Homemade Application Fluid??

[TyrantDesigner]

I'm constantly layering graphics on vehicles and never pay for App liquid, like others have said, water, drop or two of soap (dawn works great) or baby shampoo and a little rubbing alcohol goes a long way. As for cleaning the surface ... I will use windex for most surfaces, if it's got wax buildup/grease/whatever I will first use a little acetone or mineral spirits, then denatured alcohol then windex and if it's just that much more that needs to be cleaned I will spray a little of my app liquid to remove the windex residue.

I still have a bottle of App liquid ... but it's for a "just in case ..." need

I will NEVER use windex to apply. Windex is just water, alcohol a cleaner and ammonia ... but the ammonia part and high alcohol content makes me shudder for applying where it will stay right between the vehicle and the adhesive. ... can you say stained enamel paint anyone?

 

[agile4]

1/3 alcohol, 2/3 water, a couple drops of baby shampoo or clear dish washing liquid - just enough when you shake it there are some bubbles. That's how I read it 15+ years ago and never a problem. now how's THAT for cheap?

Except for the shampoo it almost sounds like printer head cleaning solvent <g>

Can I use denatured alcohol instead of rubbing/isopropyl?

Tom

 

[gabagoo]

just curious how different alcohol is from methyl hydrate? I can find methyl hydrate at any home building centre but where can you buy alcohol by the gallon? Never see it at Lowes or HD.

 

[qmr55]

just curious how different alcohol is from methyl hydrate? I can find methyl hydrate at any home building centre but where can you buy alcohol by the gallon? Never see it at Lowes or HD.

Methyl Hydrate is another word for Methanol.

Denatured alcohol is just Ethanol that has been denatured.

On a side note Methanol is toxic so be careful and don't breathe in too much of that stuff!

 

[HulkSmash]

Methyl Hydrate is another word for Methanol.

Denatured alcohol is just Ethanol that has been denatured.

On a side note Methanol is toxic so be careful and don't breathe in too much of that stuff!

stop using Wikipedia

 

[Sign Works]

Started applying automotive decal kits back in the 70's, at that time they were all pretty much manufactured by 3M and came with an installation instruction sheet which instructed using a mixture of water and non-detergent dish washing liquid such as Joy. I used this for app fluid for many many years and still do on occasion, just not sure of the new anti-bacterial formulas and what they might contain and what effect they might have on vinyl adhesives. On the other hand who the hell actually knows just what is really in Rapid Tac? Water, soap and a hint of vanilla scent? Are we being provided a product that is truly compatible with vinyl adhesives or are we just providing Roger an extremely comfortable retirement for his scented bottled soapy water?

 

[Speedsterbeast]

I'm using Rapid Tac as well. Almost $30 /gallon, but it does work well.
As for prep cleaning, I use wax and grease remover for heavy cleaning- like the other day I tried cutting some coroplast in a friends shear that I was doing some Alumet in, and the welding shop floor got grease all over the coroplast, so it worked well for that. It is like a prep wipe for automotive painting, but it is not quite as refined or pure, so it's cheap. (about $12 a gallon) I use Rapid Tac for light prep cleaning, but it's more for lack of having something else handy. I think I'll re-evaluate that choice and maybe save some money that way and start using mild soap and water.

 

[Fitch]

"1/3 alcohol, 2/3 water, a couple drops of baby shampoo or clear dish washing liquid - just enough when you shake it there are some bubbles. That's how I read it 15+ years ago and never a problem. now how's THAT for cheap? "

+10

Been doing it this way for years and NEVER a problem.

After a while you get to know how to adjust for a "slow" mix for large graphics so they don't grip as you want to slide around - by adding a little more handwash or shampoo

or

A "hot" mix for glass where you want the metho (methylated spirits) to evaporate the water sooner.

Same principle for the seasons / air temp. Summer gets more shampoo, winter gets more metho.

Good to go.

Cheers - G

 

[bob]

Just pop for Rapid-Tac or a similar product and leave your Jr. Science Guy chemistry set on the shelf.

If you're using enough application fluid that it makes it a noteworthy expense, you're using too much. Perhaps you might perfect your dry technique which, if you do, is superior in all ways to the vast majority of wet applications.

I use maybe a gallon of Rapid_Tac a year, maybe two years. I can't remember the last wet install I did. I use it mainly for a final cleaning of substrates, especially glass, before a dry, and proper, application. As a cleaner, it's terrific.

