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Liq lam with bubbles in it

S

scarface

Guest
Hey guys, Got some clear shield original lam today and rolled it on with a foam roller it's supposed to and i'm getting 100 bubbles instantly. This was on a test print since i didn't want to test it on the 2x8' prints first of course.

It's been dry to the touch and has dried with these of course.

The vinyl is 3651 with eco solv inks (roland) and have been sitting for a week

Any ideas?

Thanks!
 

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Mosh

Mosh

New Member
Coating looks too thick, how many coats did you do. Several light coats is better than one heavy one. Did you wipe the print with a tack rag before applying the clear. Looks like the print could have had contamination on it and it has come up through the clear. Common problem people run into while spraying on clear coats in painting. Also called "fish eyes". Was the print in a dust free environment while drying, with proper air-flow?
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
You put W-A-Y too much clear down in one swipe.

If rolling or brushing.... you should lay it down in thin light coats and build it up. If spraying, you can put it down a little heavier.

Those prints are ruined. The bottom will never dry properly because by the time the top dried to the touch, not much more drying agents will pass through creating a gel on the bottom. You've achieved an alligator coat or what many call 'Orange Peel'.

What the others here think is contamination is just some last minute air bubbles trying to come up and pop, but the clear dried them in mid dry stage.
 
S

scarface

Guest
Thanks everyone, This stuff goes on real thick real easily.

I tried another sample print and did lighter and it looks decent. Thanks everyone, it's my first time doing liq lam.
 
gabagoo

gabagoo

New Member
I used to use clear shield but changed to neshan and only use it for banners. I too had issues with it going on to thick and getting bubbles.

This is what we did.


I used a 4 inch roller you can get at the dollar store and get all the liquid lam spread out on the banner. Then I use a 9" foam roller that I have on a 3' extension pole and I lock it so it cant roll. I then pull it across the banner using only the weight of itself and continue all the way up the banner I then leave the room for 30 minutes and do something else.

It works for me, but I do not like using liquid lam on vinyl.

Scar whats wrong with using a regular laminate film on vinyl?​


OH I might add that I think with Clear Shield you can add a little water to thin it out, if I remember correctly
 
luggnut

luggnut

New Member
are you using a foam roller? we use the small white foam ones and coat it lighter than you did ... it usually kind of flows out really smooth.
 
Mosh

Mosh

New Member
So the reason you are not using film is??? When we started doing digital we used the frog, now we use film laminates. Just wondering. Seems film is faster is more controlled.
 
S

scarface

Guest
I'm not skilled enough to do 6 2x8' prints with 210 lam so i'm doing liquid since it's playing it safer
 
ProWraps

ProWraps

New Member
scar do you have a lam machine? i remember your thread about getting a printer. if you need a cheap solution, get a daige. THEY SUCK. but if you spend the time, THEY WORK.

just dont want to see you suffer. to hell with that liquid lam. its bullsh*t.

we do MILES of lam every month. its a good investment. i understand we are a bit different, but daige offers a good solution. seems like maybe they have worked their problems out.
 
G-Artist

G-Artist

New Member
They all play fine for me, of course I am using Media Player Classic with all the correct codecs installed.
 
S

Salmoneye

New Member
Hey Scar, I use a big squeegee for jobs this size with great easy results. I have however had to go with a different method than most. The backing on 210 is not the standard thickness so I have one person just stand at the starting end and hold the liner that is being released. The liner has to come off slightly before the contact point with the print otherwise everything wants to stop or the liner wants to roll under the lam. We do 4 x 8's regularly with 210 albeit a pain in the arse.
 
O

OCsteve

New Member
We had the same problem using the Clear Shield on dibond for our direct to board UV prints. Call Clear Shield and give them the batch number. They sent us replacement gallons. It seems if that stuff sits on a shelf too long it will go bad.
 
bob

bob

It's better to have two hands than one glove.
First thin the Clear Shield. You can thin it up to 20% per the Clear Star rep I talked to. I thin it until it's about the consistency of milk, whatever percentage that might be.

Then lose the roller. You want to mop it on with a foam brush or an actual mop. You want to be just on the wet side of a dry brush. Blob some on the vinyl and spread it with overlapping vertical strokes. Then do overlapping horizontal strokes. Or vice versa. Whatever you do, keep the coat thin. Adding more coats or a thicker coat serves no functional purpose. Once the media is coated, it's coated. Further application is just coating the Clear shield with more unneeded Clear Shield.

I know from whence I speak. I've been using the stuf for years and once I realized that thinner is better, I've never, as in ever, had a problem with it.
 
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