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Layering bubbles issue…
Hi all. I’m wondering if anyone can help me with an issue I keep getting with layered vinyl decals. I find that if I have say a red logo applied to a black background that when I apply it, and remove the application tape, it leaves bubbles in the black surrounding the red material. It’s bloody unslightly, and a pain the bum to prick and purge them all without making it look even worse. Any suggestions people? I suspect it is because the red material is thicker that the black and the App tape pulls in the gap?
It usually doesn’t happen if I apply it straight after putting the App tape on, but if it sits for a while it gets gradually worse!
HELP!!! -
19 Replies
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hi owen 😀
if you had layered the design before you put onto vehicle that always causes bubbles as you cannot reach the bottom layer to apply to vehicle proparly….try and put all layers on seperately 😀
nik
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Hi Owen sorry to disagree Nik most layered graphics we lay up before we fit. don’t ever have any serious bubble problem!!! Owen are you doing wet or dry ???
Lynn 😀
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Lynn, I’m gonna disagree 😳 :lol1: :lol1: :lol1:
multilayer work only works properly if the layers on top are stacked like a pyramid, or… if the layers are consistently layered that the vinyl skin is now thick, so the air isn’t trapped as easy between pockets of vinyl where the layers decrease but are surrounded by multi-layers.
using a felt squeegee often helps multilayer work too.very hard to explain typing this. ill have a think how to explain what i mean and re-post :lol1:
i guess what i am trying to say is that not all graphics can be put together in-house prior to fitting. but i agree, some can. for me, it is not worth the gamble
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Yes, I might look at using a thicker base vinyl. Some stuff I make, I ship out to customers that haven’t the co-ordination to assemble the layers themselves, so I assemble it for them first. That is the main reason I wanted advice for, good replies so far. I’m applying dry by the way.
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Owen we use mostly oracle 751, and cross my heart we don’t have any problems pre-layering, all done dry don’t know what else to say really perhaps we are just lucky 😀
Lynn
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I can see this developing as other members have a read, I have always built graphics up as applying rather than layering them up on the bench, I remember reading somewhere (not on this site) when I first started that it was better to do it this way as pre layering can cause bubbles as there are different thicknesses of vinyl and places where the air or water could get trapped. Made sense to me so avoided doing it.
Even when I have supplied graphics to customers to apply themselves I have tried to supply them this way, explaining the problems to customers and doing everything I could to make it easier for them to apply the layers one at a time.
quote :Owen Wrote:
Some stuff I make, I ship out to customers that haven’t the co-ordination to assemble the layers themselves, so I assemble it for them firstOwen, do you know this for sure or are you just assuming they won’t be able to do it themselves? I can’t honestly remember any of my customers saying to me that they couldn’t do it once it had been explained to them, a few have said that they wouldn’t want my job because they wouldn’t like to do it to often but don’t remember anyone saying they couldn’t.
Lynn were you and Peter taught to do it like that or did you just assume that was how it was done? I think this is one of those topics that doesn’t have a right or wrong answer, its down to how each individual feels is best for them.
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I would always apply layers on the job rather than on the bench, its the way I was taught and I do it either wet or dry depending on how detailed the layering was. Ive always managed to get bubbles when assembling on the bench prior to fitting the job
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i do sometimes prelayer on a light bench, on a dark van and a black base, it can be a pig to see what you’re doing, unless you either do it wet (prefer not too) or contour cut the graphic before offering it up to the already applied section.
if i do pre layer, i just explain to the customer that a small amount of bubbles will be visible for a short period of time, around the diffeent layer, and they wont be there long, if they dont go away, i’ll re-do them, i’ve never had anyone come back !
when i apply a pre layered graphic, i always use a felt squeegee, and apply it with fairly quick, but very small coverage strokes (pushing it down rather than dragging the squeegee), this way i’ve found the minimum of bubbles, if any are left behind,
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Hello Jayne, haven’t seen you around here for a while?
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Hi Lorraine!!! No I havent been on much as I have been trotting round various hospitals trying to get my eyes fixed……….long story but oh well, I keep looking in on the boards as often as I can……eyes permitting lol
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Can we stick to the topic being discussed please !!!!! 😛
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temper temper, I was only replying to a hello!! I dont normally hijack topics but I will be polite and answer people when asked something! 😮
And now I shall go away…………… -
quote martin:Can we stick to the topic being discussed please !!!!! 😛
Oops! Sorry Martin!
I try to layer up individually, sometimes as has been said this is not feasible, but there usually is a layer of air trapped around the edges of the second layer, under the first (if you know what I mean!) when done on the bench.
Jayne, hope you get sorted soon!
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it is not difficult or very time consuming to layup on site…
the key to laying up on-site is use a registration line or similar. -
i’m not a big fan of registratoin marks, unless it’s a big flat panel, though i’ve always done similar to what i think that thread relates too, a rectangle ?
thing is, to be 100% sure that the rectangle is accurate with the layers, you have to do the rectangle wet (unless using clear tape) to be sure of getting it dead square, otherwise i find it sticks in the wrong place on the rectangle, rips it off when you try and position it, and then back to square one !!
i know thats a worst case, but i’ve had it happen !
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Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend anyone, hence the smiling face at the end. it was posted in jest as a few posts have wandered off course as they quite often do and other people have commented on a couple of threads.
If I answer any posts in the future I will just stick to the facts and not attempt to make friends and have a laugh with members, I’ll leave that to those who are far better at it than me as the last thing I want to do is upset people.
Once again I am sorry for offending you Jayne.
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So who’s going off topic now then Martin 😛 :lol1:
(Actually – Hijacking threads is a favourite sport of mine. I do it all the time but no one seems to notice 😕 )
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Yeah, I have from time to time applied a weedbox to each colour, of identical size so I can line them up afterwards. Works fairly well, so long as my plotter hasn’t wandered too much on the larger work. I might look into the felt squeegie thing folks, great suggestion. I thank you all!
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Hi Jayne, great to see you back but sorry to hear you are having eye trouble.
Martin how did the van livery go the other week?
I have done layering on the bench but never got satisfactory results once applied to the object, so haven’t done it for years.
Cheers
Dave
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