Weeding digital print vinyl vs reg vinyl?

[Colin]

I'm noticing that I can't seem to get the print media (LG LP3912G) to weed properly like regular vinyl. Is this pretty common/normal? I've tried different weight settings of the knife to no avail.

 

[ova]

Hey Colin.Glad to hear you got the 54".

So what problems are you having weeding? I'm sure you're giving the print some dry time before you try weeding.

Is the cut not deep enough, is it miss cutting some places ? What degree blade are you using?

I'm not familar with the media you're using.

Might try slowing down the cut speed some.

Hope this helps.

Dave

 

[B-RAD Graphics]

I have always noticed that is different..does not have the same properties it seems..and if laminnated you got increase pressure alot and it still have be careful..

 

[Colin]

Hey Colin.Glad to hear you got the 54".

So what problems are you having weeding?

The decal simply won't stay down on the backing like it should.

I'm sure you're giving the print some dry time before you try weeding.

Tried various times; doesn't make a difference.

Is the cut not deep enough?

At first, that's what I thought, but even after numerous increases (to the point where it's too much) it's the same.

Is it miss cutting some places?

No.

What degree blade are you using?

Blade? I'm using a pen. (Just kidding) It's a new 45.

 

[MikePro]

The decal simply won't stay down on the backing like it should.

i have the same thing happen when i print/cut controltac media when my cuts are smaller than ~2"... I now put a cut box around such elements and don't even weed them. Apply the box lightly and weed out the negative during install.

Also with controltac, masking tape wants to curl off the backing, so I'll usually leave a box around the entire graphic/logo, no matter what the size, so that the mask has something to span and grab ahold of.

If your cuts aren't going deep enough on laminated material, you might also want to consider adjusting your blade depth... not just maxing out the pressure.

 

[ova]

I'm sure your manual says the same as mine about issues on this subject. Like I said earlier, I'm not familar with your media. We use Oracal and don't really have the same problem as you.

If I'm reading you right, you have to hold the image/text down while you're pulling the weed off? If that's so, it still sounds like the cut isn't clean or it's not finishing the cut 100% when the knife stop and rotates when going another direction. How old is your media?

Maybe pull the weed part off real slow and see if the adhesive is stringy to a point it's letting the two pieces stick together. Or do a power weed where you just grab it pull as fast as you can. J/K

Other than this, it's kind of hard to tell not being there.

Dave

 

[Gino]

A coupla things to think about.......

• Are you contour cutting right to the edge of the printed area ??
• Are dark colors vs. light colors giving you more trouble ??
• Is it somewhat intricate cuts ??
• You may have to find a better profile or cut back your ink going down.

Ink saturation will almost always prevent decent weeding... even if you wait for days til it dries. The heavier or even darker colors will always leave your vinyl stretchy or seem like it practically re-glues itself back together, thus preventing normal type weeding.

It's an all new ball game. Welcome to the 'Wonderful World of Color'. ​

 

[Colin]

I now put a cut box around such elements and don't even weed them. Apply the box lightly and weed out the negative during install.

I'll try that - thanks, but I'm thinking too about when I want to fully weed small decals that the customer will use as they need themselves.

If your cuts aren't going deep enough on laminated material, you might also want to consider adjusting your blade depth... not just maxing out the pressure.

I did one small set of Print-Lam-Cut, and I can't remember for sure, but I think that set weeded better.

This weeding issue seems to be something to do with the vinyl itself.

 

[Colin]

If I'm reading you right, you have to hold the image/text down while you're pulling the weed off?

Yes.

If that's so, it still sounds like the cut isn't clean or it's not finishing the cut 100% when the knife stop and rotates when going another direction.

I don't think so. Everything is brand new. All cuts are clean, and I've tried all different weight settings - to the point where it's abviously too much (cutting into the backing).

How old is your media?

The dealer said that it was only 8 years old. Heh-heh. No, it's brand new.

Maybe pull the weed part off real slow and see if the adhesive is stringy to a point it's letting the two pieces stick together.

I'll get a magnifying glass and look.

Or do a power weed where you just grab it pull as fast as you can.

With the amount/degree that it's refusing to stay down, I'm confident that that wouldn't work.

 

[Colin]

Are you contour cutting right to the edge of the printed area?

It doesn't seem to matter whether I'm cutting over ink or not.

Are dark colors vs. light colors giving you more trouble?

Nope.

Is it somewhat intricate cuts?

Nope. Even ovals won't weed like they should. And I almost always put a radius on all corners of a square/rectangle.

 

[Gino]

Do you have a problem when cutting... well, weeding the media if you haven't printed anything ??

 

[Colin]

Do you have a problem when cutting... well, weeding the media if you haven't printed anything ??

As I have a separate dedicated vinyl cutter, I haven't tried that, but a good thing to persue, as it might be something to do with the heating?

 

[Gino]

Try cutting the same contourcut file on the Roland without printing it first. See if you're having some kinda cutting issues with the cutter end of it. If it cuts Okay, then you know its some combination of ink, profiles, saturation, wrong media, or some setting, which usually is part of your profiling.

What you're describing though, sounds like too much ink for whatever reason. Remember, you're adding a solvent to vinyl. Just because there is colorant in it, doesn't reduce the attacking ability of the solvents to the vinyl, thus softening up the vinyl and making it a nightmare to weed sometimes.... even simple squares or circles. Heating could be a part, but I doubt it. Heating is necessary to open the pores for the ink to go into the vinyl and post heat closes them up again..... to a degree. You might find that it will act completely different with another brand of vinyl and be just that simple of a fix.

 

[Colin]

I'll try that later today Gino.

 

[Baz]

I'd try another media. I'm an Oracal user also and don't have problems with the vinyl lifting off the backing paper. I'ts understandable that you will have some lifting when cutting small decals out of material that has air release in the adhesive, besides, it's not really the proper material to use for such a job anyway.

 

[TheSellOut]

Have you tried a different media? I wasn't too impressed with the LG film that I received with my printer

 

[Colin]

I haven't tried any other media yet. I suspect it is just that brand, but I was wondering if this was common with digital white; good to hear that it's not.

Thanks

 

[Colin]

Ugh, I just realized that I've got a full 54" roll to go through before trying another brand. That'll take a while for me, especially at this time of year. Oh well.

 

[Gino]

You can call for samples or sample rolls.

Samples are usually large enough to print and do some testing while sample rolls are very inexpensive and do just what they say.... sample media. It's a very good way to try various products to see which works best with your machine.



Out of curiosity, what made you go with LG ?? I don't remember anyone suggesting that brand.... unless you got PM's on it. Some of my friends swear by it and a good friend sells it, but we use very little... if any of it.

If I remember right, the guy that sells it says it is very forgiving and stretchy media. He never spoke about it being hard to weed.

Is it the air release type ??

 

[Colin]

You can call for samples or sample rolls.

Samples are usually large enough to print and do some testing while sample rolls are very inexpensive and do just what they say.... sample media. It's a very good way to try various products to see which works best with your machine.

Ya, I've got some Roland Gloss Calendered that came with the machine, and some GF (General Formulations) that just showed up an hour ago.

Out of curiosity, what made you go with LG?

The dealer I went with (and I'm glad I did) carries it, and it was included in the deal.

Is it the air release type?

Nope. That'll be the newer stuff that comes out soon. The site says that it should be out now, but it isn't (not here in Canada anyways). Is it out in the States?

 

[Gino]

Nope. That'll be the newer stuff that comes out soon. The site says that it should be out now, but it isn't (not here in Canada anyways). Is it out in the States?

It's been available for a few years down here if I'm not mistaken.... and in Canada, as well.

Air Release is a generic term for wrap type material. All the various manufacturers have their own terminology for it, but it's essentially the same theory. The air release stuff sometimes is a little hairy for fine contour cutting because it really is to be used in large panels.