Every now and then I might do a wet application of a some part of a drop shadow or the text being shadowed, usually piece by piece, merely because I can, usually, do a better job of precisely locating the pieces wet than a wholesale dry application of the entire thing regardless of any sort of registration scheme. The fact is when you cut two things from different rolls of vinyl that must precisely fit together, each cut image will be slightly different in some size aspect or another and parts of the finished image must be assembled piecemeal for proper registration.

Bottom line is I spend more on paper clips, or most any other trivial office supply, than application fluid so why would I want to whomp up some homemade brew that may or may not function properly to save, basically, nothing?

 

[Sign-Man Signs]

1/3 alcohol, 2/3 water, a couple drops of baby shampoo or clear dish washing liquid - just enough when you shake it there are some bubbles. That's how I read it 15+ years ago and never a problem. now how's THAT for cheap?

Ditto. Been using this formula for years.
:U Rock:

 

[BobM]

I use Rapid Prep, Rapid Tac II and Rapid Remove. They work perfectly. Not had an installation problem since I started using those products.

I can't understand why you would try to save what, $1 per installation by trying to mix up you're own. Just not worth the trouble or the expense of having to re-cut/re-print your work and install again.

 

[signage]

Yea you will spend more time shopping for ingredients and mixing than just purchasing the professional material Rapid Tack.

 

[S'N'S]

What's metho?

Methylated spirits ("metho") is a mixture of ethyl alcohol (95%) and methyl alcohol (%5). The methyl alcohol is poisonous and is added to prevent the methylated spirits being used as cheap drinking alcohol.
Names for methylated spirits around the world

In the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, metho is called methylated spirits. In the US and Canada its called denatured alcohol, methyl hydrate*, or fondue fuel. In Europe, it may be called spirits, brennspirits (Germany), alcool a bruler (France), or alcool etilico denaturato (Italy). It is generally available in hardware stores, supermarkets, service stations, and camping/outdoors stores.
Cheers Gary

 

[Signed Out]

I bought a gallon of rapid tac for the first job we ever did, used it on three signs now just use it to prep surface I don't see any reason to wet app anything ever ( we dont do window tinting) why do so many people wet app?

 

[HulkSmash]

I bought a gallon of rapid tac for the first job we ever did, used it on three signs now just use it to prep surface I don't see any reason to wet app anything ever ( we dont do window tinting) why do so many people wet app?

The only thing we install wet are full window wraps. Nothing else.

 

[MangoPRI]

Is Methylated spirits ok to use as the alcohol?

Also can this be used as the prep solution also for vehicle panels etc?

Kind regards,

Chris

"1/3 alcohol, 2/3 water, a couple drops of baby shampoo or clear dish washing liquid - just enough when you shake it there are some bubbles. That's how I read it 15+ years ago and never a problem. now how's THAT for cheap? "

+10

Been doing it this way for years and NEVER a problem.

After a while you get to know how to adjust for a "slow" mix for large graphics so they don't grip as you want to slide around - by adding a little more handwash or shampoo

or

A "hot" mix for glass where you want the metho (methylated spirits) to evaporate the water sooner.

Same principle for the seasons / air temp. Summer gets more shampoo, winter gets more metho.

Good to go.

Cheers - G

 

[Johnny Best]

I install etch material all the time and found that Rapid Tac works the best and do not mind the price because I know it works, but I have made the homemade brew also. Teaspoon or Joy or Dawn mixed with a quart of water/ 1 capfull of baby shampoo with quart of water, add alcohol as needed for speeding up drying time.

 

[Gino]

I know this is an old thread, but it's good to see people using the 'Search Button' features.

I'm a proponent for using the dry method whenever possible, but when necessary, if making this stuff yourself becomes a necessity to save $20 or $30.... that's sad. Unless you're pouring it on and using it by the cupful, a gallon will last anyone a year or so, using it correctly. Now, we buy the concentrate and then mix it up ourselves, but it's not our recipe. We used to make it, but it's just not worth it.

Creating your own weaselp!ss is just a process of taking a sad situation and making it worse. If one can't afford the few pennies this stuff costs, then you are doing more than just using the wrong process of applying this stuff.

 

[Johnny Best]

This use to be the best stuff

until the FDA took it off the market

 

[MangoPRI]

I don't do very many wet installs (because I hate it), so I don't spend money on app fluids and make my own.
I use about a dozen drops of Johnsons "no more tears" baby shampoo, 1 cap of Metho and 1 litre water. Metho helps with the evaporation.

Another signwriter I know uses windex for all wet installs, I questioned him about it and he said he's never had a problem, but I don't think I'll try it.

Isopropyl Alcohol or methylated spirits Alcohol?

Also, can you clean panels with it prior to application?