Pole Banner Printing, 1 vs 2 sided

[Firefox]

I have a (light) pole banner job coming up that I have done on the HP 5500 UV, printing the banners single sided then sewing them together with pole pockets top and bottom.

I have a Roland VS-640 on order that should be installed before this job is ready to go and I am wondering if it is possible to print on both sides of the banner media with the Eco-Sol inks. This has not been possible with the HP since I have never found media coated 2 sides.

I have seen two sided printing on banners but I don't know what technology they were printed with.

This job usually goes up for 1-2 months and HP scrim has worked out well.

If this can be done with the Roland any suggestions for media or anything to watch out for?

 

[Letterbox Mike]

We print hundreds of these a year on Bantex 18oz. double-sided blockout. It's perfect for these banners and it will outlast anything you could print with aqueous ink.

 

[anotherdog]

You can print two sided banners with anything, just getting the two sides in register is a pita sometimes...but why would you. Single sides is easier, stronger and faster than messing with both sides of double sided banner material.

 

[Firefox]

We print hundreds of these a year on Bantex 18oz. double-sided blockout. It's perfect for these banners and it will outlast anything you could print with aqueous ink.

That seems like what I am looking, for Shiller's sells it for $236+/- for 50yds, and the blockout scrim I have been using has been around $210+/- for 50Ft! 3 times the material for a mere pittance more! This and the durability factor is the "why" for getting the new machine, I can charge more for a better product and pay less to produce it! Win/Win for me and a Win for the customer getting a better product.

You can print two sided banners with anything, just getting the two sides in register is a pita sometimes...but why would you. Single sides is easier, stronger and faster than messing with both sides of double sided banner material.

I have no idea how difficult it will be to register yet since my current machine can't image both sides of the media I have been able to find for it. On my other equipment registering front to back isn't too difficult unless the image needs to be perfect for some specific feature, like business cards with boarders on both sides, which we do without too much trouble.

It is good to know that the Eco-Sol ink should print both sides on most anything. The reason to print double sided is materials cost is about half, and the customer won't pay for the extra strength aspect unless they really need/want it.

Thanks for the info, you guys are great!

 

[Letterbox Mike]

Registration back-to-back isn't hard, you just have to figure out how to do it, typically by figuring out where the origin point is on the machine and figuring out how to start both sides at the same point. Once you get the hang of it it's cake.

FYI, you might want to consider getting a 25 yard roll vs. a 50 yard roll. This stuff is really thick and heavy. A 25 yard roll of it weighs as much and is as large in diameter as a 50 yard roll of regular 13oz vinyl. We print with Mimaki printers which can handle fairly heavy rolls and there's no way it would take a 50 yard roll of this stuff weight-wise, and the diameter of a 50 yard roll wouldn't physically fit either. I really doubt a Roland VS will take it either.

 

[anotherdog]

It is good to know that the Eco-Sol ink should print both sides on most anything. The reason to print double sided is materials cost is about half, and the customer won't pay for the extra strength aspect unless they really need/want it.

Thanks for the info, you guys are great!

Whoa there, Eco-Sol inks need treated banner. it's true they can print on the back but it will look like crap. You need a double sided product that will cost more. It will also take a lot longer to turn over the banner and print

There has been a lot about double sided printing on this site, but basically to register one side of the banner to the other push a pin through at the corner you are registering to. print one side, turn it over, feed it back onto the spool find that zero position using the pin hole and print.

I'm sure the big guys find it makes $$$ sense to use double sided, but unless the job calls for it (like it has windslits) most mortal solvent printers will prefer to print a longer single sided and fold over.

 

[Firefox]

Registration back-to-back isn't hard, you just have to figure out how to do it, typically by figuring out where the origin point is on the machine and figuring out how to start both sides at the same point. Once you get the hang of it it's cake.

FYI, you might want to consider getting a 25 yard roll vs. a 50 yard roll. This stuff is really thick and heavy. A 25 yard roll of it weighs as much and is as large in diameter as a 50 yard roll of regular 13oz vinyl. We print with Mimaki printers which can handle fairly heavy rolls and there's no way it would take a 50 yard roll of this stuff weight-wise, and the diameter of a 50 yard roll wouldn't physically fit either. I really doubt a Roland VS will take it either.

It's just getting used to the hardware, where it throws the image and learning how to put it where you want it!

Good tip on the roll size, I can see how that could be a problem, especially with 18 oz.

Whoa there, Eco-Sol inks need treated banner. it's true they can print on the back but it will look like crap. You need a double sided product that will cost more. It will also take a lot longer to turn over the banner and print

There has been a lot about double sided printing on this site, but basically to register one side of the banner to the other push a pin through at the corner you are registering to. print one side, turn it over, feed it back onto the spool find that zero position using the pin hole and print.

I'm sure the big guys find it makes $$$ sense to use double sided, but unless the job calls for it (like it has windslits) most mortal solvent printers will prefer to print a longer single sided and fold over.

Thanks for the clarification, guess it was too good to be true!

The job above uses about 300 feet of 36", folding it over. I was hoping to be able to cut that in half with the "Bantex double sided" or something like it, I'll give it a try. Worst case I won't like doing it that way and i'll go back to how I make them now with the 5500.

 

[mac_man_luke]

FYI, you might want to consider getting a 25 yard roll vs. a 50 yard roll. This stuff is really thick and heavy. A 25 yard roll of it weighs as much and is as large in diameter as a 50 yard roll of regular 13oz vinyl. We print with Mimaki printers which can handle fairly heavy rolls and there's no way it would take a 50 yard roll of this stuff weight-wise, and the diameter of a 50 yard roll wouldn't physically fit either. I really doubt a Roland VS will take it either.

We run 50 yard rolls on our RS640 with no problems at all (except you need 2 people to safely load it - heavy stuff!)

 

[Firefox]

We run 50 yard rolls on our RS640 with no problems at all (except you need 2 people to safely load it - heavy stuff!)

Is that 50 Yard rolls of 18 oz, like above?

We can always get help with heavy rolls if the machine will handle it and there is often less waste with longer rolls.

 

[parrott]

Bantex 18oz comes in 25 and 50 yard rolls. We print the 25 yard rolls pretty often and thats about as heavy a roll I want to put on our printer. Thats not to say your printer can't handle it, but I would imagine the 50 yard roll is pretty fricking heavy.

In my opinion it is the best (also the most expensive) heavy duty banner material out there. It prints very smooth and looks fantastic. We have some banners that have been out for at least 4 years and they still look great. I would definitely recomend this product for pole banners or any long term outdoor banners.

 

[Firefox]

Thank you Parrott. Coming from the Aqueous side it looks pretty reasonable being just a little more than 1/3 the cost of HP scrim block out I have have been using quite a bit of.

Just heard the new Roland should arrive in a couple days, might get it installed next week! wahooo!

 

[TCBinaflash]

Whoa there, Eco-Sol inks need treated banner. it's true they can print on the back but it will look like crap.

Not true.

We do it all the time with Eco-Sol.

 

[Firefox]

Not true.

We do it all the time with Eco-Sol.

Any certain type/brand give better results or any to stay away from?

 

[Tourney Services]

We have printed plenty of double sided banners and we have had great sucess using Fellers KOMA 16oz Blockout (Solvent) 54" X 120' $185.99 great product. The hardest part will be alignment on your machine. Once you get that down you will save time and money. Oh yeah and hem tape or thread if you sew them. Good Luck!

 

[anotherdog]

Not true.

We do it all the time with Eco-Sol.

Okay, turn your single sided banner over, print on the back and tell me its as good.

The benner you print on with your Eco-Sol inks IS treated to better hold solvent inks.