HP L25500 Printing Banner Material

[Hugh Potter]

is it glossy? I bought a cheap (real cheap) roll of 440gsm for the L26500 as an alternative to my more expensive 510/550gsm banners, it printed awfully on all of the profiles I tried.

I primarily use a 510gsm (fire rated too) from pyramid display, or occasionally a 550gsm from spandex (image perfect I think) and both matt finish banner films print perfectly on a bog standard ‘self adhesive gloss vinyl’ profile,

[adam jay]

thanks for the info, id say its more matt than anything looks glossy in the photo, but i will try some of the 510gsm stuff,
in the mean time ill try it on a self adhesive profile see if that makes a difference,
cheers

[A.Kordowski]

Ive had this problem before, it was the substrate in my case i bought a scrim from another supplier and he assured me it was Latex approved but it printed terribly on my latex, id normally buy from Papergraphics but i think they where low on stock…..

[Myles Brewer]

quote Hugh Potter:

is it glossy? I bought a cheap (real cheap) roll of 440gsm for the L26500 as an alternative to my more expensive 510/550gsm banners, it printed awfully on all of the profiles I tried.

I primarily use a 510gsm (fire rated too) from pyramid display, or occasionally a 550gsm from spandex (image perfect I think) and both matt finish banner films print perfectly on a bog standard ‘self adhesive gloss vinyl’ profile,

Hi Hugh, (& anyone else with the HP 26500) Just wondering if you get any issues regarding scratch resistance on banners?
I’m finding anything that’s not laminated after printing seems prone to scratching fairly easily. I know this is something the newer generation latex machines have addressed but wonder if there is any workaround on the 26500, maybe profile tweaks or does the brand of media make much difference?

[Hugh Potter]

quote Myles Brewer:

Hi Hugh, (& anyone else with the HP 26500) Just wondering if you get any issues regarding scratch resistance on banners?
I’m finding anything that’s not laminated after printing seems prone to scratching fairly easily. I know this is something the newer generation latex machines have addressed but wonder if there is any workaround on the 26500, maybe profile tweaks or does the brand of media make much difference?

Can’t say I’ve noticed anything particularly bad, I don’t laminate site boards so they can and do scratch if fitting them quickly after printing, I usually leave them a day for the ink to fully harden before applying. Not noticed any issues on banner tbh.

[Myles Brewer]

quote Hugh Potter:

quote Myles Brewer:

Hi Hugh, (& anyone else with the HP 26500) Just wondering if you get any issues regarding scratch resistance on banners?
I’m finding anything that’s not laminated after printing seems prone to scratching fairly easily. I know this is something the newer generation latex machines have addressed but wonder if there is any workaround on the 26500, maybe profile tweaks or does the brand of media make much difference?

Can’t say I’ve noticed anything particularly bad, I don’t laminate site boards so they can and do scratch if fitting them quickly after printing, I usually leave them a day for the ink to fully harden before applying. Not noticed any issues on banner tbh.

I think it may be partly down to the banner material, It’s actually really hard to get latex compatible banner from most of the Irish suppliers.

[Kevin Busby]

With Flexi if you have the saicloud one you get the full product which includes a profile maker so your able to tweak every aspect of the profile from inside the rip and adjust what you need to.

I only ever had 440gsm a couple times and always promised its compatible but that could also mean with the later versions of latex not the first couple, I really would go up above 500gsm, im getting some good results on Allprints 550 and tough stuff.

Lastly and Im no insinuating thats this is the case but a lot of banner materials are revers wound so you have to load in printer opposite way so the underneath is at the top, mine is and the amount of times ive loaded and had to take it out again, the smoothest side is normally the print side.

[Myles Brewer]

quote Kevin Busby:

With Flexi if you have the saicloud one you get the full product which includes a profile maker so your able to tweak every aspect of the profile from inside the rip and adjust what you need to.

I only ever had 440gsm a couple times and always promised its compatible but that could also mean with the later versions of latex not the first couple, I really would go up above 500gsm, im getting some good results on Allprints 550 and tough stuff.

Lastly and Im no insinuating thats this is the case but a lot of banner materials are reverse wound so you have to load in printer opposite way so the underneath is at the top, mine is and the amount of times I’ve loaded and had to take it out again, the smoothest side is normally the print side.

Yes Kevin, I have the full Flexi Subscription version. I did attempt to build profiles when I originally got it but there was some issue in the process that I couldn’t seem to get past tied up with the spectrometer. (I never actually established whether the 26500 has an onboard spectrometer or how to get it to work if it does!) I the end I just used standard HP profiles & they seem to be fine & are also pretty adjustable from within the rip anyway regarding temps, vacuum, tension etc.

I actually have a 5m sample of the Allprint 550 here which I must test out. Our of interest what profile do you use for it & do you need to tweak it at all? I presume like Hugh you’ve not had any scratch issues?

I know what you’re saying about reverse wound rolls! The Allprint one is pretty easy to tell but some look pretty similar both sides!

Maybe I’m just being overly critical about the scratch resistance but it does seem that some media need to be handled with a great deal of care to avoid it. Even simply rolling a banner (or other media) up on the workbench can end up with a scratch from the smallest bit of dirt or a rough bit on the cutting matt & a gentle rub across the surface with a fingernail will do the same. I know that if my careful handling produces scratches, then a customer’s less than careful handling will have them in bits.

[Kevin Busby]

If you email allprints they nearly always have a profile mapped exactly for the product and your machine as they keep several machines just to build the profiles and its probably the best bit about using them. Any issues and call them and they will advise how to tweak it to get perfect results.

To be fair when I started out with the 26500 after serveral months of trying every product I could find I would have sworn its the one product that did not work with latex, then I cam across a 500gram product from paper graphics which printed perfectly and from then on until an little upset with that product ive stuck with that and all print 550 which has just been updated again to an even better product. Sometimes cheap just does not cut it with latex.

[Myles Brewer]

Was just on to Allprint & unfortunately, they don’t do profiles for the Flexi rip 🙁
I should be able to have a play with it & tweak them myself easily enough. I think my scratch problem is more than likely down to unsuitable/cheaper materials.

Also would be interested to know what people use for finishing banners without stitching or welding equipment?

Double or single sided hem tape? Grommets or power tabs?

[Kevin Busby]

Yeah I keep forgetting that they changed the way profiles work on the 3 series and the rip really does not matter much now but on the 26 and 25 it was a lot more specific.

I hem with double sided tape and eyelet with nickel eyelets but have been considering doing away with the hem for short term events as this stuff is mighty strong and it looks so untidy with the puckering on the hems that makes it look almost un professional but don’t do enough to warrant any other option.

[Hugh Potter]

On the 26500 I’ve been using a 510gsm from pyramid display. Used it with no issue for over a year now. Fire retardant, more on a roll and cheaper than the 550.

Speak to Kevin at pyramid and ask for the same as Hugh from Dragon Signs in Sussex.

I found the 550gsm I had from Spandex was hard to get the brass eyelets through and finished nicely.

[Colin Crabb]

On the L3** series we’ve been using PaperGraphics 440gsm frontlit – prints really nice (good solids) with the latex inks.

[Myles Brewer]

OK, I finally had a go with the 550 sample from Allprint today & :thumbsup: :thumbsup: printed perfectly & no issues with scratch resistance compared to previous Sign & Digital banner. Right from coming off the printer it’s so much better. You can drag a nail across it fairly hard & doesn’t leave a mark!! :praiseyou: Renewed faith in the old 26500 it really is a great machine given the age of them now.

Have ordered a roll from Allprint now but might try the Pyramid one in the future just to compare so thanks lads for the suggestions.

I agree Kevin re the puckering with double sided tapes especially if they get rolled & unrolled for storage. I was wondering about trying the Bannerups Megatape, it looks pretty serious stuff & it quite expensive but not sure if it would suffer the same puckering when rolled up??

[Brad.Kitchener]

I print to 550gsm without any issues, more expensive, but worth it.
With regard to the hemming, I just add an extra 40mm to each end, and hem with tape. No need to do the long edges.
This gives extra strength at the corners, where most of the tension is.
Then when you roll the banner up, you don’t get any puckering and looks very neat.
I’ve never had a complaint.