Advice for printing on clear vinyl

[redcoat]

I have a Mutoh Valuejet 48" and Flexi 8.6. I am trying to research advice for printing on clear vinyl with this printer - some people are telling me I will likely get poor/washed out color without the usual white backing of the usual white vinyl. Sign Warehouse tell me that is not the case, and that I can adjust the number of passes the head makes to boost the ink saturation ?

Is printing on clear vinyl really the domain of printers which can print a white ink i.e. not the Valuejet?

Is printing on Static Cling and harder/easier than Clear Adhesive Vinyl?

If you have good experience with clear vinyl (permanent or removable) or Static Cling on this machine can you recommend good media in suitable sizes and any special printer settings ?

Any help much appreciated.

 

[Flame]

It simply will not come out anything remotely sellable with that printer. Don't even try.

Requires a printer with white ink.

 

[miltondavis]

Heres a suggestion- not the most desired - especially for any large quantity but:
For inside a window application and outside window viewing -
1st print on clear vinyl in reverse,
2nd add a second layer of opaque white vinyl over the print- add it with application fluid

Without the use of white it will not look right, no matter how much ink saturation
it may not be a preferred method of many but it can help / be done for a one off project.

 

[CentralSigns]

I did a few clear vinyl printed sign faces. Printed on clear vinyl double print coated then applied to white lexan sign face. Worked well, got a intricate printed logo, into a decal for a lexan face.

 

[iSign]

read THIS!

 

[Letterbox Mike]

On any printer that cannot print a white flood undercoat, printing clear is a no-go unless you are applying the vinyl to a white substrate. Inkjet printers print in 4-color (or 6 color) process using transparent ink, process printing requires white under the ink to render color correctly. So your prints on clear may look fine while it's still on the liner but as soon as you remove it the prints will likely look extremely washed out or disappear.

You "can" increase the number of passes to build up ink density, and this works okay if you're printing darker solid spot colors like black, blue, etc. (but they will still not be 100% opaque), but for any image with any gradients or photographic images, no matter how much ink you lay down, without white under there you're still not going to get sellable results.

Regarding statics, I'd say it's harder to print than clear vinyl. Clear vinyl is easy to print, it's just like regular vinyl, it just looks terrible without white behind it. Static is tricky to print because it does not soak in the ink like regular vinyl. I have no experience printing it on a Mutoh, but I'd imagine it would only be trickier than printing on our Mimakis which have a higher solvent content. Run your heat as high as the media will allow, and run the printer slow. Too low heat or too high speed will cause the ink to puddle on the surface and mottle. We get pretty good results on static but it took some doing to get there, and it's still not as good as regular vinyl, but it's definitely acceptable. You didn't clarify if you're asking about white or clear static, but if clear static, the same applies to that as clear vinyl, it's not really a good idea.

 

[bob]

I have a Mutoh Valuejet 48" and Flexi 8.6. I am trying to research advice for printing on clear vinyl with this printer - some people are telling me I will likely get poor/washed out color without the usual white backing of the usual white vinyl. Sign Warehouse tell me that is not the case, and that I can adjust the number of passes the head makes to boost the ink saturation ?

Is printing on clear vinyl really the domain of printers which can print a white ink i.e. not the Valuejet?

It's not how much ink you can dump on the media. When you print on clear you have no white point. When any algorithm prepares to output to a CMYK, or any subtractive color model, printer it assumes the media as its white point. Removing that white point or replacing it with something other than white and all manner of amusing color shifts occur.

A great deal of the subtractive color spectrum requires white. Pinks, grays, any pastel or worse, any color lighter than pure C, M, Y, and/or K, requires white. Moreover, since you're dealing with translucent colors, even colors that have no white component achieve a brightness from the media that is almost impossible achieve any other way.

In short, you can do it but you won't like it.

 

[redcoat]

You learn

Thanks to all for the advice - I guess clear vinyl not a good idea on VJ unless vinyl sticks onto a white background.

 

[Sticky Signs]

Printing on clear might not be a good idea for making signs, but it does work pretty good for creating some cool effects like stained glass or artsy fartsy stuff like that. Only one way to find out though, play around and see what you can come up with.

