Advice on the best application fluid recipe please?

[Graham Shand]

I think it true to say that we have all tried at one point or another to magic up application fluid, either because we had run out of the "real" stuff or in an an atemept to save a few pennies. Anyway the closest thing I have found is fairy liquid and water with couple of drops of sewing machine oil (super thin oil) , but and it is a big but, there is no substitute for the real deal.

[Robert Lambie]

First tip that will save you money time and time again with this type of application.

Do NOT fit in direct sunlight! 🙄

there are a great many ways to apply vinyl as it should be, dry…
this comes with practice, knowledge etc…

at the end of the day, you can still be a great sign maker, but poor at vinyl application. there for you do what it takes to get it done right and move on.
here is where people resort to fluids to aid your application. if it was a MUST and funds were an issue, ide say "fresh clean water" because lets face it, if a soaking wet bit of vinyl is still causing you issues in applying then maybe the old hour or so should be set aside for more practice. sorry, just being painfully honest here.

wet application… give all print sign supplies a call, or Andersons, "same company" both will offer Rapid-tac vinyl application fluid.
not sure of they still offer them, but you can get a small pump sample bottle to try.
its a custom chemical fluid specifically made for this sort of application. not only is it wet, but has stimulants in it to activate the adhesive and speed up application tape removal time.

note, although mentioned in this video. this is NOT faster than dry application.

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[Gavin MacMillan]

cheap washing liquid or johnsons baby shampoo. Just water will not help at all and you would be better doing it dry than attempting this.

G

[John Parfit]

Respectfully disagree Gavin, it’s as Robert hints, depends on temperature of window inside and out , direct or not light, humidity, temp of room, lots of things, sometimes pure water I find to be best solution to fitting graphics to windows, since once the watrer is squeegeed out then the vinyl sticks very fast.
Sometimes I use a slip solution like you mention, sometimes I apply water and then wipe it off straight away testing at the time the tackiness of the vinyl to be laid down, this works on direct sunlit windows quite well for me anyway.
I think a good range of gizmos/ fluid bottles in your toolkit always helps.
Looked at rapidtac but never ordered, might order some to test but last application fluid we tried was pants.

John

[Phill Fenton]

Well I respectfully agree with Gavin , but respectfully disagree with John, whilst merely disagreeing with Rob 😕

The washing up liquid or baby oil serves to break the surface tension of the water allowing it to wet the surface. Without a wetting agent the water forms globules and most of the surface remains dry.

Peace and love

[John Parfit]

Exactly Phil 😛 Rather like controltac in 3m wrap vinyls where glass beads keep the adhesive away from the surface until you squeegee it down, so applying with water only on a window can effectlively be seen as applying it dry 😕 🙄

John

[Jill Marie Welsh]

If forced to do a wet app on glass use Rapid Tac 2, don’t settle for a home brew.
It might save a few pennies but it will make the job take three times as long.
Love….Jill

[Neil Davey]

If we ever need to wet apply we always use IP Perfect Apply Application Fluid.

Tadaa 😕

[Gordon Forbes]

Rapid Tac 2 is for glass colder application temperatures. I don’t personally bother with any home made stuff. I just use the afore mentioned works as it should does as it says. I can’t understand people not buying proper application fluid purely as a cost saving basis. Used some yesterday on a trailer with clear plastic app tape. It was really cold up here, left it for an hour as I did the rest of the job and it worked a treat.

[Gert du Preez]

quote Gordon Forbes:

I can’t understand people not buying proper application fluid purely as a cost saving basis.

I would gladly pay for application fluid, but in my 17 odd years in the trade I have never seen it at a supplier, or in a catalogue, or in use by somebody.

In our neck of the woods it simply does not exist…. I wish it did, because at this stage ALL the clear vinyl we get from all 3 suppliers in Namibia has got water based glue, which turns milky for 3 or 4 days after lamination….and I’m getting tired of explaining it to sceptical clients !!

It is difficult to laminate digital prints dry, hence the wet laminating.

Time to buy a laminator, methinks!