• 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 ...

Handheld squeegee help

Will308decals

New Member
hi, I attached photos to help understand but I am having trouble laminating my vinyl and keeping the laminate on straight. I see people have the laminate on top of the squeegee, like the fist picture, but I do not know how to set that up. Can anyone help or does anyone have a link to a video to help me? Thank you
 

Attachments

  • A5FA1AB4-EFE9-42E8-A9DA-6DB2EF6B5061.jpeg
    A5FA1AB4-EFE9-42E8-A9DA-6DB2EF6B5061.jpeg
    1.3 MB · Views: 544
  • D9E83F80-1688-4BD7-8321-C6D6ABA4FE66.jpeg
    D9E83F80-1688-4BD7-8321-C6D6ABA4FE66.jpeg
    1.4 MB · Views: 474
Not on a super entry line one, or hand crank small one. Royal sovereign are about the least expensive I’ve used, and I still think they are over 5k. We use Seal laminators, but they will be over 10k
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
What size are the vinyl sheets you're trying to put down ??

Do you have a large enough, perfectly flat table ??

That looks like a full roll of vinyl....... is that how much you are doing in a single pass ??
 

Will308decals

New Member
What size are the vinyl sheets you're trying to put down ??

Do you have a large enough, perfectly flat table ??

That looks like a full roll of vinyl....... is that how much you are doing in a single pass ??
I am using 13 inch laminate on 15 inch vinyl. I have an order coming up for a football team that I will need to laminate about 800 inches. what hand crank laminator would you recommend? I do not have the budget right now to get a laminator that costs several thousand dollars. My thickest laminate I will use will be 12 mil
 

bigben

Not a newbie
I use the bigsqueegee like you have daily to laminate small piece. Tape your vinyl on a perfectly flat table, layer your piece of laminate over the vinyl and tape the same edge. Then flip the laminate over the BS and remove the liner maybe 1/4 of a inch. Keep the BS at a 45 degree angle and push the laminate. With your other hand pull the liner at the same time so it don't go under the squeegee. It take some practice, but it is doable. I've never been very successful for piece over 30in wide tho. For that, you need to be 2 person. The main thing to have is a perfectly flat table.

This is exactly the technique I use:
 

The Big Squeegee

Long Time Member
The Big Squeegee will work on this job. The one you show with the roll on top is to short to use a roll holder to hold it in place on the squeegee. However, once you get it started the roll can move down to the tip for application.

It is best to cut the laminate to the size of what you are applying it to so you don't have the roll issue. We are replacing the roll holders with a metal one. but have not got that in the website yet. If you want that set up give me a call or order and send me an email to tell me that you want the new style. I have posted a picture of it below. As you can see, it requires some space at the end of the tool to accommodate the roll holder.
 

Attachments

  • roll holder2.jpg
    roll holder2.jpg
    87.5 KB · Views: 387

2B

Active Member
need a laminator for the best end results.

if doing by hand
  • Make sure the application table is PERFECTLY FLAT
  • Cut off what is needed, instead of trying to handle the full roll
    • we usually do a couple of extra inches on each end
  • make sure the pressure is even when applying
 

AF

New Member
Big Squeegee, roll to roll laminator and roller table would cover all the bases. Thank
 
Top