Truck wrap vinyl size

[daenterpri]

I have a 64" printer on order, and I already have a 54" Summa cutter with Opus. Will I be using 54" material for doing pickup wraps? The reason I'm asking is my sales rep is trying to sell me a 64" RS Laminator. They are so expensive! And at the moment, I can't every think of an instance in which I would be using 64" vinyl. What's the biggest size you use for doing wraps?

I'm thinking that a 54" laminator is the biggest I will ever need. Thoughts?

 

[MikePro]

go big... you're laminator will outlast your printer.... and who knows, you may need to laminate material onto 60" substrate eventually.

 

[daenterpri]

Gotcha. Thanks for the advice!

 

[SightLine]

Also will be times where you will want to get 60" vinyl and laminate for some particular wrap. Generally hand cutting wraps up anyways so contour cutting is not an issue there.

 

[daenterpri]

I see, that's very helpful! Thanks

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

Big is beautiful

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

Big is beautiful

For printers and laminators it is......... Not for women, LOL

 

[HulkSmash]

our wraps panels never exceed 54 inches. If they're any bigger you'll prob need 2 people just to handle the media when installing the wrap.

we do have a 64" lam though.

 

[kstompaint]

We use 60" material all the time. Less seams on big jobs like box trucks and in some cases you need the extra 6" to avoid a seam all together. It's worth the extra $. You will never say "I wish I had bought a smaller laminator."

 

[Alti-Plotter]

... You will never say "I wish I had bought a smaller laminator."

Except the day your new laminator is delivered and you have to unload it from the truck and transport it into your shop.

 

[daenterpri]

Is a laminator with "heat assist" important? When would I use "heat assist"? If I do tons of decals, some signs and truck wraps, do I need heat assist?

 

[HulkSmash]

Is a laminator with "heat assist" important? When would I use "heat assist"? If I do tons of decals, some signs and truck wraps, do I need heat assist?

yes

 

[Salmoneye]

With heat assist your decals will loo crystal clear coming out of the laminator, without they may look the tiniest bit foggy for a few hours until any slight silvering disappears.

 

[Stealth Ryder]

The Bigger the Better down the road...

 

[iSign]

If you don't foresee needing that capacity buy a 54" printer... but if you are going to own a 64" printer... mark my words, you WILL end up with opportunities to use it, and will regret a minor laminator price difference (or space issue) taking away that opportunity.

I have 63" print, cut, and lam capacity... for 6 years now... and can count the times I've required that on one hand... BUT, those few times were very lucrative opportunities that nobody else could address in my area... which sometimes leads to future smaller work I would have never been offered if I hadn't been sought out for the large capacity work!

 

[daenterpri]

With heat assist your decals will loo crystal clear coming out of the laminator, without they may look the tiniest bit foggy for a few hours until any slight silvering disappears.

Thanks! As far as quality and longevity of decals and wraps, does it matter if they were laminated with "heat assist"?

 

[daenterpri]

Are there any long term quality issues with cold lamination without heat assist?

Thanks!

 

[routierracing]

One thing I've read is "hot laminates" are much cheaper. However pretty much all the 3m, oracal etc lams are cold lams.

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

Not long term quality issues; but, long term running cost issues. Cold laminates are 2-3 times more expensive than hot/heat assist laminates. On the other hand, a cold laminator is less expensive than a hot/cold laminator. Therefore, you must determine if you want to pay higher running costs or a higher initial capital expenditure.

 

[dsmskyline]

I have a GBC laminater with heated rollers. The roller temps are usually always around 100* unless Im laminating with write-erase lam or the 3m Car wrap lam.

Im the 3 years we have had it, there has been maybe 5-10' of heat transfer lamination ran through it and that was as a demo.

Everything we use is PSA so the heat isn't required.