im weeding a complex design what is the best way to do so?

[Alistair Richards]

If it looks like I’ll have o weed a big or troublesome piece, I usually just cut myself a weed line manually with light pressure using scalpel. Never used a ball tipped thingy bob so can’t comment on that. :lol1:

[Martin Pearson]

Warren, firstly is your plotter set up to give the correct depth of cut? It should just mark the backing paper without actually cutting in to it. Secondly when you weed it is best not to try and remove the excess by pulling straight up but to pull at almost 180 deg so the vinyl comes back on itself if you see what I mean.
I always try not to remove bits that are to big in one go anyway as you run the risk of a stray bit sticking to the vinyl you don’t want to remove. Like Alistair once I have the graphic on the table I will use a scalpel to make some cuts where I want to make the job of weeding as easy for me as possible. Saves a lot of time in the long run for me.

[Lynn Normington]

Warren if it’s tricky to weed I just use more weed borders, and like martin says keep the vinyl quite low.

Lynn

[Hugh Potter]

i sometimes find that if the cut pressure, or cut depth isnt heavy or deep enough, that it will sometimes leave tiny bits ‘uncut’, they the weeded vinyl can then tear at that point, same goes for a slightly worn blade,

if i have a big design, and remember to use some foresight, i’ll put cut lines on the design so it makes weeding easier, or use a scalpel afterwards !

[David Rogers]

Hi Warren – know exactly what you mean.

Normal text & general stuff is OK as you just grab one side & pull & it’ll weed near perfect. But for the tricky stuff, like scrolls & spirals that ‘turn back on themselves’ that method (as you’ve found out) isn’t fool proof.

As Alistair said – if you can cut some weedlines to break the image up into more manageable sections then instead of the pull back to remove – adopt (as you’ve tried) the more vertical lift for the tricky bits.

In the end it boils down to a whole load of things. How ‘perfect’ you knife depth is (run small scale test before committing to huge runs), vinyl temperature (too cold – hard won’t weed & too warm – sticky), vinyl grade & having a ‘feel’ for the flow of the weed / material. ie. To grab great swathes of vinyl in optimum conditions and work your magic fingers & wrists to swing sections out without pulling others with it.

If you have an awful lot to do – sometimes it is just easier to rip off 99% of the vinyl & get out with the scalpel to pick off the remainder that snapped during the pull. Speed over accuracy.

Dave

[Nick Minall]

The way I do it is to use a odd bit of foam board and lay it flat on the vinyl and as you pull the vinyl stick it back over on to the board.

Hope that makes sense!

Nick

[Paul Jamieson]

What a good idea Nick! :thumbsup:

[Warren Beard]

Thanks for all the tips guys, it is def not the cutting depth as it cuts perfectly and is also a brand new blade, the question was basically about large areas and the tips about cut boxes or slits to make the large weeding areas smaller are great, this will resolve the issue. I do weed at 180 degree but pull upwards for areas that turn back on themselves as David mentioned.

Nobody know anything about the ball tip weeding tool ??????

[David Rogers]

quote Warren Beard:

…..Nobody know anything about the ball tip weeding tool ??????

Seen them advertised…can’t see the point really (no pun intended) 🙄

I just keep three scalpels handy. Two sharp ones for slicin’ ‘n’ dicin’, and one with the tip of the tip chipped off / worn for general weeding. Just pointy enough to lift the vinyl without stabbing through & catching the backing.

I’ve heard of all sorts being used: retractable ‘exacto’ blades, stanleys, pins, tweezers (huh?) – I’ll stick to the blunted-off scalpel!

Dave

[Dave Bruce]

quote Warren Beard:

Nobody know anything about the ball tip weeding tool ??????

I have used one on small intricate stuff, or give it to newbies to try as an aid to holding down the vinyl letters while weeding off the waste Instead off using your finger. The ball end is supposed to stop it sticking to the vinyl (according to the manufacturers) which would suggest that you are touching the adhesive side of the vinyl, so on that score I am lost.

Dave

[David Rogers]

Found one as part of a kit:

http://www.beacongraphics.com/knifes.html

looks like it’s the bottom ‘blade’ and is used for holding down fiddly bits of vinyl whilst weeding (that get lifted when stripping it back) instead of using a blade.

Not needed one yet…but a reasonable set of tools for £10.

[Gavin MacMillan]

I’ve got my hands on every weeding tool I’ve seen advertised, but nothing beats a pair of tweezers.

The issue your talking about I find I get round by running my other hand along the vinyl while weeding and placing a finger on the bits most likely to pop up (from serif fonts to complex designs) and it ends up as instinct, I don’t think about this at all.

