Need Help Can I Apply Laminated Cast Prints Wet?

[Andy D]

I will be the odd man out, I apply 3M IJ35 air egress vinyl all the time wet and get perfect results with no failures.
I have been doing it this way, with this vinyl for 10 plus years (I Believe) and never had an issue.

 

[a77]

I will be the odd man out, I apply 3M IJ35 air egress vinyl all the time wet and get perfect results with no failures.
I have been doing it this way, with this vinyl for 10 plus years (I Believe) and never had an issue.

Just curious, for what reason would you apply it "all the time wet" ?

I had another shop help me with some signboards, and he applied some wet... no issues 5 years later, so I know it's OK if you get all the liquid out.

 

[equippaint]

Just curious, for what reason would you apply it "all the time wet" ?

I had another shop help me with some signboards, and he applied some wet... no issues 5 years later, so I know it's OK if you get all the liquid out.

Ill do it if its really windy and Im by myself or when the surface is really hot. We use cheap family dollar window cleaner and have never had a failure either.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Would there be anything wrong with using alcohol? I've used it on etched glass that I didn't want to wait around forever for and I've never noticed anything wrong with it...but I don't do this often.

 

[player]

Would there be anything wrong with using alcohol? I've used it on etched glass that I didn't want to wait around forever for and I've never noticed anything wrong with it...but I don't do this often.

I would not use alcohol as it is a solvent and will attack the glue, the vinyl and the inks. (potentially)

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

Unless you're spraying the alcohol directly on the adhesive there is virtually no chance of that happening. We clean almost everything with 91% or 70% IPA before we apply anything.

 

[eahicks]

Unless you're spraying the alcohol directly on the adhesive there is virtually no chance of that happening. We clean almost everything with 91% or 70% IPA before we apply anything.

Cleaning the surface and soaking for application are two different things. DO NOT use alcohol as an application fluid.

 

[player]

Unless you're spraying the alcohol directly on the adhesive there is virtually no chance of that happening. We clean almost everything with 91% or 70% IPA before we apply anything.

Try spraying 99% ipa on the adhesive side of the vinyl, then totally soak the substrate. Then mount the vinyl and see how it works.

 

[Andy D]

Just curious, for what reason would you apply it "all the time wet" ?

I had another shop help me with some signboards, and he applied some wet... no issues 5 years later, so I know it's OK if you get all the liquid out.

I can apply graphics by myself... and not to sound boastful.. but I can apply a 4' x 8' or larger graphic wet, by myself, in less time, with less trash & no stretching or drifting
than most shops can using two people.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I can apply graphics by myself... and not to sound boastful.. but I can apply a 4' x 8' or larger graphic, by myself, in less time, with less trash & no stretching or drifting
than most shops can using two people.

How long does it take you?

 

[a77]

I can apply graphics by myself... and not to sound boastful.. but I can apply a 4' x 8' or larger graphic, by myself, in less time, with less trash & no stretching or drifting
than most shops can using two people.

I think that's the idea with air release... when done properly one person should be able to apply 4'x8' one person - dry.
All you really have to do is start straight.
Same thing with wall mural panels, start straight, end straight.

 

[Andy D]

How long does it take you?

Good question... I will have to time myself sometime.
If I had to guess, from the time I have my graphic in place & squared up, it probably takes 10-15 (maybe 20) minutes to apply a 4'x8'
graphic.

 

[equippaint]

I'm missing something here? Tx did it in 8 mins on his video by himself, granted he gained a little speed by quickly destroying the plastic liner.

My helper and I can line up and mount with a laminator in a couple minutes

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Good question... I will have to time myself sometime.
If I had to guess, from the time I have my graphic in place & squared up, it probably takes 10-15 (maybe 20) minutes to apply a 4'x8'
graphic.

I guess you didn't see my video in an earlier post. It's running at 4x so the original was 8 min from start to finish.

 

[Gino]

Oh, that's really long. Even I'm faster than that. When we double team it, it's just 2, maybe 3 minutes, including lining up the bottom end. By oneself, maybe 3 or 4 minutes. Line it up, put the roll in the big squeegee and walk down. If by yourself, like someone said, either do it on the floor or climb up on the table. The hardest part is keeping the liner off the substrate, thus creating static and slowing you down.

Again, this is only for doing a few. I wouldn't want to do a dozen like this, although we did years ago, before we had a laminator.​

 

[Andy D]

I'm missing something here? Tx did it in 8 mins on his video by himself, granted he gained a little speed by quickly destroying the plastic liner.

My helper and I can line up and mount with a laminator in a couple minutes

That's how I would do it too if we had a decent 2nd laminator, but I keep lamination loaded up on mine all the time.
Like I said, I have never timed myself, so I might have guessed high... and again, I don't have a helper.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I'm missing something here? Tx did it in 8 mins on his video by himself, granted he gained a little speed by quickly destroying the plastic liner.

My helper and I can line up and mount with a laminator in a couple minutes

If I can't get it off in two yanks then I'm dicking around

 

[Andy D]

If I can't get it off in two yanks then I'm dicking around

Are we still talking about applying vinyl or are you referring to your sex life?

 

[Gino]

Are we still talking about applying vinyl or are you referring to your sex life?

Nah, he refers to it as his salmon sandwich with 5 sauces. That's just code for him.

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

Cleaning the surface and soaking for application are two different things. DO NOT use alcohol as an application fluid.

I went back and read it again, I thought he was referring to cleaning the surface before wet applying. I wouldn't recommend doing a wet apply with alcohol.