TauntDevil

Normally just a hint of dish soap and water. However in winter when it cools down and goes less than 100 degrees, I will put some alcohol in as well to make it dissipate faster.

Its because of the perspective of your image. Unless your camera was perfectly centers and perfectly tilted, you wont get it perfect. That is where the scanner is far better. But I would do what Kysign stated. Though it seems easy enough to replicate by scratch.

Are you trying to trace the photo square? I use Illustrator and you can outline it all and then flatten the bottom line which will make everything straight, or you just crop rotate the image until it is the same. Hope I understood correctly. Sorry if not. Also, even though I dont have one, I would recommend using a scanner to replicate it as it will be a flat image instead of a perspective image to trace. Much easier to work with.

Would love to offer help over skype but the downside is I am unfamilular with the Titan and may not be able to answer all your questions. I apologize but hopefully someone here is local and willing to help. Best of luck.

ugh.... Hello all...... Again. I apologize but I searched tunnel, creases, and vinyl issues, in the search on here and did not find anything relating to my issue. Basically, I have vinyl that I purchased recently from a seller. The amount of vinyl I purchased was 12" x 24". This one is not so bad as the other they sent me but the issue is that they sent it to me in an inch and a half shipping tube. Very tight roll. Now the issue is when I flatten it or begin to put it into my LP cutter, the vinyl is tunneling.. (I think is the term). I tried taping it on opposite sides on a flat surface for awhile but it has not changed. I also tried to push out the tunnels which works for a moment but they just come right back. This seller has also sent me a roll of silver 12" x 60" in the same inch and a half shipping tube. So I am sure I will have the issue with that vinyl as well. Note: I dont plan on buying from this seller again since they do not inform what vinyl is being sold. States that Oracal 631 will last 7 years inside or outside in any condition.... yup... EDIT: Of course... forgot to include a photo of said issue...

Both good points. I will give them a try. Thank you!

Have a heat gun but didnt do much. ended up returning it. However, I do have another question now though. When applying the transfer tape, how do you guys keep the vinyl from.... lifting? Basically when the vinyl is weeded and done, just sitting, it arches in the center. When applying transfer tape to multiple decals, it often causes issues. is there some kind of trick to keep them flat?

I do the same. %50 non refundable at the beginning (To pay for material) and the other %50 when decals are picked up. Or full price at the start. I do however keep Black and White on hand and since pink and purple glitter is used the most for me, I order more than needed when someone wants a decal with it.

So thought maybe it might be too tight of a roll and heat.. nope... just extremely poor quality "vinyl". Magnet would definitely stick much better than this stuff. The slightly bend and it will tunnel when you flatten it again. Spent the time to flatten out the pink and took pictures somewhat along the way. Cut out random decals that I cut the most. Full waste of money. Sucks. Before flattening... After: Little bubbles here and there. Spent about an hour or so to squeegee them out and make sure it was very flat. Decals cut: (Sorry, started cutting the sections out before remembering to take a photo. Basically anywhere it cuts, it bubbles right after. I expected low quality just by location. Was hoping maybe it just didnt last long in the sun or whatever but this is just useless. Better chance selling paper stuck onto the backing from static... /end small rant

Hello all. Sorry to bother yet again. I am in search of vinyl that this person is using or is nearly the same. They have not yet replied to its brand or anything at all. Not even to tell me off. Was wondering if any of you knew what it may be. Looking for multiple colors but purple is one of my most used colors and would love this vinyl for myself. If anyone knows, please let me know where I can purchase it. Thank you in advance!

I am not sure if it makes much of a difference but I store mine in shipping tubes or if its a large roll, just sitting on the top inside a plastic bag/protection (Because I have pets) and they are on a shelf stacked on top of each other. Considered wine rack style setup but I dont keep enough for that.

Most likely. Seems definitely rolled too tight. can see from the white edges that the vinyl moved from the backing paper. Also that when shipped, its extremely hot here probably doesnt help either. I actually managed to save them. Since this vinyl takes forever to show up and just a hassle, decided to put in the time to remove it from the backing paper and relay it down. Using a very soft and... padded? squeegee that came with my box of Greenstar products. Worked alright. the vinyl has a lot of finger prints etc on it and not sure what to use to wipe those off. Has small scuffs on it from the squeegee but guess that was expected. Its the softest thing I have for this that is flat. Going to cut some decals of it tomorrow and a test cut to put outside on the test hood for the outside duration test. Edit/Update: Well... as you would expect, it was a let down. The adhesive is extremely weak that even when applying it to metal, a magnet would stick better. Its difficult to cut because you either dont have enough blade depth to cut all the way through the vinyl or you have enough but the vinyl is multilayered so it bubbles somehow and causes air pockets... Either way, useless. Anyone know where I can get custom vinyl made. Someone told me that some companies get custom vinyl made. Not sure where from though. If someone can point me in that direction, would be great since kind of last option.

Well... I got the vinyl. 16 days to arrive to Phoenix, Arizona. However, unusable. It came wrapped around a 3 1/4" tube, on the outside with clear wrapping around it which is interesting. Then wrapped with paper. Different than I usually get which is usually a 3" or 4" barrel with the vinyl inside. However, it must not be long enough because barely opening them up, they quickly tunnel and tunnel bad. Cant even push out the tunnels. Just seems to be my luck recently with recent vinyl that keeps tunneling. 631 and this stuff. 3 orders in a row. Am I doing something wrong? I don't fully flatten it, just expand the roll enough to fit it into my cutter. Once I notice the tunnels, then I will flatten it (because already too late). Or is this all on their side? Sadly, going to ask for a replacement of this vinyl shipped in a large box instead because even shipping with the recommended names, I am only finding this seller with this stuff (odd). Purple Pink:

Looks really good! Keep it up!

My favorite was a person who wanted to pay in payments. Was small job so nothing near as bad but was 4 different color glitter with 651 black background. 2 layer decals. About 60 of them. Agreed like an idiot, made them all and my mistake was accepting first payment and provided all of them to him. Never saw him again. Learned that lesson again. Now I dont accept payments at all unless its through my paypal finance account (they deal with it). Works great. With jobs on pay, I wont start a job until they pay %50 of the asking price and then when it is done, they pay the last half. Just to ensure that if they skip out, that the material was at least paid for and only my time was lost. Though, my jobs arent business related really as I am not a business, I just do personal stickers and come across random people who find out and want something done. I dont advertise as a business or anything. (Paypal business account is related to car stuff)

I remember doing specialty vinal on a full face helmet. Not a full wrap, just a large decal on it and it was a pain. Regular vinyl I think will need to definitely stretch. Thought about trying it on my helmet once I get spare cash to attempt it. No easy task but I feel that if you can do it, then doing hoods, etc becomes a lot easier

This is what you are talking about Mirror in case hyperlink doesnt work: http://www.signwarehouse.com/blog/ghost-reflective-vinyl-graphics/

I may be wrong but for 651, you may want medium to low tack since transfer tape sticks well to that stuff. I had GXF-100 which is medium tack and when I would use 651, it would stick really well to the clear transfer tape. Often too well where it would pull the sticker back up. But again, I am no very knowledgeable about any of this and rarely get requests or use my self, 651 or non specialty vinyl. (sadly)

Yeah, mainly his company. He usually has the brands in the description like Avery or oracal, etc. Though the glitter doesnt really say anything and even when it arrives. Doesnt have anything on the back of it except lines Thanks for the referral. Yes. As well as brush on. My other issue is if the transfer tape will peel or effect the lamination on top of the decal. The spray on is more preferred because of decals. Aligning multi layer decals is a pain so not having to do it would be preferred. When doing multi layer decals, my biggest issue is the vinyl tunnels from it being rolled (not the vinyl tunneling on the backing paper, more like the whole backing paper etc is still formed from it being a roll) and then static just makes it all that much worse. Recent issue currently has been mis-alignment not as well somehow even though I cut from colors on SCAL, it keeps resizing the next layer for some reason. Not noticeable until you go to align it and notice one layer is wider than the underlayer.

I apologize for all these random posts. I do my best to ask in a relative thread but didn't find any recent ones for this subject. So a large majority of the stickers I sell/make are special vinyl. Glitter, reflective, etc and they are for the automotive community. They absolutely love this stuff and I would be lying if I didn't agree. The issue is. Almost all of it lasts about a month if lucky. Glitter turns to goldish grey and falls apart, chrome tuned into a matte grey, etc. I was have been thinking lately that it would probably be a good idea to try and maybe laminate over these decals with UV protected, etc lamination to try and keep the stickers from dying so quickly? Basically like cutting out of the lamination the same decal I just cut on the special vinyl, and placing it on top of the special vinyl I cut. Kind of like multi color layers but instead of offset, its directly on top. Does anyone think this may help or work or that its a waste of time and money to try? Just thought that maybe if lamination of some kind works for digital print, that a similar version may help with decals as well. Opinions/ideas?

I have used this before but switched to ebay brand from a guy and lasts about the same time. I dont go off of the duration suggestions on sites anymore because 95% are usually wrong from what I am learning. I bought purple and pink from H&H signs. Lasted almost the same as the stuff I buy on ebay. I dont think glitter or specialty vinyl lasts long in any form. Ill buy more from them to put on the test panel to get better results and "truly" test it but :/ Ebay details Hyperlinked (I like this seller. Great seller so far on Ebay in my opinion)

I appreciate the replies. Where may I find high quality glitter vinyl possibly? Chrome has been sold once or twice but isn't as common as glitter for me. Again, thanks for the replies. I will give it a try to test it. Working on a vinyl time tester where its basically a play in my backyard with a webcam on it taking a photo each day at the same time to see how long it takes for them to have any issue at all. My quest to find the best glitter vinyl! (and rainbow)

It can definitely be done. Reading around, what I found was that the main difference between using an iron and a heat price is quality rather than possibility (This is 1 shirt vs 1 shirt. Speed to make multiple shirts of course is way way quicker on the press than ironing each one if making many.) Not always will it be enough heat transferred across the vinyl evenly or maybe even pressure. I am trying to figure out how to do HTV for small stuff for myself currently but trying to see what all is needing other than just the vinyl. I think you also need a special type of transfer tape?

Contacted the seller and returned the vinyl. The design mainly would hit the tunnels and cause it to crease while cutting. For option 2, did do this but the issue is they just slowly keep coming back. Quicker than being able to put it into the machine or have it cut. By the time the blade finished one design, they would be back. Kept it for a little to see if there was any simple tips on this thread to get rid of them and salvage it but in the end, sent it back and got a refund. The sad part is I am broke and dont have a common vinyl that is used yet so buying a roll is out of my current budget (hobby) and would, at the moment at least, be a waste of the rest of the roll unless others want the color later on but is not a probability in my case. Especially in this 631.

I have only had special vinyl from china ebay sellers but mainly because there is no one else who sells the stuff unfortunately. Usually lasts about one month depending what it is. Sadly