have any experience with split back or half-cut backing? What are you using for equipment?

 

[LarryB]

Olfa Top Sheet Cutter from Amazon.

 

[kcollinsdesign]

A Rollem Insignia 5 will get the job done. It is a significant, but necessary investment ($140k) for a production sticker plant, and will allow for high volumes and competitive pricing.

For the casual recreational printer you can hand cut the backs with an Olfa top sheet cutter (<$20). Of course, the labor cost to slit each sticker by hand would far exceed the wholesale cost of the sticker purchased from a professional printer. I don't recommend it, but you can also use a high-quality plotter to kiss-cut the back of printed material (which usually results in many square yards of ruined material as the blade quickly dulls cutting paper fiber, in addition to alignment issues).

I've mentioned before that being competitive in the sticker business requires an investment in the $500k to $1M range. Without the proper plant and sophisticated sales, fabrication, materials handling, and shipping operations (and the sales volume to support it), there is essentially no way to be even close to profitable in this segment (unless you are over-charging your customers). The average sign shop or large format printer will be doing themselves and their customers a significant service by out-sourcing sticker production.

 

[McDonald Signs]

I recently bought one of these liner cutting tools and it works really well for slitting backing liner on decals. It uses standard razor blades too which are easy to find.

 

[jharler]

A Rollem Insignia 5 will get the job done. It is a significant, but necessary investment ($140k) for a production sticker plant, and will allow for high volumes and competitive pricing.

For the casual recreational printer you can hand cut the backs with an Olfa top sheet cutter (<$20). Of course, the labor cost to slit each sticker by hand would far exceed the wholesale cost of the sticker purchased from a professional printer. I don't recommend it, but you can also use a high-quality plotter to kiss-cut the back of printed material (which usually results in many square yards of ruined material as the blade quickly dulls cutting paper fiber, in addition to alignment issues).

I've mentioned before that being competitive in the sticker business requires an investment in the $500k to $1M range. Without the proper plant and sophisticated sales, fabrication, materials handling, and shipping operations (and the sales volume to support it), there is essentially no way to be even close to profitable in this segment (unless you are over-charging your customers). The average sign shop or large format printer will be doing themselves and their customers a significant service by out-sourcing sticker production.

I've launched a successful, profitable, growing sticker business with significantly less than $500k. My customers are extremely happy with the stickers they receive and the price they pay for them.

Just because you don't see a way it can be done doesn't mean it can't be done.

OP, as far as the split backing, I would recommend against it. We do not offer it as an option, but instead offer easy peel borders and tabs that make it easy to peel the stickers off the backing paper. My customers love these options and I rarely even get asked about split backs.

 

[FireSprint.com]

We sell a ton of easy peel borders and kiss cut stickers for this reason.

Adding a small white area around the sticker allows for additional promotion. A second sticker, a barcode, a hang tag/hole, a coupon for another product. All this can be achieved without a second production step.

Kiss Cut Stickers, Free Shipping, Vinyl Decals

Kiss Cut Stickers/Vinyl decals cut to any shape. Fast Production and free ground shipping. White vinyl with full color imprint.

www.firesprint.com