laminating experience, different methods actually used by members. mono print with poly lam?

[Taylor Made Print]

Hello All!

Hope you're well as you read this.

i'm just after some of the members experience with print + Lam variations.

I know the proper advice is to have matching brands and materials types when it comes to printing and lam.. i.e mono print use matching laminate to ensure everything works as should and you're covered if anything goes wrong.

BUT im just want to hear peoples actual sign making experience.

Ive read on here (ive lost the thread) that you can mix and match in certain situations... like im putting a graphic onto a van which is filling out a panel each side of the van(relatively flat) and people were saying i could use a polymeric lam on a monomeric print and that it would be fine as the properties of the lam would over rule the shrinking.

Can anyone vouch for this?

I understand that it cant work the other way round , as in mono lam on poly print.

Its a rule of thumb to have the Lam higher grade than the below material and all will be fine on flat surfaces.

Thanks for your guidance as always.

Rich

 

[MarkSnelling]

While I cannot vouch as a "printer" I can tell you that you are on the right path. I'd suggest, though, using a polymeric vinyl. While it is more expensive, you'll rest a lot easier knowing you have a better film stuck to that van. Drytac makes great stuff and obviously has a huge presence in the UK...

 

[victor bogdanov]

Print will only be as good as the weakest link is how I look at it

 

[Taylor Made Print]

While I cannot vouch as a "printer" I can tell you that you are on the right path. I'd suggest, though, using a polymeric vinyl. While it is more expensive, you'll rest a lot easier knowing you have a better film stuck to that van. Drytac makes great stuff and obviously has a huge presence in the UK...

Thanks Mark

 

[Taylor Made Print]

Print will only be as good as the weakest link is how I look at it

 

[Precision]

We put 8518 on Ij35C all the time for vehicle graphics on flat panel vehicle graphics mostly. Vehicle wraps need cast on cast.

 

[signheremd]

For vehicles we use cast vinyl with a cast uv laminate - either a wrap vinyl for full or partial wraps, or a air release vinyl for partial wraps or large logos. For box trucks we have wrapped the box (basically a flat surface) with cast wrap vinyl, cast air release vinyl, or with polymeric air release calendared vinyl all using a cast uv laminate. Cast uv laminate can extend the life of polymeric vinyl 1-2 years. Examples of vinyls we have used include: Arlon SLX Plus, General Formulations 830 Automark, and Oracal 3951 Proslide wrap vinyls; Oracal 3951 Rapid Air and Avery MPI1105 EZ air release cast vinyl; Oracal 3551 Rapid Air polymeric intermediate vinyl. We have also applied several different 3M vinyls, but do not stock as cost to quality is high.

Our favorite wrap vinyl is Arlon SLX Plus. General Formulations is good, but they have increased price too much, so Arlon is a better deal.
Our favorite day to day air release vinyl is Avery MPI1105 EZ. Great price and consistent quality. We use a lot of this.
Our Favorite intermediate is Oracal 3551 Rapid Air. This is a great vinyl at a very good price point, easy to work with, can't say enough good about it.
We also use a lot of MacTac Rebel 528HT (high tack). We use this for wall vinyl more often than any other wall vinyl we have tried - it just sticks to almost any paint as well as low energy plastics. Sometimes we laminate, sometimes we don't. We use a cast uv laminate when we do.
For laminates, we use more Oraguard Cast 290 Gloss Laminate than any other. It used to come with a 10 year outdoor warranty (until they introduced their non-PVC product), though now I think they rate it at 8 years. We also use Briteline (Grimco) WrapCast Optically Clear Overlaminate. This is supposed to be 3M 8518(might have that number wrong) optically clear laminate - as in made by the same plant but without 3M branding. Excellent laminate, have nothing bad to say, excellent price, UV protection, consistent quality. For Matte Laminate we use Oraguard 290 Matte Lamination. We tend to use gloss 90% of the time. The matte is good, though silvering is noticeable for a day or so (after which normal temperature heating and contracting cause it to disappear).

Never use an intermediate lamination on a cast vinyl.

Hope this helps

 

[Taylor Made Print]

We put 8518 on Ij35C all the time for vehicle graphics on flat panel vehicle graphics mostly. Vehicle wraps need cast on cast.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

What's your reasoning to use monomeric on a vehicle, especially a large surface area?

 

[Taylor Made Print]

What's your reasoning to use monomeric on a vehicle, especially a large surface area?

Ive used a silly example there to be honest, i wouldnt use monomeric on a vehicle.

It would be more for use on signage boards, i read that if i use a poly lam on a printed mono print that it will extend the life of the mono and also stop the shrinking to an extent.

 

[Stacey K]

For vehicles I use Arlon SLX Plus with coordinating gloss laminate. It's cheaper than the 3M 180, quite a few people on here use it. I really like it. I have used the Arlon SLX plus with 3M 8518 with no issues. I also use 3M IJ35 or 40 with 8518 for outdoor signage but for indoor or "car stickers or garage fridge stickers" I typically use Briteline Shield UV Luster...I really like the finish on it and it's a little thick so people really like it for stickers. No issues.