Tried wet application

[rrc62 0]

It went OK.  I did what some of yo suggested and mixed a few drops of dish soap with a quart of water.  I thought the soap was supposed to make the water lay down and not bead up, but it ddn't.  I probably ended up with 20 drops in a quart.  I didn't want to put in anymore since this was a real job I was applying, not just a test panel.  Is there a specific soap you use?  I just grabbed whatever was under the sink...probably some store brand stuff.

I have a full length pickup rear window to do tomorrow and I'll probably do it wet, so I'd like to get my application fluid "mix" right.

Thanks...Ross

[hairyconiption 0]

I have heard a lot of different mixes and also am wondering if anyone has come up with a good recipe. I am wondering about a small bit of rubbing alcohol in the water to break surface tension on the water.

Any suggestions appreciated.

[rrc62 0]

I've been testing.  I get air bubbles with plain water just because plain water doesn't flow out on the surface.  I have two mixes.  Mix 1 is 1 quart water, 1/2oz of soap and 1/2oz of alcohol.  Mix 2 is 1 quart water and 1/2oz of soap.  Both mix 1 and mix 2 work well.  Wetting properties are good.  I think the alcohol mix dries faster but I don't know what the short or long tern effects on the adhesive are with the alcohol.

Straight water also takes the longest to dry.  Have to wait 20 minutes or so to peel app tape.  Time is money.  I want to stick it, peel it and go to the next job.  That's why I've always done it dry.  Water also is not as forgiving as far a sliding the design around as the other two mixes.

There is a product made by Redline called WaterWetter.  It is made for reducing the coolant temp in cars.  It does this by reducing the surface tension of the water...and it works.  If I can find some locally, I'll try a few drops in water and see what happens. 

Ross

[Beardown 0]

I dont hardley waht at all after I have gotten all the air bubbles out ...wait 2-3 min and then I spray the masking application tape to losen up the hold it has on the vinyl, I srpay that generously wait one more min and it practily falls off ....leaving the vinyl adheard to the application surface .... no waiting wet apply ....

WHERE THE HELL IS BILLY ?

[rrc62 0]

You must be using paper tape.  I use the clear plastic tape.  Spraying it probably won't do any good.  Maybe I'll switch to paper.  I like the clear doing multi laters.  Easy to line up registration marks through the clear tape.

Ross

[rrc62 0]

Well...First ...and last time I'll do it wet.  4 hours later it was still wet.  It took 2 hours to get the app tape off.  Each letter pulled away and had to be repositions and re-stuck.  Is it the plastic tape causing it to not dry?

Ross

[Beardown 0]

yes you got it ......clear application tape I only use when I sell to my wholesaler decals ...When I apply graphics I will only use the application mask for doing wet applications ....I would recommed getting some application mask and trying again using the wet method it will blow your mind on the differance 

[Guest fivestar]

I second that Beardown.

[Slipperyfrog 0]

Well...First ...and last time I'll do it wet.  4 hours later it was still wet.  It took 2 hours to get the app tape off.  Each letter pulled away and had to be repositions and re-stuck.  Is it the plastic tape causing it to not dry?

Ross

Sounds more like you have too much soap in the water.  You do not need much or it will take an eternity to dry.

[rrc62 0]

Well...First ...and last time I'll do it wet.  4 hours later it was still wet.  It took 2 hours to get the app tape off.  Each letter pulled away and had to be repositions and re-stuck.  Is it the plastic tape causing it to not dry?

Ross

Sounds more like you have too much soap in the water.  You do not need much or it will take an eternity to dry.

That could be.  I tried just a few drops per quart but there was really no difference between that and plain water.  I kept adding soap until I was some small difference in the way the water was flowing.  I ended up with about 1/2oz.

This came from signforums.  Home made app fluid....80% water, 19% rubbung alcolhol, 1% dish soap.  Given one quart of fluid, that would be 25.6oz water,  6.1oz alcohol and .3oz soap.

Ross

[BannerJohn 1,324]

I use wet application every day. I NEVER use clear tape.It just doesn't work.The fluid has no where to go when you squeegie it.

I make my own fluid. I make a gallon at a time....water,about 3 squirts dishwashing liquid,and about an ounce of alcahol. I pull the tape about 5 minutes after I squeegie...no problems with letters pulling off.

The main thing is to squeegie the crap out of it,get that fluid OUT. Like Bear said,save your clear tape for decals that you sell for the customer to apply.

And,so you know...I asked around,experimented,tried several combinations,til I got the fluid recipe right.

If I'm in the mood,I sometimes add a bit of vanilla scent to it,just to make it smell good.

If it is still wet after 4 hours,you aren't getting the fluid out. You can squeegie it til the cows come home and it will run right back under the letters if you don't get it out and away from the letters.