Transfer tape for PhotoTex?

hmmm, sticky situation. How does calendared vinyl stick/release from it?

 

do you really need to cover the entire design with the transfer tape? I use PhotoTex all the time for stickers and interior stuff. I haven't use transfer tape at all. If I do a contour cut I usually weed off the excess leaving the design by itself. It peels off pretty easy.

Instead of transfer tape have you tried the blue painter tape around an edge to get it started? If you are aligning multiple phototex panels then I could see the need to mask it.

 

Pretty sure phototex isn't meant to be contour cut. I have done it A LOT, but we have one solid piece when we do it for that reason. It's not made to stick to transfer tape. You may just have to do something with removable vinyl if it has to come off in the future.

 

How about a roll of 2" masking tape?
I've also used removable adhesive vinyl on products like DacTac with decent results.

 

Just did a big contour-cut piece of PhotoTex and used high tack transfer tape and it worked fairly well but it was still a bit tricky in some spots. It would be great if you could get real masking tape wide enough, that would be the ideal tack level, if you can't get it in logs, I'd say go with the highest tack transfer tape you can find...

 

I contour cut Photo Tex all the time on our CE5000-60. With the right settings and a good quality blade you can do a very clean kiss cut and I also do a perf/media cut.

 

It took a few seconds to find the right pressure setting but yes I do a contour cut for labels then go back and do another cut with +2 on the pressure and it cuts through the backing to make a completed label. It's called a media bridge and the more expensive cutters will do it through a setting usually called "perf". It's not cleanly cut but it's cut enough of the backing to make it fall apart once you remove it from the machine and handle it.

 

We did this with Phototex. Taped with R-tape. Took alot of squeegee pressure to adhere to the image and remove from the backing. Had to carefully remove the R-tape to leave the image on the wall. Definitely not something I would give to a customer to self install.

 

What where you asking about? I've been working and maybe lost a bit of the flow. If I took it off topic, sorry.

 

Use 3M™ Super 77™ Multipurpose Adhesive...

Here's what I've done when using Fabricbrite Banner Material, which is a similar acting substrate (A polyester adhesive-backed fabric that you can cut with your existing plotter. Use to add graphics to awnings, flags, table covers, boulevard banners, sails and other cloth signage.) It's hard to get application tape to stick to it, so I lightly spray 3M Super 77 Adhesive to the face just before I add the application tape. This will give it the bond you need!

Do this just before you are ready to apply the PhotoTex to the wall. Don't let it set and dry to the application tape. Use it quickly to hold the application tape and then transfer the PhotoTex within 5 minutes to the wall and remove the application tape. Works for me everytime, but you've got to be fast. Otherwise, you'll spend alot of time getting the application tape off the PhotoTex.

Try a test and see how it works.

Good luck.