Trick to layering colored vinyl, or need different machine?

[VicoDrive]

Someone wants us to duplicate some vehicle decals they order through someone else. Looking at it closely, there is no printing. Its made up of black vinyl with red or silver vinyl over top. Of course, the colored ones on top of the black are placed in a very exact position on the black. Both are also cut with a plotter. Is there a trick to placing these in the correct spot or is this done from a different type of machine that does all the cutting and layering itself at the same time?

 

[J Hill Designs]

registration marks

 

[StarSign]

and clear tape

 

[JMPrinting]

and clear tape

+1

 

[J Hill Designs]

and clear tape

not needed

 

[Solventinkjet]

If you are doing a lot of layered decals, a light table can help you see the alignment better.

+1 One Registration Marks

 

[VicoDrive]

If you are doing a lot of layered decals, a light table can help you see the alignment better.

+1 On Registration Marks

Youtube has everything . I had always assumed it was a special machine other than a standard printer/plotter but looks like it is done by hand. I knew if there was a trick to doing it manually, I would hate myself for not realizing it was that easy . It all makes sense to me now, just want to experiment a little first. We do have a light table also if I need it

 

[SIGNTIME]

yup registration marks I like to cut out the marks after masking with an exacto on all but the bottom layer you just have to cut right on the edge and no clear tape is needed.

 

[mpn]

[video=youtube;zUim82LPiFE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUim82LPiFE[/video]

 

[Tony McD]

Applying vinyl that's already layered in the shop will usually leave bubbles at the layers during the install,
although they will probably go away after a day or so.
Would much rather layer on the substate or vehicle so this doesn't happen.

I usually lay the bottom layer dry, and use wet application on the layers with app fluid.
Put the bottom layer down, peel the next layer and wet it and the bottom layer.
When wet and on top of the bottom layer, you can see through paper tape enough to do this with good alignment.
And doing it wet lets you slide it around till it's where you want it.
Do this for remaining layers.

Try it this way sometime...it works pretty well.

Sometimes registration marks are the way to go.
It does depend on the complexity of the decal and if I'm installing or if customer is installing.

 

[VicoDrive]

Applying vinyl that's already layered in the shop will usually leave bubbles at the layers during the install,
although they will probably go away after a day or so.
Would much rather layer on the substate or vehicle so this doesn't happen.

I usually lay the bottom layer dry, and use wet application on the layers with app fluid.
Put the bottom layer down, peel the next layer and wet it and the bottom layer.
When wet and on top of the bottom layer, you can see through paper tape enough to do this with good alignment.
And doing it wet lets you slide it around till it's where you want it.
Do this for remaining layers.

Try it this way sometime...it works pretty well.

Sometimes registration marks are the way to go.
It does depend on the complexity of the decal and if I'm installing or if customer is installing.

In this case, its the customer who would be installing. They would probably get a handful of these and apply them as they need them

 

[eahicks]

Really shows how many are relatively 'new' to the sign biz....layered vinyl was all there was 15 years ago and back...before being able to just print everything.

 

[VicoDrive]

Really shows how many are relatively 'new' to the sign biz....layered vinyl was all there was 15 years ago and back...before being able to just print everything.

Well with the printing business slowly dying thanks to more affordable and better quality home and business printers, we have to find other things we can merge into. In fact, I want to get into much more if my boss wasnt so nervous about getting into something we dont know that much about. Im the one learning everything also, I want to do this stuff. Its a nice change of pace where I can actually get more hands on instead of sitting at a computer all the time while still getting the same "yeah, I made that" result