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when applying laminate im getting discolouration & bubbl
Hi Guys,
I need help on applying laminate onto vinyl. I am printing onto vinyl and then putting a laminate over the top of it. The problem is I seem to get bubbles of air & a little discoloration. I have tried using an application fluid but seem to get small bits of liquid still underneath. The other thing is that when i squeegee the liquid out it scratches the over laminate. Is there anything else I can try as this is driving me mad.
I am new to this, Please HELP!
Thanks
Paul -
8 Replies
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if i ever lamitate, it’s only clear vinyl onto either cut or printed vinyl, i normally do it dry, on a glass surface (ie no chances of any pits or scratches showing), i do get very fine marks from the felt mactac squeegee, but i figure that’s just par for the course.
havent done it wet for a long time, so dont recall the results of that.
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Couple of things you can try, firstly what kind of squeegee are you using, you should be using a felt squeegee for the laminate to stop scratching or if you are using a normal squeegee then fit a sleeve on it or use a piece of soft cloth wrapped round it. If you are struggling with the laminate you could always try a liquid laminate, I wouldn’t use an application fluid with a laminate in the first place.
Don’t know what you mean by discolourisation what sort of printer are you using?
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another tip I read about to stop the small scratches is to spray a fine mist over the laminate (face up side) which makes the squeedgee slide across easier when pressing the laminate down.
cheers
graeme -
Hi martin.
I am using a Gerber Edge Printer. The discoloration is just because i cant get all the application fluid out (I believe). The squeegee I was using was a copy of a 3M gold squeegee. I have now just tried another squeegee I was sent with a felt end and now no scratches but still cant get fluid out. Is there an easier way to apply the laminate? Surely the big companies don’t stand there all day doing it this way. Someone suggested a mangle sort of machine?
Thanks for the help so far
Paul
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Paul, I would apply the laminate dry, but make sure you tape the print down to the bench, as sometimes the static can make it leap up to the clear. you may get a little "silvering" but it does go after a short time.
A mangle would work I suppose, they are hard to find nowadays though 😉
So a commercial laminator is what is normally used, Have you seen the easytaper demo?Peter
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Hi Peter,
What is the easytaper Demo? Never heard of it. Would a commercial laminator more or less do it for you or how do they work. Basically i want to print onto the vinyl then put the thicker laminate over the top in the easiest possible way but still have the quality.
Sorry if i sound really stupid but i no what i want but don’t no how to get it!
Thanks
Paul
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Here’s the link Paul
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i tint cars and residential as well as the sign shop.
I experienced the same problem you mention, i went this way–
1 lay down the laminate with a small overlap to the table so everything wont go away, then i lay down the laminate squeegeeing side to side with my palm in a little towel.
2 mist the laminate and HARD squeegee it with a BLUE MAX squeegee that is normally used to squeg tint.
This kind of squeegee don’t leave me any marks. (be sure the rubber blade is fresh!)
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