[David Rogers]

I can’t get my head round how tweezers can be better, ie. faster . more accurate than a scalpel. Honestly, I’m not joking.

eg. say I’m weeding a series of letters – I can take the centres out of them at around 2 to 3 per second. Lifting up with the blade (right hand) and pinching it between thumb & forefinger of my left hand (sticks to index finger) – after every 15 or 20 – flick off the build up.

I’m just trying to visualise the ‘tweezer method – anybody care to describe it…

Dave

[Mike Robson]

I can remember thinking "A pair of tweezers would be bloody useful here" before, but I can’t for the life of me remember why. Or whether it was anything to do with weeding vinyl actually.

I’m with David on the weeding bit. Bluntish scalpel and a sticky finger seem to work best for letter centres

[Nick Minall]

I find tweezers best most of the time, stops me stabbing myself with the scalpel 😕

[Martin Pearson]

I think this is one of those that depends on how you have been taught or have taught yourself. We all know there are different ways of doing things and what works best for one person doesn’t work as well for someone else.

Funny thing is that I learnt how to weed using the end of the scalpel. never had any problems at all. Then I had a guy helping me for a while who was a very good signmaker but couldn’t weed without a pair of tweezers. I bought a couple of pairs as he was having real problems and out of interest tried them myself, I found it a bit awkward but Jon swore by them and he had been in the sign industry for about 12 years so I practiced a bit. In fact I practiced a bit to hard because I now can’t weed properly without them and I am always losing them!!!
Should have just stuck to what I already knew.

[James Martin]

Has no one else tried a ‘seam ripper’ from the dressmakers sewing box!

I couldn’t upload a picture of one in the forum despite rushing to take one.

Its the best thing i’ve tried and they go on ebay for a couple of quid inc postage.

They have a great picking point that isnt too sharp that it cuts material and a razor sharp inside curve that is great for running up the vinyl cutting it into managable pieces without damaging the backing paper.

Brilliant!

http://www.bblackandsons.com/store/medi … /NT-04.jpg

[Phil Barnfield]

quote David Rogers:

I can’t get my head round how tweezers can be better, ie. faster . more accurate than a scalpel. Honestly, I’m not joking.

eg. say I’m weeding a series of letters – I can take the centres out of them at around 2 to 3 per second. Lifting up with the blade (right hand) and pinching it between thumb & forefinger of my left hand (sticks to index finger) – after every 15 or 20 – flick off the build up.

I’m just trying to visualise the ‘tweezer method – anybody care to describe it…

Dave

yup I have to agree there. tried tweezers and they aint particularly useful. Got a ball tipped pen, but again i went back to the good old scapel. You can position vinyl on its edge if you need to place it back onto backing paper, cut vinyl, create weed lines, cut app tape, weed……. and not to mention hack your finger off!! All from one very trusty tool.

Cant see why anyone would want anything else really. Few scapel blades in retractable holders for safety, and your away.

[Lynn Normington]

can’t get on with tweezers or conventional weeding tools scalpels etc. I use a doll needle

Lynn

[Bill Hughes]

I always use a Stainless Steel Dental Pick
you see them all the time on car boots costs are 2 for a £1.00 I have seen new ones advertised for three dollars so they can not be dear to buy the best ones have a right angle bend in them right near the end and look at the shape of the point smaller the better I have never sharpened one but I am sure a angle grinder loosely touching it would work
The best thing is if you are weeding lots of middles out of letters they seem to build up on the shaft saving plenty of time

[Phil Barnfield]

sounds like a good idea there Bill

[Warren Beard]

Hi Guys

I thought I would post an update to my original post in regards to point "2"

After not really finding out what a ball tipped weeding tool is for or how it works I e-mailed the supplier and this is the response I got’

"The metal ball tipped weeding tool is ideal tool for accurate weeding and the design means it wont damage clear film substrates"

Now that does not exactly tell me how it works, I still have no idea!

Come on guys, I think we should have a riddle/puzzle thread for all these curious answered questions 😮

[Phil Barnfield]

the way I use it is; using the ball tip, press down on edge of vinyl you want removing and move the tip into the weeded area. This causes it to lift so you can remove.

I guess it has its uses when doing delicate vinyls, and that there is no room for damage should you catch the bit of the vinyl that you want to keep – or in case you make a mistake (the ball bit saves cutting into it).

Useful if your like me and on the 50th line of text your eyes start playing tricks on you, and you end up nicking the edges of the vinyl you want to keep…. purely cos I cant see straight!! :lol1: