carolinatc

4'x8' sign help wet or dry

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I'm putting a solid strip of vinyl across 8ft. of polymetal (vinyl is 10"x96") would it be best to do the hinge method dry or do it wet?

I'm using the clear transfer tape with 951 oracal. never used the wet method so any help would be appreciated.

thanks, tom

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Wet method will not work well with clear transfer tape I would not think.... once you got the vinyl applied the application fluid would have to almost be 100% dry before the transfer tape was removed. Traditionally when applying wet, after you're done you wet the transfer tape's top surface to cause the adhesive to release in order for it to come off without lifting the vinyl as well....

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Wet method will not work well with clear transfer tape I would not think.... once you got the vinyl applied the application fluid would have to almost be 100% dry before the transfer tape was removed. Traditionally when applying wet, after you're done you wet the transfer tape's top surface to cause the adhesive to release in order for it to come off without lifting the vinyl as well....

+1 can't wet with clear tape

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If its a solid rectangle piece of vinyl, i wouldn't even put any application tape on it. I would do a wet application and just place the vinyl on the substrate.

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If its a solid rectangle piece of vinyl, i wouldn't even put any application tape on it. I would do a wet application and just place the vinyl on the substrate.

same here.

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If its a solid rectangle piece of vinyl, i wouldn't even put any application tape on it. I would do a wet application and just place the vinyl on the substrate.

thanks, i never thought about doing it that way.

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Though one thing doing it THAT way you would have to wrap your squeegee with something as to not scratch or marr up the vinyl, also the transfer tape give the vinyl some weight making it easier to handle if you're not well versed in applying it.

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Though one thing doing it THAT way you would have to wrap your squeegee with something as to not scratch or marr up the vinyl, also the transfer tape give the vinyl some weight making it easier to handle if you're not well versed in applying it.

here's a tip..go to almost any fabric store and get a pack of self-stick nylon patches. Cut a strip and wrap it over one edge of the squeegee. For a few dollars you can make several squeegees into nylon edge squeegees that cost 3x as much as a regular squeegee. No scratches.

http://www.hancockfabrics.com/Nylon-Repair-Fabric-3-X7--4-Pkg-Patches_stcVVproductId82441478VVcatId539576VVviewprod.htm

post-242-0-33284700-1306940340_thumb.jpg

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I've used a sock before. LOL. Sounds funny but it worked.

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If it was me, I'd lay the stripe down on the polymetal and position it exactly where you need it, center hinge it and using a grease pencil or china marker mark the top edge of the vinyl on the polymetal at the ends. Peel the backing off and wet down the surface using whatever app fluid you prefer (I use rapidtac2). Then lay the stripe down aligning it with the grease pencil mark & using a squeegee with a nylon sleeve or felt edge lay it down & repeat the process for the other side. The grease pencil marks are the key to a straight application once the backing paper is removed. If you dont have a grease pencil a piece of tape butted up against the stripe works too.

Cheers!

Ben

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