How long should the print sit before laminating?

[Compilla]

How long should the print sit before laminating?

 

[Fine Line Darrel]

I know that most will say you should let the print dry for 24 hrs......I have in a rush laminated in as little as 4 hrs?? It turned out ok, could have been an issue? I'm sure factors like temp, humidity, application, etc will all play a role in the final product. Hope this helped somewhat?

Fine Line Darrel

 

[GK]

Like Darrel said, most people & manufacturers will say 24 hours, and if it isn't a rush job, I will agree. Its not the drying to worry about, its the outgassing of the solvent from the materials. If you laminate too soon you tend to trap the gases in and prevent the outgas process. If you have a rush job for a longterm application explain this to them, if they still want to do it this way, just have them sign a waiver saying you are not liable in case of failure.

 

[bob]

Outgassing is the bogeyman you use to scare your kids. When the ink is dry to the fingertip drag test it's dry. Usually less than an hour. Laminate away.

 

[Graphicdetailsinc]

I just went to a wrap seminar in Orlando. They said if you dont let it gas off completly the ink can in some cases go the other direction through the vinyl. They have actually seen cases where this has happened and the ink left a permanent 'tatoo' in the paintjob when the wrap was removed!

 

[WRAPS]

does the smell matter?

i usually smell it.in about 13-15 hrs it doesn't smell so much i'm thinking thats dry.but we try to wait the 24 hrs anyway.

 

[myronb]

I just went to a wrap seminar in Orlando. They said if you dont let it gas off completly the ink can in some cases go the other direction through the vinyl. They have actually seen cases where this has happened and the ink left a permanent 'tatoo' in the paintjob when the wrap was removed!

I just "unlettered" a van with cut vinyl & it did the same thing under some saphire blue vinyl!

 

[Jeremy092288]

Like Darrel said, most people & manufacturers will say 24 hours,

crap....

 

[flyinhawaiian968]

And speaking of smelling something...

A tatoo in the paint? Yeah, definitely smelling some b.s. here! That tatoo ain't from the ink, its more likely from the non-opaque vinyl and a lot of sunlight. I've never EVER seen ink come through the back side of vinyl!

For me, I use either 3651 and 210 laminate, and haven't had any outgassing that caused any problems-yet. Usually laminate an hour or two after printing, and if its light colors, much sooner than that. I also check for tackiness, and if its even slightly tacky I work on another project for a half hour or so.

Having said that, I've also done some prints right off the printer and directly into the laminator and haven't had them fail yet. Test bed for that one is my rear bumper, decal's still looking like new with no bubbles, delamination or anything else. It might help that this is off an XC 540 with the pre and print heaters running around 94ºF, and the post heater running around 120ºF. That makes for a pretty dry print once it hits the end of the last heater!

Chris

Chris

 

[B Snyder]

Outgassing is the bogeyman you use to scare your kids. When the ink is dry to the fingertip drag test it's dry. Usually less than an hour. Laminate away.

There is a big difference between ink (or paint) being dry and being cured.

 

[bob]

There is a big difference between ink (or paint) being dry and being cured.

Perhaps but dry is all it has to be for lamination. 'Cured' can mean whatever you want it to mean but solvent inks dry via evaporation, just like lacquers. Not like enamels which spend their entire existence curing.

 

[Left Coast]

I usually let mine sit out overnight and lam em in the morning the next day just to be on the safe side of things.... why risk anything for the sake of 12- 24 hours?

Cheers

 

[Compilla]

Thanks to all you folks for sharing your knowledge and talent.

:U Rock: