Arlon SLX, advice needed please?

[David Hammond]

Yes, and from experience write inside the core what it is!

You’ll be pig sick using the wrong lam, and increasingly more manufacturers are using plain backing.

[Colin Crabb]

So, must manufactures, make the vinyl products, but not the backing papers, they buy this in, and there is a supply issue at the moment, so as David said, there’s a number of unprinted backing being used instead of the normal custom print.

[RobertLambie]

There can be various reasons for the print being removed from the lining paper.
Not just with laminates, but the digital vinyl itself. For me, the first notable manufacturer to start doing this was Avery Dennison with Avery Supreme wrapping cast in any colour, and I’m going back about 7+ years!
Since then, I have seen others manufacturers do this and it bugs me. I think they should have a legal obligation to brand their goods properly. There may actually be one, I just don’t know!

Imagine walking into a shop and handing over £200 for a pair of Armani Jeans and the guy hands you back a nice pair of denim jeans with zero branding. Of course, you would question it, and I am not talking about it, so you can show off a small pocket badge, but the fact is you do not know if you are actually getting the real deal, the quality product you are paying for.

Anyway, it’s a gripe I have over this manufacturing practice, but not the film itself, and certainly not Arlon or Avery for that matter.

I am not sure if you have purchased the SLX with its original adhesive system or the newer tackier version, but if you have the original adhesive, make sure the room you are wrapping in is at a comfortable room temperature to get the most from the film and take full advantage of its adhesive. If your room is cool or cold, just be careful in deep or sharp recessed areas. the low tack adhesive on a cold surface will repel any sort of proper bond from what is already a low tack reposition vinyl. Once you have the vinyl in place, be sure to go straight back over it bring the vinyl up as hot as a cup of coffee, and promote adhesion with firm squeegee passes, a rag pressed firm or even a pressure wheel, like you “see me using in the following video”. then follow up by post-heating using a laser thermometer.

This is not just Arlon, but any brand of wrapping vinyl you use.
If your wrap printing and fitting environment are clean and at the correct room temperature, the SLX is a dream to work with. if a colder environment, I would choose the newer tackier version.

https://youtu.be/RsosJ8gkoNE

[Simon Worrall]

30,000 vehicles!

[RobertLambie]

Yes, for a small company, we have burned out a few squeegees in our time, mate. 🙂

[Gavin Dooley]

Thanks for the replies.

Just wondering about the post heat temperature, saw somewhere for Arlon SLX+ that it can be from 95c to 120c. The cast I was using before was 90c.

Any advice from those using Arlon would be great.

Thanks, Gavin.

[RobertLambie]

Hi Gavin

I have just copied this from Arlon’s website for SLX.

NOTE: Recommended post-heat surface temperature of vinyl installed: 203°F to 221°F (95°C to 105°C). The recommended post-heat temperature applies to the film and overlaminate wrap.

As a general rule, I won’t go below 100°C for any cast vinyl.
I have my own sort of process for post heating and it is more about ticking the manufacturer’s boxes and some of my own!
It is peace of mind for me that I have done all I can, it is up to the vinyl to do its bit after that.
Personally, what I do is too long-winded and hard to explain “in-text” here on the forum.
But generally follows these steps.

1. Surface prepping the recess.
2. Method of stretching the vinyl into the recess.
3. Using a pressure wheel with heat.
4. Post heating.

You can see a clip in the video of stage 3.
Although these wheels were introduced by 3M for use with their IJ380 at the time, they were not intended for how/why I use them, this is just something I came up with about 9+ years ago and still do to this day. just a belt and braces measure.

[Gavin Dooley]

Thanks Rob.

That’s more like it, 95c to 105c instead of 95 to 120 (got this from an Arlon promo vid on Youtube).

Decided to splash out and bought (as a birthday present from the wife & kids!!) myself a Steinel heat gun with the IR thermo attached on top. Why use two hands when one will do. An age related luxury in all ways!