Help needed on vinyl printing

[Zack R]

Hi, my name is Zack. I'm an art student from Singapore. I'm in need of help regarding inkjet technology. I'll list the scenario down.

There is a private VIP art exhibition in the planning stage. 50 iPads will be in circulation. The top heads task me and my crew to
design the school logo, to be made into an iPad skin, and pasted at the back of all the iPads except we don't have a printer.
I have submitted a purchase approval for a Roland VersaStudio 20" BN-20 but it got rejected.

All we got are x2 Graphtec Craft ROBOs and alot of Oracal 651 vinyls. There is also a fairly new Canon MP198 lying around
in the store with no ink catridges. Somewhere, somehow we heard word that a common household printer can print onto vinyl.
And what we were told was a strong inkjet printer like an EPSON Stylus Pro 3880 can get the job done.

What I'm wondering is...
1. Can a common household inkjet printer really print onto vinyl? (Oracal 651 vinyl)

If yes, I will post more questions.

 

[BigfishDM]

Yes please post more questions!

 

[Mosh]

Just sub it out.

 

[signage]

If you in school why not learn screen printing and screen print them.

 

[sfr table hockey]

The only way you might get that to work for an 8 1/2 x 11 desktop is to use waterbased media. I would think your desktop would most likely be waterbased and not a laser or solvent.

There are waterbased media that may work, not sure if you cut them down to fit the desktop, that they would not jam inside. May also be hard to get a small roll of waterbased media that would work for inkjet.

Your best option is to look up decal paper for an inkjet. You can print on that and clear coat it, then set in water to release the backing and try to conform it to a surface, although water and electronics may not go well together.

This is similar to water decals for models. They don't stick quite as well either.

 

[natedawg9640]

another option for the inkjet would be full page label stock. not good for long term, but for this project, sure.

 

[Gino]

Welcome from Pennsylvania......................

 

[Zack R]

Ok guys after alot of reading I've come to the conclusion that I am new to vinyl printing,
and it's best that I learn about vinyl printing from scratch. I've read around the site and product
reviews, it's caught alot of my attention and raised my interest. But I don't know what are the
various technologies available and how this whole thing works.

First off, what is a solvent printer? What makes it special than other readily available printers?
Is there like a Vinyl Printing for Dummies kind of guide that I can read up?

You guys have been helpful with alot of good replies but I wanna kick it up a notch and
start learning from scratch. I appreciate all the help guys!

 

[GAC05]

http://www.allgraphicdesign.com/prepress-prefilghtprinting-printers.html

 

[Gino]

Ok guys after alot of reading I've come to the conclusion that I am new to vinyl printing,
and it's best that I learn about vinyl printing from scratch. I've read around the site and product
reviews, it's caught alot of my attention and raised my interest. But I don't know what are the
various technologies available and how this whole thing works.

First off, what is a solvent printer? What makes it special than other readily available printers?
Is there like a Vinyl Printing for Dummies kind of guide that I can read up?

You guys have been helpful with alot of good replies but I wanna kick it up a notch and
start learning from scratch. I appreciate all the help guys! :)

Yeah..... :signs101:

 

[Guerilla Signs]

Yeah..... :signs101:

 

[The Big Squeegee]

Welcome from OK USA

 

[Zack R]

Ok guys, just an update. Everything is going smoothly. Somehow we got into contact with a
mutual friend who works in a car garage. They do custom car vinyls so we just outsourced the
work. My work is done but I figured my interest remains. I'll stick around here to learn more. Thanks guys!

 

[MikePro]

ok, so scenario is that you're supposed to get 50 ipad skins made for an event, and you're first thought was to P.O. a $10k+ printer?

how about just request a budget to try this link.