Applying Application Tape To Cut Vinyl For Wall Stickers

[Robert Lambie]

one of these will do the trick very well. cost about £70 from memory.

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[Christian Davies]

Thank you Rob. I have one of those but still struggle with the larger wall stickers. Maybe I am using it wrongly. Christian

[David Mitchell]

That patisserie one for example I’d have personally done the two words separate, far easier to handle

[Christian Davies]

Thank you David, I would have made in two sections as well. However I thought the method being used by this guy is interesting- anyone else using this method?

[David Hammond]

By the looks of it, the Patisserie one has been trimmed off out before taping up? Although it could just be the colour of the vinyl.

We always tape first, then trim the graphics to the weed boarder, you can usually just run a knife round the weed border without the use of straight edge, nice and quick. The weight of the vinyl helps keep it flat too.

Trimming to the weed border also helps with installation too, as everything is nice and square, and you can measure to the edge of the backing if the graphic or text doesn’t have a straight edge.

Also handy if you split long text, perhaps split a 2m line, into two lines across a 1220 roll, you can just butt up the two pieces and know the spacing between them is correct.

Long runs we run through our laminator, works OK but don’t apply too much pressure to the rollers.
Smaller bits, we stick the tape over the edge of the bench, then pull if off the roll, keeping it nice and taught, at about 30degree angle so it doesn’t contact the graphic, then apply from the centre out.

[David Hammond]

By the looks of it, the Patisserie one has been trimmed off out before taping up? Although it could just be the colour of the vinyl.

We always tape first, then trim the graphics to the weed boarder, you can usually just run a knife round the weed border without the use of straight edge, nice and quick. The weight of the vinyl helps keep it flat too.

Trimming to the weed border also helps with installation too, as everything is nice and square, and you can measure to the edge of the backing if the graphic or text doesn’t have a straight edge.

Also handy if you split long text, perhaps split a 2m line, into two lines across a 1220 roll, you can just butt up the two pieces and know the spacing between them is correct.

Long runs we run through our laminator, works OK but don’t apply too much pressure to the rollers.
Smaller bits, we stick the tape over the edge of the bench, then pull if off the roll, keeping it nice and taught, at about 30degree angle so it doesn’t contact the graphic, then apply from the centre out.

[Hugh Potter]

we use the same 650wide machine as Rob posted, I have also used the 1200+ version in the past and it’s fine. I must buy one for here as I’m taping more larger graphics.

The trick with thos dispensers is to pull the app paper all the way over and past your graphic, then kind of float it down onto the decal, if you do it at one end and work back it can lay the tape tight and cause wrinkling when rolled or even stored flat, just drop it in the middle and lay it onto the graphic before squeegying down.

With practice you’ll almost be laying it at the foot of the dispenser and laying it along the length of the graphic. I find that by pulling it all the way out over and just giving it a couple of seconds befor lowering it onto the graphic, any stretch from pulling ot off of the roll is minimal, the paper has time to replax again.

for long or multiple graphics at 1220 wide I’ll mount the app paper on the laminator and run it through on that!

[Chris Windebank]

it also helps if you speed clamp it to the bench. Has to be one of the best and useful bits of kit you can buy, had mine for 14 years now

[Derek Heron]

quote Hugh Potter:

we use the same 650wide machine as Rob posted, I have also used the 1200+ version in the past and it’s fine. I must buy one for here as I’m taping more larger graphics.

The trick with thos dispensers is to pull the app paper all the way over and past your graphic, then kind of float it down onto the decal, if you do it at one end and work back it can lay the tape tight and cause wrinkling when rolled or even stored flat, just drop it in the middle and lay it onto the graphic before squeegying down.

With practice you’ll almost be laying it at the foot of the dispenser and laying it along the length of the graphic. I find that by pulling it all the way out over and just giving it a couple of seconds befor lowering it onto the graphic, any stretch from pulling ot off of the roll is minimal, the paper has time to replax again.

for long or multiple graphics at 1220 wide I’ll mount the app paper on the laminator and run it through on that!

heres one of our benches same technique as above if only one operative a steel rule to pull the tape over the vinyl works

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[Christian Davies]

Thank you for your replies, most appreciated.

