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Decolit quality

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genericname

New Member
This is a feeler to see what kind of issues everyone has had using Ferrari's Decolit product, and what kind of success anyone has had at moving away from it. We've had a LITANY of issues with it over the past three years, that I won't go into right now, culminating in this morning's discovery.

Opened a case of it last night, and suddenly thought a skunk got into the building. Installed it on the printer, and figured out that the nasty skunk smell was coming from the stock. We had three rolls of the stuff on hand, so I opened the other two cases to check, and sure enough, they all reek to high heaven as well.

Thinking off-gassing would help it, I advanced a bit of the roll on the printer, and left it overnight. Didn't knock it down in the least. If you so much as walk by it now, it seems like the whole room fills up with the stench. Of course we have a big, important job to get printed today, and we now have no stock to print it on.

Anyone else fed up with Decolit? Can anyone recommend a 98" stock that's good for indoor displays? Our only stipulation at this point, is that it can't curl.
 
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CanuckSigns

Active Member
We had the EXACT same issue with some stock we got for All Graphics. I called them on it and they told me that they were aware of the issue, but there is nothing they can do about it, all the stock they have is the same.

I got a sample of Ultraflexx supersmooth PET blockout, it prints really nice, got it from Proveer, not sure if it comes in 98" wide though.
 
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genericname

New Member
BigfishDM said:
What machine are you printing with?
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Mimaki JV3-250SP. The problem is quite apparent before printing though. There's absolutely no doubt that it's the stock, not the print process.

watsons signs said:
We had the EXACT same issue with some stock we got for All Graphics. I called them on it and they told me that they were aware of the issue, but there is nothing they can do about it, all the stock they have is the same.

I got a sample of Ultraflexx supersmooth PET blockout, it prints really nice, got it from Proveer, not sure if it comes in 98" wide though.
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If only it were the only issue we'd had with it, we might stick it out, but we've been sticking it out for three years, and while the stock gets cheaper and cheaper, the price keeps getting higher and higher.

Unfortunately, the supersmooth doesn't come in 98". We may end up using it or similar products in the meantime, but they'll all be interim fixes until we get our hands on a proper 98" width roll.

Man, I just finished probably the best profile I ever made on the stuff too. This is my cranky face.
 
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CanuckSigns

Active Member
genericname said:
Mimaki JV3-250SP. The problem is quite apparent before printing though. There's absolutely no doubt that it's the stock, not the print process.



If only it were the only issue we'd had with it, we might stick it out, but we've been sticking it out for three years, and while the stock gets cheaper and cheaper, the price keeps getting higher and higher.

Unfortunately, the supersmooth doesn't come in 98". We may end up using it or similar products in the meantime, but they'll all be interim fixes until we get our hands on a proper 98" width roll.

Man, I just finished probably the best profile I ever made on the stuff too. This is my cranky face.
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Yeah that's what ticked me off, Decolit is one of the most expensive retractable materials out there, but as you said the quality is really going downhill, I've gotten cheap no name banner material with less imperfections in the roll than my last 2 orders of Decolit.
 
gabagoo

gabagoo

New Member
I was using decolite blockout but the cost per banner was a bit over whelming.

I think the skunky smell may be the anti curl chemical and if that is what it is then you will also have issues with the tape from the banner stand sticking long term to the material.

I still use the blockout (caution with non blockout as you can see the retractable pole right through the material) but now I run alcohol over the area the double sided tape goes, and add strips of laminate on both sides for extra hold.

I will say that decolite prints really nice but have switched to a proveer product that is about 1/4 the price and seems ok for now. Can't remember the name of the stuff as it is some house brand item. If you need to know the actual name PM me and I have the girl here look it up.

Good luck
 
BigfishDM

BigfishDM

Merchant Member
genericname said:
Very cool. Our local supplier (who is very good to us) is up in arms as well, and pounding the pavement for leads on new material. If they can't come up with anything suitable, you'll be the first guy I call.
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Well Im the guy who sets up distribution for them so if your local guy would like to become a dealer of it I can set him up no problem.
 
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MIMO

New Member
'we are aware of the problem'

Same issue here on the bw251. Smells like skunk road kill. I got the same reply from all graphic supplies 'we are aware of the problem'. When I asked why they didn't make ME aware of the problem when I ordered they, no joke, told me that 'everyone' knows and is buying it anyhow. Wow.

Talked to ND Graphics and as soon as I said Decolit, they knew right away and had a bulletin from Ferrari dated last Friday (June 15) stating that they haven't figured out the problem yet. I will update this thread if I hear that it has cleared up. In the mean time we are on the hunt as well. Has to be a satin/low luster smoother banner not a film or fabric and has to have a block out layer. And has to lay dead flat after running through my oven, I mean L25500. Not asking for much :). Good luck to you all.
 
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CanuckSigns

Active Member
MIMO said:
Same issue here on the bw251. Smells like skunk road kill. I got the same reply from all graphic supplies 'we are aware of the problem'. When I asked why they didn't make ME aware of the problem when I ordered they, no joke, told me that 'everyone' knows and is buying it anyhow. Wow.

Talked to ND Graphics and as soon as I said Decolit, they knew right away and had a bulletin from Ferrari dated last Friday (June 15) stating that they haven't figured out the problem yet. I will update this thread if I hear that it has cleared up. In the mean time we are on the hunt as well. Has to be a satin/low luster smoother banner not a film or fabric and has to have a block out layer. And has to lay dead flat after running through my oven, I mean L25500. Not asking for much :). Good luck to you all.
Click to expand...

Same here, when I asked why they didn't tell me it stunk when I ordered it, they told me that they didn't think it was an issue and the smell should go away after a few days, well it doesn't.
 
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genericname

New Member
Test printed display still smells today, AND there are holes in it, right off a new roll, HAHAHAHAHA.

These guys are shooting themselves in the feet.

Our rep's on the hunt, and in the meantime, it looks like we'll be able to get through our big job by using Bannerbrite Super Smooth, but it's only available in up to 54" rolls, and they're short too, so it's an interim fix, but I figured I'd post in case anyone with smaller machines is looking for an alternative.
 
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PURVEYOR

New Member
great thread. I am fed up with deco lit too. the smell is horrible!!! watson signs... I am going to try out your suggestion: Ultraflexx supersmooth PET blackout.

Hopefully that will be a permanent replacement for me.

just a side-note: I use two suppliers for my deco lit light block banner... they both tell me that they don't sell very much of the light block and that most people buy the regular deco lit.... thtis is really surprising to me.. I bought a roll of the regular deco lit once and you can see right through it... I think its garbage for retractable banners (especially considering the ultra premium price).
 
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