Going crazy!! try to cut Cast laminate with either Cal or Cast printed vinyl.

[blacknbart]

Project: Print & Cut vehicle lettering

Alright I've been battling with this for a long time and I've been trying to convince my boss that this doesn't work. Weeding problems with smaller (3/16'' to 1 1/2'') text with a print and cut process on Cast vinyl. Most of the time it's Cast vinyl (3m) and cast lam (3m) or what is pictured Cast Lam( Oracal 210) & Calendared vinyl (Avery 2900). They both cut fine without any hiccups, but when it comes to the weeding mostly everything will pull up. I've tried various settings on my FC8000 Graphtec (ie: depth & pressure). Also if I cut without laminate it weeds 99% of the time on either the cast or calendar vinyl. This makes me believe cast laminate is the wrong product to use for this situation.

Color vinyl is a option, but let's put that to back burner. Is there a proper combination to use for print & cut vehicle lettering?

 

[GVP]

Mmm... don't think 210 is a cast laminate.

Weeding small text is often easier if a weed line can be put between the letters. Some software will do it automatically, others you need to do yourself.
Also, you can trying masking first, flipping over and weeding off of the mask.

 

[cajun312]

Are you using an air release type vinyl?

 

[CP Signs]

It's one thing to play with the settings on the cutter, but is your blade sitting at the right height

 

[Plopez210]

Same here partner here is my solution.

Reverse weed.

-Remove inner vinyl on letters like "opbd etc.."
-mask
-peel
-weed
-replace backer paper

Not all fonts are plotter friendly

 

[kanini]

Do you use a good and SHARP 60 degree knife? Had the same issues, switched to 60 degree knife instead of 45 on laminated prints - woohoo, now it weeds like a dream. Remember to change your offset though...

 

[anotherdog]

try letting it sit overnight, the kinife cuts release tension in the vinyl and it pulls back a little. This pulling can also help the weeding.

 

[MikePro]

I've done it all. Cast/cal printed/stock and even mixing and matching. Every different vinyl and combination will have different thicknesses and cut/weed ability.

Test cuts and setting blade depth and pressure is key, before wasting your print on a hunch.
Also, for small text, I only weed out the centers and cut a box around the entire line. GENTLY Apply as one full masked-piece (minus the centers) and weed-out the negative. Most liners just simply wont hold small text in place while weeding. Your final surface will grab your letters a bit better while you quickly remove the negative.

Finish by flipping the backing paper on the graphic, as a friction-guard, and give the graphic a firm-squeegee to ensure proper adhesion.

 

[MikePro]

+1 oracal 210 is a calendared overlam. Still shouldn't matter. Works just great but for only 2yr instead of 7+. Although I have plenty of 210 out there that still looks great after 5years.

Also noted, NEVER, laminate cast vinyl with cal overlam. Such a waste. The print is only as good as its overlam. If you need to cut corners, cast overlam on cal print is just fine, slightly better than cal/cal combo. I do it all the time.

 

[blacknbart]

Thanks for the tips!!

Thanks a lot everyone!! I need to pick up some 60 degree blades as well I need to try this Mask and weed technique. I'm so use to the opposite method and now I see the light! As far as the 210 Oracal my general mgr. buys stuff on a whim I assumed it was cast. In the past we have gotten some RTA's from a subcontractor that was print & cut 3M controltac. Since we've gotten a cutter we've tried to replicate the same RTA's with 3m Controltac, but ran into this problem with the weeding. Once I get these new blades I'll check my settings and try it again.

Have a great weekend everyone.

 

[MikePro]

I only cut paint mask and laminated reflective prints. 45 degree for everything else is just fine. ....assuming you test & dial-in the proper blade-depth and pressure

 

[300mphGraphics]

try letting it sit overnight, the kinife cuts release tension in the vinyl and it pulls back a little. This pulling can also help the weeding.

Don't over-look this suggestion. Helps a lot.