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Need Help applying without bubbles
- Thread starter tamif
- Start date
Gino
Premium Subscriber
It's easy-peasy to ask for anything on a forum, where there is absolutely no contact whatsoever and you can go off, half cocked with your comebacks. If you mistake what I said as being rude, how about your statement of not having money or room, but when someone says you can get one for $150 bucks, you suddenly find the room without any problems. You only have competition and your a mom/pop business, with no friends. Like I said, you can do it here, with no eye contact, but you can't do it for yourself in person. You don't want help, you just want pity and quick gimme-gimme answers
So, practice like I said and stop ordering the wrong materials........ oh, and put a sock in the whining. It's not becoming for a texan.
rjssigns
Active Member
Super secret squirrel trick for applying non-air release vinyl with no bubbles. Don't be in a hurry, new squeegee, and use short overlapping strokes.
You shouldn't be applying more than a 1/4" of material at a time 2 to 3 feet wide.
For air release material we "plow" the material on. Squeegee is skewed at roughly 45 degree angle.
If you want to learn proper technique from a pro go to YouTube and type CK Wraps in the search.
Even though I don't wrap I learned a lot.
Another way to learn proper technique is to hire a freelance installer for some jobs.
My freelancer is incredible and I've been at this for decades. There are times when I shove my hands in my pockets, back away and watch the master work.
You shouldn't be applying more than a 1/4" of material at a time 2 to 3 feet wide.
For air release material we "plow" the material on. Squeegee is skewed at roughly 45 degree angle.
If you want to learn proper technique from a pro go to YouTube and type CK Wraps in the search.
Even though I don't wrap I learned a lot.
Another way to learn proper technique is to hire a freelance installer for some jobs.
My freelancer is incredible and I've been at this for decades. There are times when I shove my hands in my pockets, back away and watch the master work.
Johnny Best
Active Member
Since there are not that many sign shops around and you are a Mom&Pop Shop with no place or money to get a laminator. Change your name to Bubbles Sign Shop.
If you are the only game in town, you should have enough money to buy a laminator. If you don't, you aren't charging enough money for your signs. Laminators are, relatively, cheap. Your unlaminated signs are only going to last a year or two at most. Laminate them and they will last 3-5 years. Right there is a value difference to your customer. Instead of only selling cheap for sale signs, you can be selling "permanent" business identification signs. The price is much higher for those.
If you are unwilling to ask someone 60 miles away top help you (are they really a competitor at that distance?) you should form a relationship with one of the big sign supply vendors in your area. Someone like Grimco or Glantz or any of the other big ones. The kind of distributors who run a delivery truck to your area. Make an appointment to go to their location and meet your salespersons. You can touch and see and feel the materials they have for sale. You can learn about the different materials and their intended uses. You can see the substrates they sell and learn what to use when (hint--if you're using coroplast for every sign you sell, you're doing it wrong). You can get a print catalog from them so you can actually see all the materials listed in one place and be able to compare them to decide which one to use when.
Learn how to use Youtube. There are innumerable videos available on how to apply vinyl. And practice.
I had already been doing signs a long time before i bought my first printer, and already knew how to apply vinyl. And when I first started, I used an intermediate non-air-egress vinyl with laminate, and with my employee was able to successfully apply full bleed vinyl to 4x8 panels using regular squeegees. No bubbles. But it took way longer and was much more difficult than using air egress vinyl, and then when we got the Big Squeegee, it was even that much quicker.
If you are unwilling to ask someone 60 miles away top help you (are they really a competitor at that distance?) you should form a relationship with one of the big sign supply vendors in your area. Someone like Grimco or Glantz or any of the other big ones. The kind of distributors who run a delivery truck to your area. Make an appointment to go to their location and meet your salespersons. You can touch and see and feel the materials they have for sale. You can learn about the different materials and their intended uses. You can see the substrates they sell and learn what to use when (hint--if you're using coroplast for every sign you sell, you're doing it wrong). You can get a print catalog from them so you can actually see all the materials listed in one place and be able to compare them to decide which one to use when.
Learn how to use Youtube. There are innumerable videos available on how to apply vinyl. And practice.
I had already been doing signs a long time before i bought my first printer, and already knew how to apply vinyl. And when I first started, I used an intermediate non-air-egress vinyl with laminate, and with my employee was able to successfully apply full bleed vinyl to 4x8 panels using regular squeegees. No bubbles. But it took way longer and was much more difficult than using air egress vinyl, and then when we got the Big Squeegee, it was even that much quicker.
