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Discussion Anyone that can add laminate to vinyl perfectly

Annette Asberg

Annette Asberg

New Member
Hi on you as we say in Sweden :)
Me and my Sign neighbor was talking today about laminating and all the shit that can go between the vinyl and laminate. And it seems like no one else has the same problem when we look at other people's work.
Is there a secret to how to laminate without getting tiny spiders, a booger, or two, dog hair, human hair, down, or a dinner plate:mad:?
If it is PLEASE let me know before I go crazy:jr:
 
brdesign

brdesign

New Member
Static can also be a big factor in all the dust in the room getting sucked into your print. If you are in a dry climate run a humidifier in the room to reduce static. Hanging antistatic tinsel on the laminator can also help reduce static especially on laminates with the plastic backing. With tac cloths just lightly drag it, you don't wont to smear it on the print, and constantly clean the room to reduce dust to start with. In an ideal shop I would have a separate clean room like you find in a lab just for the laminator.
 
rjssigns

rjssigns

Active Member
I went from a tack cloth to using Swiffer dusters. They work well, but nothing is going to be perfect every time. Something I do is roll out the first 8" of laminate before starting. Even if you cover the laminator between uses a lot of dust, hair etc.. can land on the exposed laminate. You will even get junk in it just from removing the cover.
 
A

Andy D

Active Member
Most importantly, never let your print get close to the ground, if it does, get another core and clean the vinyl as you roll the vinyl from one core to the other & don't forget to clean the backside too, otherwise you will just transfer the trash to the print side.
Get a shop brush and keep tables and the laminator brushed off.

rjssigns said:
Swiffer dusters
Click to expand...
I'm with RJ, I like swifter brushes because I find it much more effective to clean the vinyl when it's coming off the roll vertically, if you wait until it's in front of the rollers horizontally, you're just moving dust around... but tack cloths work well too as long as you don't pick up a shaving that scratched the print.
 
A

Andy D

Active Member
Also, it's much better to have the laminator on a hard surface you can keep mopped, not on carpet.
 
Annette Asberg

Annette Asberg

New Member
rjssigns said:
I went from a tack cloth to using Swiffer dusters. They work well, but nothing is going to be perfect every time. Something I do is roll out the first 8" of laminate before starting. Even if you cover the laminator between uses a lot of dust, hair etc.. can land on the exposed laminate. You will even get junk in it just from removing the cover.
Click to expand...
I have not used tack cloth yet I have always used Swiffer duster but I am not really convinced. Do you have a rottie?
I have one that is 2 years old and he is a cutie
 
Annette Asberg

Annette Asberg

New Member
Thank you all for your tips and tricks. Now I can sleep again and I will never ever get any Dinner Plates again under my laminate:u rock:
 
Notarealsignguy

Notarealsignguy

Arial - it's almost helvetica
I don't like the swiffer. Can't beat a tack cloth if you use it right. Make sure you wipe all the way off the sides otherwise you just move dirt around. Use your takeups too, even on short runs. Also try to keep the backing takeup real close to the nip so the open laminate doesn't catch dust from the air.
 
I

iPrintStuff

Prints stuff
We usually try leave at least one full rotation unprinted at the end of every roll/job. Stops any crap touching the print(s) between the printer and the laminator.
 
rjssigns

rjssigns

Active Member
Annette Asberg said:
I have not used tack cloth yet I have always used Swiffer duster but I am not really convinced. Do you have a rottie?
I have one that is 2 years old and he is a cutie
Click to expand...

Rottie picture is of Peanut. She was something else. Attitude to spare. She passed 5 years ago but I'm not taking her picture down. We have a Labweiler now. Black lab/Rottie mix. She is incredible.

Okay, back on track with laminating. Never wear fleece anything anywhere near a laminator. Fleece is nothing but a static filled crud collector. Learned that the hard way.
 
J

Joe House

Sign Equipment Technician
It helps to run an air filter / Air purifier constantly in the room as well. I used to just run a 20" box fan in my shop with a 20" furnace filter taped over the intake side. It did a decent job for only a few bucks.

Good Luck
 
Steve McKinzie

Steve McKinzie

Dad
Annette Asberg said:
Hi on you as we say in Sweden :)
Me and my Sign neighbor was talking today about laminating and all the **** that can go between the vinyl and laminate. And it seems like no one else has the same problem when we look at other people's work.
Is there a secret to how to laminate without getting tiny spiders, a booger, or two, dog hair, human hair, down, or a dinner plate:mad:?
If it is PLEASE let me know before I go crazy:jr:
Click to expand...
Annette,
Thank you, we are not crazy.
 
Gaugeco Inc.

Gaugeco Inc.

New Member
We laminate vinyl perfect every time. The trick is to skip anything else and buy one of these dust rollers. We used to use everything above but never get a spec of dust anymore.

41FmmVjtg8L._AC_SY1000_.jpg



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DM366D...abc_2H1YHHS3Y909AF1VTH0H?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
 
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