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Install Large Graphics Solo
- Thread starter schlimmerkerl
- Start date
HulkSmash
New Member
So who exactly said you're doing it wrong?
skyhigh
New Member
They plan on not being open in 5 years????
Ya, but maybe they may want to change the message in the mean time.
skyhigh
New Member
651? I must be in the wrong business. Wish someone would have told me that 17 years ago. :Big Laugh
ehhh maybe. Now if your talking "air release", heck ya.
Circleville Signs
New Member
Nope - 651, any non-air release. It isn't that hard 
GAC05
Quit buggin' me
In spite of what Bob says if you are doing a bunch of these or doing them multiple times a specialized tool will save you time, money & frustration.
We have a recurring order to install about 100 40"x45" window posters spread out over 11 locations.
These are full color prints on intermediate vinyl with no air release, premask or lamination.
We cut a piece of 10mm coro and covered one edge with some 1/2 aluminum channel wrapped in velcro about an 1"wider than the width of the graphic graphic.
One guy can fold back the top 2 inches of the backer and stick it into place on the glass - slide the tool down the graphic allowing the backer to fall away with very little effort.
We use a piece of aluminum extrusion as a jig setting on the bottom of the window frame to marked to quickly center and evenly space the graphic on the window.
With a little practice a minimum wage guy can do this without bubbles or wrinkles.
Time needed and finished quality over someone trying to lay a premasked or wet graphic down with a 6" squeegee is not even a contest.
wayne k
guam usa
We have a recurring order to install about 100 40"x45" window posters spread out over 11 locations.
These are full color prints on intermediate vinyl with no air release, premask or lamination.
We cut a piece of 10mm coro and covered one edge with some 1/2 aluminum channel wrapped in velcro about an 1"wider than the width of the graphic graphic.
One guy can fold back the top 2 inches of the backer and stick it into place on the glass - slide the tool down the graphic allowing the backer to fall away with very little effort.
We use a piece of aluminum extrusion as a jig setting on the bottom of the window frame to marked to quickly center and evenly space the graphic on the window.
With a little practice a minimum wage guy can do this without bubbles or wrinkles.
Time needed and finished quality over someone trying to lay a premasked or wet graphic down with a 6" squeegee is not even a contest.
wayne k
guam usa
SignProPlus-Chip
New Member
Everything I do is printed on Oracal Rapid Air, or 3M ControlTac. Typically installs up to 4x8 foot are done solo. I just installed some 5x5' graphics on windows, nice and bubble free.
I hinge the vinyl horizontally down the middle, apply the bottom first, then the top. If the graphics are not laminated I make sure they have transfer on them so the vinyl doesn't stretch or distort. Install was done dry with 4" felt squeegee...two windows from start to finish was about 30 minutes.
Sometimes it's hard to say what someones specific issue with bubbles or wrinkles may be without watching them. It sounds like your doing everything just fine. You could be trying to squeegee down too fast, using too much app fluid, etc...
I take my time, plan ahead (transfer tape), and make sure my graphic is secured with more than just the tape hinge so nothing shifts by accident.
I hope some of my rambling can be found useful
Stinky Prints
New Member
Recommendations for hinging on a window where the graphic is edge to edge on the glass, but the glass is inset in the frame (so any material for bleed will get caught up on the frame at the edge and complicate the application). Also, to hinge long vertical panels where the window is inset, is not possible as there is no glass to apply your hinge. Thanks!
monroesigns
New Member
Buy this tool (double blade vinyl backing cutter) - cuts a piece about 5/8"out of the backer. No more worries.
Attachments
Oracal actually recommends a teaspoon of detergent (Dawn) per quart of water. Been using it for twenty plus years: works fine, saves a bunch on Rapid Tac.
Stinky Prints
New Member
Thanks! Been using something similar, just curious if there were any secrets out there I was missing! Actually yesterday I installed a 7' wide x 10' tall window printed on HP Polymeric Matte Overlam (3mil) unlamented. I used masking for the top 12" of the graphic to stiffen it up, slit the back, removed the top 2" and started with that. With a 10' tall graphic, the bleed needed for any misalignment on the outside edge interfering with the frame still causes issues when applying to the glass.
Tried this one horizontal first, but trying to align 7' wide by 48" tall panels without being able to tape them in place was a challenge. Laminating makes install easier, but is more time, money and room for mistakes on a temp (3 month install). Also used GF790AE, dry application for this graphic in the past. It also needed to be laminated to make the install easier. The wet install, unlaminated seems to be the ticket. We'll see how this adhesive comes off when the time comes, little concerned there...
Anyone have recommendations for a frosted intermediate film that is a bit thicker (would make the install easier as well)?
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somcalmetim
New Member
The only things helped by applying wet are stoneguard and translucent.
Use air release vinyl for everything else...it is easier and saves more money being fast to install than other vinyls save being cheap.
If you plan to keep your customers you might also want to use removable vinyl. It helps out future you when they come back and want a new marketing message and you have to remove it again.
I can wrap both sides of a 53' semi trailer with 26 x 50"x100" panels in a day with 3M air release vinyl (not including rivet sinking but this is also quicker with air release).
Start taped and hung from the top. peel backing half way down and start squeege line horizontal across upper third and go up and down from there using same process for each panel lining up print overlap as you go.
We can remove a full trailer in about 3 hours with a removable air release adhesive and see 180c/gloss lam looking good 7+ years out.
On windows it is all about temperature...the adhesive can get aggressive hot or cold so I have even taped up a couple sheets of old coro as an awning to keep the vinyl/window out of direct sun.
Use air release vinyl for everything else...it is easier and saves more money being fast to install than other vinyls save being cheap.
If you plan to keep your customers you might also want to use removable vinyl. It helps out future you when they come back and want a new marketing message and you have to remove it again.
I can wrap both sides of a 53' semi trailer with 26 x 50"x100" panels in a day with 3M air release vinyl (not including rivet sinking but this is also quicker with air release).
Start taped and hung from the top. peel backing half way down and start squeege line horizontal across upper third and go up and down from there using same process for each panel lining up print overlap as you go.
We can remove a full trailer in about 3 hours with a removable air release adhesive and see 180c/gloss lam looking good 7+ years out.
On windows it is all about temperature...the adhesive can get aggressive hot or cold so I have even taped up a couple sheets of old coro as an awning to keep the vinyl/window out of direct sun.
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what vinyl you are using?, to do that, without lamination and "premask" I use a thicker vinyl, that's all, the thickness helps a lot, I use a latex printer and Oracal 3258, easy to install, I have done big decals on walls, by the way, to hold it, I tape a metal ruler a few inches down from the top, and then stick it with magnets. the same I do when installing perforated windows. I never use wet apply, only for frosted vinyl.