 

[anotherdog]

It really depends on your application. I print solid colour window decals on clear, it needs 3 hits, but it looks fine especially laminated and cut. All you are doing with clear reverse is exchanging the clear laminate for opaque white laminate (vinyl).

As stated above, you have to experiment, but some results will work very well, especially if you use your cutter to shape the white background. I have also seen some very funky stuff done on translucent and semi opaque vinyl.

 

[mark galoob]

ive printed on clear lam before...worked well. used 2 passes and itapplied it to white acrylic... would let the light from the light box out really well. personally i like opaque better, it has a nicer look to it...

mark galoob

 

[Shift Designs]

Regarding statics, I'd say it's harder to print than clear vinyl. Clear vinyl is easy to print, it's just like regular vinyl, it just looks terrible without white behind it. Static is tricky to print because it does not soak in the ink like regular vinyl. I have no experience printing it on a Mutoh, but I'd imagine it would only be trickier than printing on our Mimakis which have a higher solvent content. Run your heat as high as the media will allow, and run the printer slow. Too low heat or too high speed will cause the ink to puddle on the surface and mottle. We get pretty good results on static but it took some doing to get there, and it's still not as good as regular vinyl, but it's definitely acceptable. You didn't clarify if you're asking about white or clear static, but if clear static, the same applies to that as clear vinyl, it's not really a good idea.

Amen on that. I printed on static for the first time yesterday with pretty good results. I got the puddling that he mentioned. Cranked up the heaters, and i was in business. But i will say to anyone looking to print on cling, LEAVE YOURSELF A LONG TIME FOR DRYING!! I almost got myself into a bind with a client. Ended up having to reprint a couple of pieces, because they got smeared. I pushed the drying time because of time constraints. He has a wagon that is pulled by a couple of clydesdales. It has a real candy paint job that he is proud of, so he didn't want to attach anything with adhesive to it. So we went with static attached to the paint. It turned out exceptionally well.. I will get pics soon if anyone is interested in them.

Mike i will be contacted you Monday on the wallpaper.

 

[Firefox]

I will get pics soon if anyone is interested in them.

Interested to see! When you get time to post.

 

[VINYLIMAGEZ]

It will look like cr@p if it dont have a white background, Just print on white static cling material and make a nice contour cut around the disign, move on to the next project.

 

[Sticky Signs]

Proof that you can print on clear. Sorry, crappy cell phone pics.
From left to right.
Reverse print on cleat with white backer mounted inside window.
Clear mounted to milk plexi
the last 2 are clear mounted to clear plexi for stained glass look.

This is all printed at double pass.

 

[iSign]

This is all printed at double pass.

cool!!

so, are they all including a white backer?
that first stained glass one is unbelievable... they silvery-gray lines that would be "lead" in real stained glass, seems to be reflecting the light differently... what's going on there, that looks too real... is this really just reverse printing on clear plex, or did you did the lead lines on the front with silver cut vinyl?

 

[Sticky Signs]

ISign, Sorry, I should of explained more.
the first one is on white backer. The second is just clear mounted to milk plexi.

The stained glass is what we call "movie magic". They are from the "watch tower" set on Smallville. Clear vinyl mounted to the back side of clear plexi. The lead lines are made with lead tape and the texture is a done using a 2 part resin. The lead and resin are applied to the face of the plexi. Its a real PITA but the end results are worth it.

 

[10sacer]

Clear vinyl

You could always print using the advice supplied and get the Zero nine Flood Coat white from Feller's. laminate it on and problem solved

 

[Rooster]

ISign, Sorry, I should of explained more.
the first one is on white backer. The second is just clear mounted to milk plexi.

The stained glass is what we call "movie magic". They are from the "watch tower" set on Smallville. Clear vinyl mounted to the back side of clear plexi. The lead lines are made with lead tape and the texture is a done using a 2 part resin. The lead and resin are applied to the face of the plexi. Its a real PITA but the end results are worth it.

Since you're in Canada call ND graphics. They might be able to make that an easier job. They have a printable textured clear. In my experience printing a rich black is opaque, so you'd be able to create those windows in a single print without the tape and other extras.

It's ideal for shower doors, privacy glass, faux stained glass, etc.

 

[Sticky Signs]

Maybe so, but it's all the extra's that help to sell the sizzle!
Plus that's the kinda stuff I get paid to do...