Large Vinyl Install advise

[Stormyj]

Hi all.
Looking for some advise. Installing Oracal 24" by 12' on a piece of Polycarb. Text is cut out so the entire sign will be covered in the vinyl with letters removed. Ive never installed on such a large sign with reverse cut vinyl like this. My plan is to lay the poly on the workbench with vinyl alongside. Remove backing from vinyl and spray with rapidtac and spray poly with rapidtac. Flip vinyl over onto poly and squeegee out the rapidtac while aligning. Any advice on this? Do you do it a different way that is easier? Thanks in advance for any advice.
Jim
PS
Ive attached a link to a sign where you can see what Im talking about. The letters have been removed so you see the white poly underneath. Just in case there was any confusion. https://images.app.goo.gl/VbAE1NSK3LNv5pBo6

 

[White Haus]

We would use a similar technique for something that size. Make sure you soak the adhesive and lexan down real good, go over everything lightly first to get most of the Rapid Tac out then work your way out from the center with firm pressure. I personally like starting with a larger squeegee like these: https://www.3mcanada.ca/3M/en_CA/co...-CPA-1-5-per-box/?N=5002385+3293665058&rt=rud then go back with a nice teflon squeegee to get all the bubbles/liquid out.
Your premask will behave differently in the open areas so just be careful when going over those. Peel back premask as soon as you can then go over everything again with teflon squeegee with Rapid Tac on the vinyl surface to lubricate it.

 

[Stormyj]

We would use a similar technique for something that size. Make sure you soak the adhesive and lexan down real good, go over everything lightly first to get most of the Rapid Tac out then work your way out from the center with firm pressure. I personally like starting with a larger squeegee like these: https://www.3mcanada.ca/3M/en_CA/co...-CPA-1-5-per-box/?N=5002385+3293665058&rt=rud then go back with a nice teflon squeegee to get all the bubbles/liquid out.
Your premask will behave differently in the open areas so just be careful when going over those. Peel back premask as soon as you can then go over everything again with teflon squeegee with Rapid Tac on the vinyl surface to lubricate it.

I wasnt even going to use premask. Just the vinyl. On something that large, do people use premask?

 

[Stormyj]

Come to think of it, it would make it a lot easier

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Use application tape and apply it dry. This should be a standard skill for any sign person.

 

[White Haus]

I wasnt even going to use premask. Just the vinyl. On something that large, do people use premask?

Aren't the letters knocked out? If you don't premask there won't be anything to hold it together....

 

[SignMeUpGraphics]

Does RapidTac have alcohol in it?
If so, it could cause crazing on the polycarb and/or bubbling of the vinyl after a few days/weeks as it outgasses.
Never happened to me, but have heard things around here about it in the past.

 

[visual800]

we cut, weed and mask it. lay the vinyl on the poly and line it up and then hinge it in the middle. flip it over on either side of hinge and cut thru backing and peel back about 2' and start dry squeegee til we get to end and then do other end

 

[Stormyj]

Aren't the letters knocked out? If you don't premask there won't be anything to hold it together....

I hold the inside of letters until installed then apply them later. But I think im going with the premask.

 

[Stormyj]

Use application tape and apply it dry. This should be a standard skill for any sign person.

Its 10ft long

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Its 10ft long

I thought you said 12'? 10' shouldn't be any more difficult than doing 3' or 50' it's the same motion. Watch some vinyl application videos. I must be missing something here.. applying vinyl is the first thing you learn when doing signs. And I have no idea why you're asking about not using application on cut vinyl letters, that makes no sense. Do you have ANY experience doing signs?

 

[ikarasu]

We do lots of 10-20 ft applications by hand.

For something like this... We would rapid tac it and do it on the rolls roller, just because it'd take 1 minute instead of 10 and it's so easy a monkey could do it without bubbles.

If you have no rolls roller... Do it 50/50 wet applied with a laminator.


I don't see why you wouldn't use application tape... For the cost of it, less risk and time than if you don't and you're manually putting the inside letters down... And it'd look better. Not to mention, it'll help prevent the vinyl from streetching. 10 ft of application tape is like a buck.

 

[Gino]

No idea how one would lay 2' × 12' of die-cut translucent vinyl down without application tape....... wet or dry application.

 

[Johnny Best]

Transfer tape and big squeggee. As others said,line up and center hinge. Do one side then other. Dry.

 

[Jeremiah]

I did an 18" x 9 ft yesterday dry actually by hand mo rolls roller. Dont know if I would try 24" x 12 ft
But it's only material to try again

 

[Jeremiah]

I have one of those cheap Chinese manual laminators. Crank the top roller up, put the poly in with the vinyl laid out on it and
line them up. let the top roller down. When you put the top roller down the alignment cant get off. Then I peel the liner back about 8" on one end, roll the liner under
and roll that end out of the laminator. Then roll it back through from that same end, pulling the liner off as you go.

Perfect results every time.

OR I just Break this bad boy out.
.
.
.

The best $3.00 I ever spent at Harbor Freight. Will apply anything 24" or less, perfectly.
Stick one end, and push the liner out from under it as you lay it down.

When using your chinese roller, how do you keep it tracking ? Seems like it would not line up properly. That is why I never use a roller, just hand and eye

 

[Stacey K]

As others said, use premask and the center hinge method, wet apply. What a mess without premask...I don't understand that.

 

[Stacey K]

This guys a little sloppy but you get the idea...use a scissor, don't tear it or you get little paper fibers on the letters. And you can do wet apply, just spray the decals and the poly.

 

[TammieH]

I wasnt even going to use premask. Just the vinyl. On something that large, do people use premask?

You have to use mask if you are cutting the copy/art out of the vinyl

 

[GAC05]

Wouldn't even think about doing it without mask. That would be just plain dumb.

Depending on what county he is in, a mask may be mandated by the governor.