-
I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...
Curing before laminating
- Thread starter Pinfinity
- Start date
Bigdawg
Just Me
There are two schools of thought hereabouts...
One says... screw it... laminate as soon as you print... say they've never had a problem...
Other says wait 24 hours or you experience outgassing...
I'm somewhere in between. I have been known to laminate small contour cut decals pretty quickly after printing if I have to...
but I like to let me wraps or large pieces sit over night... just in case.
One says... screw it... laminate as soon as you print... say they've never had a problem...
Other says wait 24 hours or you experience outgassing...
I'm somewhere in between. I have been known to laminate small contour cut decals pretty quickly after printing if I have to...
but I like to let me wraps or large pieces sit over night... just in case.
Stealth Ryder
New Member
I say overnight................
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Stacy.... you forgot about the other school where some say laminating is unneeded.
Anyway, we usually wait at least overnight if we can.
Some of these wholesalers and other shops that promise 24 hour turnaround, I guess they have a heated room or something to hang the prints out to dry.
Anyway, we usually wait at least overnight if we can.
Some of these wholesalers and other shops that promise 24 hour turnaround, I guess they have a heated room or something to hang the prints out to dry.
it really depends on your workflow. I've printed probably over a million feet of media, and never once had a problem with lamination coming off a print ( cold laminate ) because I laminated too soon.
I did have a problem with laminate coming off of something that was cured a full 24 hours once, but that's another story.
It's a constant struggle between customers who need it now NOW NOW!, and common sense. The thicker the ink build the more dry time required.
Oracal will tell you right off though, if you don't allow prints to set a full 24 hours, they won't cover the laminate. As a general rule of thumb, if I could touch one side of the print to the other, without it sticking when gentle pressure was applied, I was comfortable with laminating it. There were times when I printed and as soon as it was dry enough to touch, it was going through the laminator so I could get it on the cutter, and yet, they never failed, I guess I was just lucky.
I did have a problem with laminate coming off of something that was cured a full 24 hours once, but that's another story.
It's a constant struggle between customers who need it now NOW NOW!, and common sense. The thicker the ink build the more dry time required.
Oracal will tell you right off though, if you don't allow prints to set a full 24 hours, they won't cover the laminate. As a general rule of thumb, if I could touch one side of the print to the other, without it sticking when gentle pressure was applied, I was comfortable with laminating it. There were times when I printed and as soon as it was dry enough to touch, it was going through the laminator so I could get it on the cutter, and yet, they never failed, I guess I was just lucky.
Stealth Ryder
New Member
I'll stay with overnight...
ProWraps
New Member
keep in mind its not just about failures. its about about the install. do a full coverage print, lam it right away, and try to install it.
do it again and let it sit for 24 hours. your decision will be based on your experience. unless its decals, we let all wraps sit. i can tell from the smell when its ready to be laminated.
do it again and let it sit for 24 hours. your decision will be based on your experience. unless its decals, we let all wraps sit. i can tell from the smell when its ready to be laminated.
