needsome advice applying write on erase lam with big squeegee

[gabagoo]

I am pretty good with my big squeegee for normal lamination and applications to substrates.

I am afraid of this write on erase laminate.
Just so you guys know it is the brand that comes on a very light minty green backing paper which is very thin, and the laminate itself must be a 1 ml as it is very finicky.

This morning I got brave and decided to laminate some prints using it. They are not overly large so I felt I could handle the squeegee with them.

20" x 50" seems easy with normal lam, but this stuff will not release from its backing paper easily which therefore means you need one hand on the squeegee and one to pull the liner ahead of the squeegee.

I find that as I pull, the squeegee catches up too fast and I get those horrible jam ups and then continue pulling and advancing. When finished I find that each time the squeegee ran into a jam I would get a few air bubbles.

This little job went OK as I could poke out the few air bubbles but I have 23- 21" x 44" write on erase cheques ready to be laminated and I really dont want to be poking bubbles out on those as it is a high profile customer.

Any hints on how to deal with this particular laminate? Is there a good way to peel the backing paper and be able to run the squeegee smoothly?

Thanks guys

 

[Circleville Signs]

Use two people

 

[gabagoo]

yea I suppose that may work better so long as the person pulling the laminate back keeps up.

 

[Mainframe]

When you use 2 people, don't watch the person, watch the slack down at the lam, just stay behind the slack as they pull & you won't get a jam up. My problem is I use the shop Kitty "my wife" to help me & I can't keep my eyes on the work!

 

[gnatt66]

yeah two people will eliminate 90 percent of those issues, me thinks.

 

[TJZ]

if the lam really stick to the baker than its been on a shelf to long. Exchange, get a fresh roll.

 

[gabagoo]

if the lam really stick to the baker than its been on a shelf to long. Exchange, get a fresh roll.

its not that it sticks to the backer so much as it is very thin....both the backer and the film and they dont seperate from each other like vinyl or laminate, so when you push forward the entire roll jumps off the BS anbd the squeggee gets stuck. Annoying for sure.

Tried doing it last week with soap and water and although it worked, it took far to long for the hazing to go away.... 5 days!!!!!

 

[sfr table hockey]

Dale had a youtube video of laying thin laminate where you used some two faced tape and once you hinged the laminate and used a tube to roll it onto, the edge right at the hinge had the two faced tape applied and once you start the rollback over it the roll pulls the backing paper off as you roll. It helped me for a real thin lam that I applied.

 

[The Big Squeegee]

There is also a video showing the application of transfer tape to the backing to make it thicker and easier to handle.

 

[Malkin]

I hated that dry erase laminate when we had it.

Then I discovered a much thicker kind. I think sold by Fellers and maybe Grimco.

 

[gabagoo]

Can anyone explain why by the two different brands that I have is it made with what can only be described as the thinest, crappiest backing paper known to mankind? Is it a conspiracy?

I have done 3 so far and I tried using a second person and failed as they could not pull the backing paper away at the same speed at which I was moving forward resulting in a head crash and bubbles.

I then tried it solo and pulled with one hand while pushing with the other. It ran better except getting the pressure even across a 22" span was a bit difficult as I was mainly concentrating on keeping that backing paper ahead of myself.

The film looks really crappy freshly put on but I suppose it will smooth out over the next day....it better!!!

I think after doing 10 or so I will have the hang of it until the next time one of these shows up and then the learning curve will start all over again.lol


Maybe I should try the premask on the backing paper idea....just not crazy about putting more time and resources towards this project.

 

[anotherdog]

I have to agree on the WB lam. I must be using another brand (backing is plain white), but it is far too thin to use the big Squeegee. I do quite a bit of whiteboard so I always end up using the laminator. I also use Oracal 210, another laminate that has a thin backing paper. My squeegee has cobwebs.

If I'm doing a big batch I'll install the roll on the laminator, but for some reason its hard to get the tension settled and run wrinkle free.

Of all the laminates it's the one I dislike most.