Clear Media to apply to acrylic

[bossprint]

I have a roland xc540 and an epson 9800. I am trying to reverse print photos and mount them to acrylic. I am wondering if anyone knows and maybe used a optically clear vinyl with clear adhesive that you can print photo quality on with solvent or water based inks.

Thanks in advance.

 

[joeshaul]

I've used Oracal 3164 clear on acrylic and glass before. Oftentimes I would laminate a white vinyl (usually 3164 again) with clear adhesive overtop the reverse print, then cut though to make the colors pop/stand out, otherwise if the acrylic's up against a dark surface the image will get lost. You could also print on the white vinyl and cut it to the same shape as the reverse/clear, then apply it to the clear vinyl to make it a double sided sign (as long as the design still works on the shape with it being mirrored and all).

 

[bossprint]

I have a laminator and I am not worried about that part. Really I guess what I am asking is for the media that will give me good print quality. With the 3651 does it print close to photo quality and what kind of profile did you use. Clear or some kind of photo? Thanks again for your responses.

 

[cptcorn]

I have a laminator and I am not worried about that part. Really I guess what I am asking is for the media that will give me good print quality. With the 3651 does it print close to photo quality and what kind of profile did you use. Clear or some kind of photo? Thanks again for your responses.

If you print on clear and your machine cannot print white ink, the image will be transparent, and look washed out. It wont look bad, but it may not look how you want it to look. The alternative if you can't print white ink, is to laminate (as said before) with white vinyl.

 

[bossprint]

I am going to rear mount it to acrylic and use standoffs. So I do not think the light will be a problem. I am also curious with the print quality of the 3164. I thought you guys were talking about the same thing the first time I read it.

 

[bossprint]

I can print white ink but I think I am going to just back it with white vinyl. I understand that part. I just am unfamiliar with the quality on clear for portraits.

 

[cptcorn]

I can print white ink but I think I am going to just back it with white vinyl. I understand that part. I just am unfamiliar with the quality on clear for portraits.

Your print quality shouldn't change if its a good manufacture.

 

[joeshaul]

I've printed at high quality on 3164 and it came out good. Be prepared for some buckling/shrinking at the edges if you're printing up to them, especially if you don't leave it outgas before cutting.

The use of the term "photo quality" is probably why people are avoiding the quesiton. If we say "Sure I can print it and it'll look great", then you get some jackass with a microscope that says "I've been had, this is only 1080 dots per inch and it needs to have at least 1440 to be considered photo quality" and so on. That being said I think you'd be fine printing a high res graphic on the media at a "high quality" setting. Once backed with the white vinyl it will look just as if it was printed on the white material, if you get an air bubble between the two vinyls, it's pretty noticeable though.

 

[bossprint]

Thanks for the info. I figure the quality has got to be as close as direct printing to acrylic. I really was just wondering what materials people have used and their settings for best results. Thanks again.

 

[animenick65]

Another option is to use a double sided adhesive film mounted onto the back of the acrylic then mount the print onto the double sided adhesive film. Not sure on the material we have here, but we do it often and works well. Check with your lam supplier.

 

[bossprint]

I was wondering if that might be an option. Thanks for the idea.