Need Help Large bubbles when applying vinyl to board

[saratoningraphics]

I bought a second laminator so I could apply my laminated vinyl prints to substrates. It almost always leaves large bubbles where the vinyl is not applied to the signs. Even if the bubbles aren’t visible, if I take a squeegee I will see a bunch of large pockets of air. It’s so bad that I’ve had to reprint very large prints just to redo it by hand….


I’ve tried pressure changes and I’ve tried using heat but the bubbles remain. Any ideas why this is happening ??

 

[victor bogdanov]

try air release vinyl

 

[netsol]

use a spray bottle, mist the substrate with alcohol.
wipe with microfiber cloth
flip substrate & repeat

you say you bought a second laminator. the first was too small?
you didn't have this issue with the first?

 

[saratoningraphics]

use a spray bottle, mist the substrate with alcohol.
wipe with microfiber cloth
flip substrate & repeat

you say you bought a second laminator. the first was too small?
you didn't have this issue with the first?

All substrates are cleaned with alcohol and a mircrofiber cloth before applying the vinyl.

I never used my other one to apply vinyl on boards. I know its a bit weird, but I do not want to use my first laminator for anything other than laminating film to perserve the rollers. They are both 60" laminators. The purpose of me purchasing the second laminator was for my own sake of mind knowing there would be some sharp edges hitting the rollers. (I do file down the edges still.)

I purchased this "new" laminator used. Its worked well for laminating pieces (I set my other laminator to be used roll to roll) And it has also worked for applying transfer tape so without any bubbles.

 

[saratoningraphics]

try air release vinyl

This is with air release vinyl. The bubbles are so bad, I cannot squeegee them out afterwards... There is A LOT of air left throughout the entire print. Sometimes it will just be a little bit that I can squeegee out the air but for large prints, I cannot..

 

[netsol]

are you SURE there is not a flat spot?
i have a 55 inch daige, that must be 25 years old. bought it used and the bottom rollers were TERRIBLE.
i use it for nothing other than mounting to a substrate.
i cheat and sandwich what i am laminating
10mm coro on the bottom, then my substrate, then the vinyl + laminate on top

the coro "takes up the slack"
you never get a bubble
5 years ago,,i said i would do this for a while and then get rid of the old daige.
it is still going strong

 

[netsol]

we also have an OLD seal 400 with heat & a royal sovereign 65" but the daige is quite a trooper.

 

[weyandsign]

Your rollers might be concave. Daige went under because they lasted forever and were too simple to operate

 

[Geneva Olson]

Is the air bubble in the same place every time? I would imagine that your rollers aren't evenly distributing pressure across the substrate.

 

[netsol]

Your rollers might be concave. Daige went under because they lasted forever and were too simple to operate

it really doesn't take that long to cause a flat spot on the older, foam rollers.

 

[JBurton]

My money is on too much nip pressure, but it's really hard to make out the shape and spacing of the bubbles in these pictures.

 

[netsol]

probably right.

 

[Geneva Olson]

it really doesn't take that long to cause a flat spot on the older, foam rollers.

what about the rubber ones? i'm always forgetting to separate them.

 

[netsol]

That's the best way to ruin a good laminator. that and being careless with a razor knife

 

[ProntoPrinter]

I bought a second laminator so I could apply my laminated vinyl prints to substrates. It almost always leaves large bubbles where the vinyl is not applied to the signs. Even if the bubbles aren’t visible, if I take a squeegee I will see a bunch of large pockets of air. It’s so bad that I’ve had to reprint very large prints just to redo it by hand….


I’ve tried pressure changes and I’ve tried using heat but the bubbles remain. Any ideas why this is

In our shop we use our laminator for laminating long print runs, 10ft or more, and our laminating table for less than 10ft and for mounting vinyl to rigid substrates. Our laminator adjusts from the laminating setting to 2” thick but I would never use it for mounting to rigid substrates. There’s to many variables and not enough control. I ultimately think you’re barking up the wrong tree trying to use it for that purpose.

I’d recommend You consider a laminating table. You can mount a 4’x8’ print in less than 5 minutes, bubble free and with complete control over speed and pressure.

It’s not lost on me that you’ve spent money and are trying to make it work. We’ve all been there and it’s certainly gratifying when you get it sorted. But if you’re running more work than completing, it will never pay for itself. Not to mention your time is valuable and you can’t make more of it. It’s like the old saying “hire slow and fire fast”…cut your losses, get what you can out of it and move on.

 

[hybriddesign]

are you SURE there is not a flat spot?
i have a 55 inch daige, that must be 25 years old. bought it used and the bottom rollers were TERRIBLE.
i use it for nothing other than mounting to a substrate.
i cheat and sandwich what i am laminating
10mm coro on the bottom, then my substrate, then the vinyl + laminate on top

the coro "takes up the slack"
you never get a bubble
5 years ago,,i said i would do this for a while and then get rid of the old daige.
it is still going strong

I'm going to try this coro trick. We're fine mounting to PVC, coro, foam core etc but we have one client we do a lot of solvent printing on optically clear (2mil thick) film and then apply it to 1/8" acrylic for and for the life of us it never works in the laminator. We wet apply it after a lot of praying and have three people helping to get it on. It's horrible...