dvddvd

Multi layer vinyl?

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I cut a design out which has 4 colours, i wanted to stack them on top of each other they are very detailed with lots of small pieces.

I cut the base layer and i wet the surface with a mist of water with a little soap and put the new layer on top, i could jiggle it about so it lined up perfect ( I had put registration marks on the design too)


But it was a right job trying to remove the clear transfer paper and leave the small bits of the design on top of the base layer mainly due to the base layer been damp and the size of the new layer parts, i did squezee as much water as i could.

Is there any tips on doing this? Would it be better to leave the second layer to dry completly before trying to remove the clear transfer paper?

Any tips would be welcomed? Due to the actual size and small detail of the design, and some bits seemed a little off you need to jiggle it about a bit to get it to look right so doing it dry would be more of a nightmare

 

thanks

 

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you can't layer with clear tape wet - paper only with layering wet and it has to be layered on the final surface otherwise the application fluid will wet the backing paper on the vinyl.  with registration marks should be no reason to layer wet  - 4 layer will be more of a challenge unless applying on the final surface no matter what you do.  

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Hi thanks so are you saying that only paper application tape is suitable for doing layers wet? The items are to be sent to a customer fully layered and for him to just fix the pre layered piece?

Would it be easier to layer in the vertical position. I tried removing the full backing piece but found it impossible to line up on a desk when dry? Thanks

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If you light up the registration marks it should line up automatically .  I can’t remember the last time I tried to layer wet.  But then again other than 2 layer it has been a while since I did that honestly.  Anything 4 color. Printed or outsourced the printing 

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Typically you can figure out which colors should be on what layer. From there you add some kind of registration mark on all four of the colors, and use clear to app tape the first layer, then start adding layers from top layer to the final bottom layer. All your registration marks should sit one on top the other.

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It's a design where some of the parts are layered on top of another vinyl but lots of the different coloured layers are in a space and not touching another layer so printing would not be an option. Its worked doing the layers wet but it took some time to do....thanks

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Also, you want to layer from the top layer down. Figure out which layer will be on top, cut transfer tape big enough to cover the entire design, put it on the top layer, peal off the backing paper then put the app tape and vinyl down on the next layer and repeat.

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Ok thanks, why do people layer from top down? It fries my brain a little thinking about doing it that way...

 

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Because trying to peal the application tape off without removing the vinyl from the backing paper is nearly impossible and will often result in bubbles if you do get it off.

If you're applying the vinyl directly to the surface though, you an do it from bottom up.

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Ok thanks as i said i can not print because lots of the design is in free air its not just a block of stacked vinyl there are hundreds of tiny bits to the design which are away from the main part. Which in the end will be stuck to a piece of opal perspex with a light shining through..thanks

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5 hours ago, dvddvd said:

Ok thanks as i said i can not print because lots of the design is in free air its not just a block of stacked vinyl there are hundreds of tiny bits to the design which are away from the main part. Which in the end will be stuck to a piece of opal perspex with a light shining through..thanks

Just FYI regular vinyl will not necessarily allow light to pass through very well in most cases. They make translucent vinyl that is specifically for back-light applications. Also be aware that layering translucent can have some interesting outcomes also. (think primary colors and how they blend) 

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I only want the light to pass through the white opal perspex not the vinyl thanks

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If you have back lighting on the vinyl and it's not translucent then when the light is on you're only really going to see a black silhouette of your design, the color will be all but lost, depending on the brightness and viewing distance.

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