The Big Squeegee
Long Time Member
For those that are new to :signs101: and for some that may not know what the Big Squeegee talk is all about....
Big Squeegee is a brand name for our line of vinyl application tools. The tools are designed to fill the gap between small squeegees and powered laminators. In many cases the Big Squeegee tools take the place of the need for an expensive roll laminator.
The design and use is very different than little squeegees in that they lay the vinyl down the whole width all at once. For this reason, it is more closly related to power laminators than little squeegees. Perhaps it would be better to call it a manual laminator than a Big Squeegee...
Power laminators do have their place and if you do a lot of laminating stuff over 30' long then it may be worth the extra thousands of $$$ to have one. A small shop that laminates and mounts mostly small prints can easily do without a power laminator. Even those that have a laminator, use the Big Squeegee for small graphics(under 4' X 16').
The tools come in 5 types with sizes from 10" to 64" long in 6" steps. The sizes were determined by the commonly used widths of vinyl. They should always be at least 2" longer than the width of the vinyl you are applying but, not so long as to become awkward on a large job. The sizes you will need will depend on what kind of jobs you do the most. On larger signs such as 4' X 8' you can use one that is 2" longer for small numbers and it can also be used for 36" wide applications. For large numbers of the same size sign it would be better to get a tool that is longer so, you don't have to keep track of where the ends of the tool are quite as much.
Most of the tools will apply premask to cut vinyl. Premask is not recommended for applying prints unless stretching a 1/4" in 8' would be unacceptable. Premask can be applied to thin backing materials to make the vinyl easier to apply.
The Big Squeegee line of vinyl application tools can save the user a lot of time and materials while producing professional looking results at a low price. they usually pay for themselves many times in a single day. Best of all, it will increase your confedence in accepting jobs that you may otherwise have turned down.
I use "vinyl" to mean prints, laminates or cut vinyl. It also pertains to any other simular materals that are pressure sensitive(having an adhesive) The tools also get used for applying double sided adhesive material for mounting posters.
Big Squeegee is a brand name for our line of vinyl application tools. The tools are designed to fill the gap between small squeegees and powered laminators. In many cases the Big Squeegee tools take the place of the need for an expensive roll laminator.
The design and use is very different than little squeegees in that they lay the vinyl down the whole width all at once. For this reason, it is more closly related to power laminators than little squeegees. Perhaps it would be better to call it a manual laminator than a Big Squeegee...
Power laminators do have their place and if you do a lot of laminating stuff over 30' long then it may be worth the extra thousands of $$$ to have one. A small shop that laminates and mounts mostly small prints can easily do without a power laminator. Even those that have a laminator, use the Big Squeegee for small graphics(under 4' X 16').
The tools come in 5 types with sizes from 10" to 64" long in 6" steps. The sizes were determined by the commonly used widths of vinyl. They should always be at least 2" longer than the width of the vinyl you are applying but, not so long as to become awkward on a large job. The sizes you will need will depend on what kind of jobs you do the most. On larger signs such as 4' X 8' you can use one that is 2" longer for small numbers and it can also be used for 36" wide applications. For large numbers of the same size sign it would be better to get a tool that is longer so, you don't have to keep track of where the ends of the tool are quite as much.
Most of the tools will apply premask to cut vinyl. Premask is not recommended for applying prints unless stretching a 1/4" in 8' would be unacceptable. Premask can be applied to thin backing materials to make the vinyl easier to apply.
The Big Squeegee line of vinyl application tools can save the user a lot of time and materials while producing professional looking results at a low price. they usually pay for themselves many times in a single day. Best of all, it will increase your confedence in accepting jobs that you may otherwise have turned down.
I use "vinyl" to mean prints, laminates or cut vinyl. It also pertains to any other simular materals that are pressure sensitive(having an adhesive) The tools also get used for applying double sided adhesive material for mounting posters.
