Weeding 101 on Signs 101

hmm. just the usual, if you can round the corners just slightly so you minimize tear points, and make sure you're blade is sharp and at the optimal depth, there aren't many more shortcuts i know of. hire cheap labor. LOL

 

I've used a heat gun to warm up the vinyl after it's cut and then let it cool down/shrink just a bit.

 

I grew weary of all of the microscopic weeding too, so I stated printing them. Print, laminate, contour cut ovals or rectangles, cut into strips, ship, and deposit.

I filed a set of tweezers to a point, that helped grab some of it.

 

Pull the centers out and then apply the entire piece onto your substrate and weed directly from there.

 

Mike... do you mean tiny... like this?

 

Some people weed off the transfer tape. Just pull the big stuff off first before you put the transfer tape on.

 

If what you are making are something like 6"x6" window stickers, you weed the large stuff, than apply your application tape. Cut the decals (stickers) into sizes. Remove the image from the release liner, weed the small stuff off of the app. tape and re-apply the image to the release liner.

This way is a pain, but it works.

Dave

 

but i'm not done showing off yet.
get a look at that little pick, where the g's over lap!

mike: wow gg is that pic a mere 0.0116 in wide by 0.0272 in high

gg: why yes mike it is

 

mike: how ever do you do that gg?

gg: well mike, i cheat of course.





okay, i'm done... back to "proper weight/force and depth" discussion

 

In addition to sharp blade, proper weight/force and depth (amount the blade stick down below the holder) and everything else mentioned, the brand of vinyl you choose can have a significant effect on weeding as well.

 

that's decently small, but we've got you beat. one of our customers uses sheets of animal silhouettes. They are all gold leaf guilded onto vinyl and fit into the size of the end of a pencil eraser as she puts them inside rings and bracelets. luckily... we don't have to weed them. But i do need to make sure they are weedable. Takes over 2 hours to cut an 8.5 x 11 sheet
(selected object is in the 3rd row from the bottom in the second column)

 

depending on the program you are using, some offer a "power weed" function which comes in handy. if your program doesn't offer it, it's pretty easy to do yourself

 

Has anyone put in a freezer a quick bit to accelerate shrinking?

 

are we still talking about vinyl?

 

+1

and yes, the freezer can help vinyl weed a bit easier. As well as get a six pack ready quicker

 

Weed out centers first, Use 2 mil cast vinyl, Weed 1/2 at a time (top half then bottom half) <---- To do this it is best to weed with a #11 blade. As you weed you cut along the center height of your text. Then remove the second half. It is time consuming but you will have a greater succes rate and less repositioning of small letters.