Printing on laminate

[Peachtree Signs]

I did a search on here and didn't see anything about this so I thought I would share.

I wanted to do a reverse print of our logo, second surface, on clear acrylic so I did a quick design. We don't have any transparent vinyl so I thought about using some of the free Briteline laminate we got from the vendor and do a little experiment. The hardest part was getting the lam to cooperate with our HP Latex 365 printer but I managed to get a test print done using a profile from Kodak transparent film and it actually turned out ok with little adjustment. The print was easy to apply and I think it actually turned out pretty cool looking, mind you it looks better in person than in the pics. Also here's a comparison with a print on first surface.

 

[d fleming]

I've always thought second surface on the storefronts I do looked 1000 percent better than first.

 

[Gino]

Soooo...... which is which ??

 

[Peachtree Signs]

in my comparison pic the one on the left is second surface

 

[Gino]

My opinion is the one to the left looks washed out, no clarity, colors don't pop at all and even though the baseboard strip shows through, it looks wonky. What is that large water tower reflection on there ??

 

[Peachtree Signs]

My opinion is the one to the left looks washed out, no clarity, colors don't pop at all and even though the baseboard strip shows through, it looks wonky. What is that large water tower reflection on there ??

lol the reflection is our work table, i took a picture on the floor, we're going to mount them on the wall using mono mounts

 

[Gino]

Okay, I can see that now. However, I don't know if it's the colors you used or the way a latex lays down ink, but your reverse print looks muddy as all get out. I still don't like it.

 

[Peachtree Signs]

I should have adjusted the greens and the yellows darker and the blue in the background could be darker (I did adjust the levels to be darker to make it look like dusk) but like I said it looks better in person

 

[flyplainsdrifta]

looks pretty cool dude. always love experimenting with stuff like this for small personal projects. could maybe get an led strip and point it up from the bottom to make it glow a bit! just an idea!

 

[Peachtree Signs]

looks pretty cool dude. always love experimenting with stuff like this for small personal projects. could maybe get an led strip and point it up from the bottom to make it glow a bit! just an idea!

I had a job to route a 1/2" in piece of acrylic at my old job for an award, that had a blue LED lit under it and an image engraved, it looked really cool

 

[flyplainsdrifta]

I had a job to route a 1/2" in piece of acrylic at my old job for an award, that had a blue LED lit under it and an image engraved, it looked really cool

dope dude. yeah whenever we have any extra scrap small pieces ill do stuff like that with concert photos (mostly phish haha) and they look amazing. the stage shots with the LED's almost make the image look live. definitely some cool stuff there.

 

[guillermo]

I did a search on here and didn't see anything about this so I thought I would share.

I wanted to do a reverse print of our logo, second surface, on clear acrylic so I did a quick design. We don't have any transparent vinyl so I thought about using some of the free Briteline laminate we got from the vendor and do a little experiment. The hardest part was getting the lam to cooperate with our HP Latex 365 printer but I managed to get a test print done using a profile from Kodak transparent film and it actually turned out ok with little adjustment. The print was easy to apply and I think it actually turned out pretty cool looking, mind you it looks better in person than in the pics. Also here's a comparison with a print on first surface. View attachment 144952 View attachment 144953

I did a search on here and didn't see anything about this so I thought I would share.

I wanted to do a reverse print of our logo, second surface, on clear acrylic so I did a quick design. We don't have any transparent vinyl so I thought about using some of the free Briteline laminate we got from the vendor and do a little experiment. The hardest part was getting the lam to cooperate with our HP Latex 365 printer but I managed to get a test print done using a profile from Kodak transparent film and it actually turned out ok with little adjustment. The print was easy to apply and I think it actually turned out pretty cool looking, mind you it looks better in person than in the pics. Also here's a comparison with a print on first surface. View attachment 144952 View attachment 144953

first, what is second surface?.

I do this kind of job often, I do print reverse on clear but I apply white to the image only and they look great.

 

[Peachtree Signs]

first, what is second surface?.

I do this kind of job often, I do print reverse on clear but I apply white to the image only and they look great.

second surface is the back of the acrylic

 

[VonsGraphix1969]

Lookin good there PeachTree !!!! We do the similar here is our shop in NJ... We get a ton of these clear lexan panels 41 x 49.5... We eco solv print on clear DigiJet clear lam then mount them onto the lexan for a bar company that makes light up bars for high end clients... I just use a double pass setting on my Rolands and it pops !!!

 

[Peachtree Signs]

Lookin good there PeachTree !!!! We do the similar here is our shop in NJ... We get a ton of these clear lexan panels 41 x 49.5... We eco solv print on clear DigiJet clear lam then mount them onto the lexan for a bar company that makes light up bars for high end clients... I just use a double pass setting on my Rolands and it pops !!!

Thanks, at my previous job we had some gas company that we printed on transparent vinyl and we had to print it twice and apply the design twice on a pan face because they couldn't get the color right, I never got to mess with the print settings so I don't know what they tried or didn't try, seems it would've been more cost effective to try and solve the problem which I'm sure was the printer

 

[Andy D]

*BACKLIT COLOR SNOBBERY WARNING*
The only correct way to print most colors and images that will be backlit & have them color correct and/or washed out during the day and at night is;
COLOR-WHITE-COLOR.
Before we got a flatbed printer that could print color-white-color at the same time, we had to print one image at 100% density, and one around 50% density .
Second surface would be 100% density print applied, white diffuser applied, and then 50% density print applied.

 

[eahicks]

Back that clear vinyl with white vinyl afterwards if it doesn't get backlit. Will look tons better. You need that white in there for the colors to be right.