Derek, When using 1220 tape by yourself and you say that you use a steel rule what do you mean?

Are any of you guys using or have used one of these manual applicator machines? Are they any good?
http://www.signmakingtools.co.uk/30322/ … p=18&pno=0

Christian.

[Christian Davies]

quote Chris Windebank:

it also helps if you speed clamp it to the bench. Has to be one of the best and useful bits of kit you can buy, had mine for 14 years now

Hi Chris,Thank you for your reply.
What does a speed clamp look like?
Christian.

[Martin Pearson]

This is a speed clamp or quick release clamp 😆

Looks like the one Derek has pictured is home made, I made one for myself as well which is fixed to the end of the workbench, mine ended up being a bit more elaborate than the ones you can buy though 😆 😆

[Christian Davies]

Brilliant thank you.

[Hugh Potter]

quote Christian Davies:

Derek, When using 1220 tape by yourself and you say that you use a steel rule what do you mean?

Christian.

Christian,
It’s a trick I learned many years ago when working alone and needing to handle app paper / tape, you use a rigid ruler or straight edge and stick it to the leading edge of the tape, thus is supports the tape across it’s width and makes applying easier one handed, less sagging of tape.

these days using the dispenser, I don’t use that trick often but it can be handy flood coating large panels too!

[Peter Johnson]

This is something I used to have a lot of issues with. Especially after I started making larger stickers using 1220mm vinyl. After working with a friend for several years, I got into the habit of using clear application tape as opposed to paper. I thought about changing over, but there is very little difference in the price and it’s something I guess I’m just used to now.

I have both the 730mm and the 1349mm bench rollers that Rob showed a photo of, but the problems I encountered, especially with larger applications, was the static. When I pulled out a large length of app tape, as I started to lay one end down, it was a fairly regular issue that the job would pick up from the bench and stick onto the tape, nearly always resulting in wasted vinyl and tape. I used to stick the sides down to stop this, but this seemed to take up too much time. Not too sure if this is a problem with the paper tape.

Anyway, after hours of trawling through the internet, I came across a video of a couple in America using a ‘big squeegee’. I looked into buying one/some, but the only distributors I could find in the UK said they were out of stock and weren’t planning to get any more in the near future. I then looked at prices from the manufacturers (based in Canada I think) and the cost of the items and the shipping price especially put me off.

Then I realised I could make my own. I used some left over laminate flooring I had. I bought a roll of 2" wide self-adhesive velcro loops and ran them all the way down one edge. I then also applied a little to the back where I held them to stop cuts.
Now, I can tape a large sticker (120cm x 2m) in about 1 minute. I also use it for 610mm and 760mm

I just started to type on how to apply the tape, but it got too long. So I made a botch video instead. Sorry if the quality is crap, but I think it should give you an idea of what I mean.

$this->BBvideo_pass(‘$8’, ‘$4’, ‘$7’)

Also, I don’t remember seeing an answer to your question, but I always roll my graphics with the app tape outside (paper in the middle).

I would also suggest that you invest in different widths of app tape/paper for different size jobs. MDP Supplies can supply various widths smaller than 610mm. Comes in handy for all of those small items.

Hope this helps.

[Andrew O Brien]

Looks great Peter and great video. What’s the longest you’ve done with this method at 1220?

[Peter Johnson]

The longest single application I’ve made using this method was 1220mm wide by 2.4m long. And that was only because that was as long as my bench was.

Apart from the bench being absolutely flat and level, the next most important thing is to make sure that the roll of tape is set to run parallel with the bench so it doesn’t run off the side of the job and miss bits

[Martin Pearson]

Before I made my tape dispenser I used a method the same as yours Peter, only difference is that I didn’t use a squeegee to push the roll of tape along. You can do it using another roll of either application tape or vinyl at the same width or larger,

[Christian Davies]

Thank you all for your feedback, most appreciated.
Thank you Peter for the video, this has really helped.
I will be off to Floors To Go at the weekend to buy some vinyl flooring!
Thank you again.

[Christian Davies]

Any of you guys know how to use one of these? Some pictures or video to show how to load and use 1220mm application tape would be most appreciated.

Thanks,