Question Sheets vs Roll Process

[Goatshaver]

So I finally received my GFP 363TH and seems pretty easy to setup. Just a learning curve on a new machine. I'm so used to doing everything as sheets, but I will have to transfer to roll to roll eventually when I feel comfortable with the process of doing roll-to-roll.

How do you laminate sheets on your roll-to-roll laminator. The videos I watched they just do a single sheet wrapped to a roll, which is a bunch of work to do one sheet. Otherwise if they were doing multiple sheets they're using kraft paper underneath thr prints, but wrapping to the roll. That's all well and fine until I need to cut, which means I need to get them off the roll and back into sheets or do people just throw that roll with the kraft paper on to their cutter?

Sorry, a lot of these processes are all new to me and I've never been in a production vinyl shop and have no idea how these kinds of things get handled.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

I set up everything like this, sheet and roll.

 

[jfiscus]

"Pretty much" like this link here is how you should do it. Everyone here does it slightly different though.
We never use kraft paper.

 

[Goatshaver]

"Pretty much" like this link here is how you should do it. Everyone here does it slightly different though.
We never use kraft paper.

Yeah that's what I followed. How do you handle the sheets after they have been laminated to the rewind roll? That is what I'm curious about for those with this type of machine.
I'm coming from my RS 1400, which is so easy to do sheets on because there is no reminder in the back and a channel to cut the sheets off the web.

 

[Saturn]

No kraft paper, just stick your sheet in and laminate it. Then use a little 2 to 4" inch scrap on top of the last sheet and feed that through an inch or two, and then slice that at the joint to remove your last sheet. Sounds like you're over-thinking it? I cut my sheets the same as I print them, separately—although 75%+ of what I do is long enough to qualify for it's own roll now.

 

[rjssigns]

I run 60" bogus(kraft)paper on my RS1650. Done it that way since day one over 15 years ago. Full rolls, sheets or weird size pieces no problem. YMMV

No rewind though so I do that manually. I no longer do enough large work to warrant a better solution.

 

[jfiscus]

Take the finished, wound roll off of the laminator take-up reel once it finishes.
Your cut marks will be going in the correct direction now for your plotter.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

I try to do everything on a roll, it's so much easier and faster, I do have a different laminator but it shouldnt make much of a difference. I leave about 6" of blank space on the vinyl, load the print roll and pull it through the roller, pull on the center to get it straight then hold it with a magnet. Then run the laminate around, with the backing paper on it, square it up the same way and stick it on top with a magnet. Drop the roller, peel the backing off, tape that to the backing takeup core and start it like in the video I posted at a real slow speed. To get it on the take up reel, hit auto, go to the back and tape it the the rewind when it gets to it. Then just watch. I don't fiddle with the tension, if it needs a little then Ill grab the core holder for a second. Stop it right before the end, back it up a hair, cut the laminate off and its done. Don't cut the roller. Like already said, you can load it right into the plotter and go, the orientation will be the same as when printed.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Yeah that's what I followed. How do you handle the sheets after they have been laminated to the rewind roll? That is what I'm curious about for those with this type of machine.
I'm coming from my RS 1400, which is so easy to do sheets on because there is no reminder in the back and a channel to cut the sheets off the web.

That seems more difficult than it needs to be. That guy putting his grubby hands all over the print makes me cringe.

 

[Goatshaver]

No kraft paper, just stick your sheet in and laminate it. Then use a little 2 to 4" inch scrap on top of the last sheet and feed that through an inch or two, and then slice that at the joint to remove your last sheet. Sounds like you're over-thinking it? I cut my sheets the same as I print them, separately—although 75%+ of what I do is long enough to qualify for it's own roll now.

Yeah I'm probably over-thinking it a bit. I did have this idea the other day though. I'm gonna try this way out.

 

[Goatshaver]

Take the finished, wound roll off of the laminator take-up reel once it finishes.
Your cut marks will be going in the correct direction now for your plotter.

Yeah I'm just talking like 1 or 2 sheets though not a roll. I totally understand what your saying though for roll-to-roll.

 

[AGCharlotte]

Yeah I'm just talking like 1 or 2 sheets though not a roll. I totally understand what your saying though for roll-to-roll.

did you lose your ability to do it your old way? I have roll fed laminators and i still table mount sheets when I'm not running long runs.

 

[Goatshaver]

did you lose your ability to do it your old way? I have roll fed laminators and i still table mount sheets when I'm not running long runs.

I've never had an "old way" I'm still pretty green in vinyl printing. Everything I've learned in this area is either by video or reading. I know many have their own ways of doing things so it's nice to get an idea so I can try them and figure out what works best for my setup.

 

[AGCharlotte]

I've never had an "old way" I'm still pretty green in vinyl printing. Everything I've learned in this area is either by video or reading. I know many have their own ways of doing things so it's nice to get an idea so I can try them and figure out what works best for my setup.

Ahhh... the use of kraft paper is to keep the adhesive from the overlam from getting everywhere and getting things all stuck if you're not going roll to roll (or running backside laminate in the same pass). I've never physically tried this but if you precut laminate to something close in size, you should be able to do "sheet to sheet" in your roll laminator with a leader (a piece to go in front of the actual print to get the laminate started).

 

[jfiscus]

No need to use a leader (besides the print itself) for small sheets of print/lam. Just cut the lam a little shorter than the print, fold an edge back an inch and remove the backer and squeegee it down. Put the lead edge in the laminator and start the backer off the lam by hand. Hit go and lift the backer off/out as it feeds through.

 

[AGCharlotte]

No need to use a leader (besides the print itself) for small sheets of print/lam. Just cut the lam a little shorter than the print, fold an edge back an inch and remove the backer and squeegee it down. Put the lead edge in the laminator and start the backer off the lam by hand. Hit go and lift the backer off/out as it feeds through.

oh... true. I was visualizing the prints being pre-cut but that'd be stupid. Much better to lam before cutting.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

No need for kraft paper but if you think you really need it, you can reuse the backing paper from the first roll of laminate you use after you use the whole roll

 

[GAC05]

I set up everything like this, sheet and roll.

Is an Australian accent required to get a good run or is that optional?

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Is an Australian accent required to get a good run or is that optional?

Not required but a little pep talk with the laminator before you start is. Something like, look here you little bitch, if you screw this roll up you're going to the scrap heap where they will melt you down and turn you into a bottle cap.

 

[Goatshaver]

Thanks for the tips guys! Highly appreciated!
For single sheets of just use a little piece of backing paper to get it started and just feed sheets through, being careful not to let sheet run through the nip before the next sheet I put in.

Rolls have been great and it's easier than I thought just gotta have a little bit of a lead on it and it's a breeze.

However I'm wondering how y'all deal with excess laminate hanging off the edge of the vinyl?

I can see if causing a problem if it's too much hanging out and sticking to itself and on drag on the cutter.
My sales guy told me this had slitters on it, and I trusted his word, and it doesn't, so I just take a blade and cut the excess off before loading it onto the cutter.