Texas_Signmaker
Very Active Signmaker
I'm not a fan of the Big Squeegee. It's a big pain in the ass and I always had to climb on the table to use it. Get air egress vinyl and it will be fine. If you get something really bad in it that won't go away use heat.
tamif
T-N-T Designs
Thank you for the video. I like the way he was doing that.
ams
New Member
There are lots of videos out there, but beware, some are from beginners who will teach you the wrong way to do things. PM me for better advice.
OPENSignsInc.
New Member
A lot of issues is technique, but one thing ive not seen mentioned is using the right squeegee (and a new one at that - dings can leave long bubbles). For regular transfer taped vinyl I tend to use the unfelted side of the orange orafol squeegees. But for (un)laminated prints I find the felt side of the blue Avery squeegees work the best.
I also do everything dry unless it is going to be clear on lexan that is backlit.
If you don't have a laminator, you can always apply some transfer tape to the print (once it is dry/off gassed) before mounting to a board.
Another thing is how are you applying it, alone or with 2 people? Flat table or on an easel. I've got pretty long reach, but doing prints horizontal by myself can be tricky but on an easel it isn't as hard. I also start off with folding back 6-8in on one end, tacking it down, and then pulling the backing underneath itself (like wallpaper) and keeping tension so that it doesnt hit the substrate too early.
I also do everything dry unless it is going to be clear on lexan that is backlit.
If you don't have a laminator, you can always apply some transfer tape to the print (once it is dry/off gassed) before mounting to a board.
Another thing is how are you applying it, alone or with 2 people? Flat table or on an easel. I've got pretty long reach, but doing prints horizontal by myself can be tricky but on an easel it isn't as hard. I also start off with folding back 6-8in on one end, tacking it down, and then pulling the backing underneath itself (like wallpaper) and keeping tension so that it doesnt hit the substrate too early.
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
Ah man, dont mess with texas!! The angry signmaker returns!! Show that plastic who’s boss! Take no prisoners.
Krissy Louderback
New Member
It's all in the wrist. It sounds to me like you aren't putting enough pressure on the squeegee, or you aren't replacing them often enough. When the edge of the squeegee isn't flat it creates bubbles. If you are doing wet application you made need a tad more slide and use a lot of pressure to squeegee all of the liquid out, give the vinyl some time to dry if there is application tape to peel off so you aren't pulling up the vinyl at the same time. Air egress vinyl would make your life alot easier though. If you use the 3MIJ35 like someone suggested, make sure to post heat, super important or your edges may lift/curl.
bob
It's better to have two hands than one glove.
Bubbles are ALWAYS squeegee technique. It doesn't matter what media, wet or dry, old or new squeegee. if you use proper squeegee technique there will seldom, if ever, be a bubble. What is proper squeegee technique?
It's easy to demonstrate but a challenge to describe. The principle is best summed up in "Never squeegee unplowed ground." Meaning, assuming you're right-handed and squeegeeing right to left, never EVER, let the left side of the squeegee start on un-squeegeed material and never, EVER, let the right edge of the squeegee be on un-squeegeed media. In other words, ALWAYS start a stroke with the squeegee COMPLETELY on the previous stroke and finish the stroke with 1/2 or so of the squeegee remaining on the previous stroke. If there is no previous stroke then start on whatever is to the right of the media. Be it hinge tape, substrate, or whatever.
Add to that the principle of ALWAYS let the squeegee put the media on the substrate. Try to never let the media come in contact with the substrate unless it's being squeegeed.
Use sufficient pressure to put the media down with authority. Never sketch at it, use complete strokes starting from off the media, to on the media, ending off the media.
It's easy to demonstrate but a challenge to describe. The principle is best summed up in "Never squeegee unplowed ground." Meaning, assuming you're right-handed and squeegeeing right to left, never EVER, let the left side of the squeegee start on un-squeegeed material and never, EVER, let the right edge of the squeegee be on un-squeegeed media. In other words, ALWAYS start a stroke with the squeegee COMPLETELY on the previous stroke and finish the stroke with 1/2 or so of the squeegee remaining on the previous stroke. If there is no previous stroke then start on whatever is to the right of the media. Be it hinge tape, substrate, or whatever.
Add to that the principle of ALWAYS let the squeegee put the media on the substrate. Try to never let the media come in contact with the substrate unless it's being squeegeed.
Use sufficient pressure to put the media down with authority. Never sketch at it, use complete strokes starting from off the media, to on the media, ending off the media.
Texas_Signmaker
Very Active Signmaker
And make sure you have a good squeegee. My fav. is 3M gold. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038D7RL6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I don't like hard squeegees, they need to have a little flex to them.
I don't like hard squeegees, they need to have a little flex to them.