Need Help Using Wet Method to Apply Vinyl

[Inkables 0]

I applied my first vinyl to a car window.  I tried both wet and dry application.  When I did the wet application - the vinyl would not stick to the window.  I followed the instructions on the bottle (Window Juice) and waited for over 10 minutes and the vinyl still would not adhere.  I used the Oracle 651 and General Purpose Clear High-tack Application Tape.  I had no problems using the dry application.  I will be applying vinyl to a racecar in the near future and I need to get the process down before I attempt this one.  Any advice is greatly appreciated.  Thanks to all that respond.

[bayshorecreations 30]

Hi Inkables,

First off I would not use High Tack at all, I use Medium Tack for most of my stuff. Also the clear plastic is very difficult to get to dry out undernieth because it is plastic and the water just kind of sits there. I would try using a paper transfer paper instead of the plastic and try the wet method again. I think you will have much better results. As far aas the window juice is concerned I have never used it. I have used Rapid Tack with great results but I usually use the old water and soap mixture.

[Inkables 0]

This whole vinyl thing is something fairly new I have started.  What is the paper transfer paper you mentioned?  Do you recommend a brand?  When I initially ordered my cutter, I was told this transfer paper would work for pretty much anything, I sure didn't know any better at the time.  Thanks!

[bayshorecreations 30]

There are 2 different kinds of tape. Paper tape and clear plastic tape. The clear plastic tape is great if you need to see really well exactly where you are placing your graphic. The paper tape is translucent but not completely clear. Here is a link to one brand of paper tape:http://rtape.com/en/products/sign_making/aplitape

[mars 45]

Yep! What he said!

The High Tack sticks to the vinyl better than the vinyl sticks to the window - so it pulls it off.  Unless they are small I do all my applications wet - using homemade app fluid (soap/water/alcohol).  I had problems with the graphics lifting off the substrate with the R-Tape clear while doing wet application.  So I went back to the paper app tape for wet apps and use the clear for layering graphics and then either apply dry or put up with the extra hassle if I must  do it wet.  I have to  work the fluid out carefully and then it is extra work to pull the transfer tape.  Pulling it back flat against itself and constantly watching for any pulling up of the vinyl all the while.  -- not fun.

-Mike

[bayshorecreations 30]

Hey Mars, How much alcohol do you add to your homemade mix? I never used alcohol with mine but it kind of makes sense to use a little bit to help it dry out quicker.

I have 32oz spray bottles that I use and I just fill em up with water and add a few drops of soap to it.

[Inkables 0]

So if I read the reply from Mike correctly, use the paper transfer unless you are doing layers.  The racecar I mentioned will be multiple colors.  What type of clear transfer tape is recommended for doing layers?  All the information provided on this post has been very useful, thanks to all.

[MikeMan 0]

The only time I use clear app tape is on small decals because it looks better when they are delivered to the customer.  I do all my larger installs wet using the paper app tape.  After you have squeegeed the living daylights out of the install, spray down your paper app tape and wait a couple minutes,  the app fluid will soak through the paper and you'll have a much easier time pulling it off the vinyl.

Also, it's worth noting that you can still layer easily using the paper tape.

[mars 45]

I use varying amounts of alcohol depending on the weather (hot summer vs cold weather) more for colder weather.  I mix in a spray bottle -- in the summer I fill to just where the bottle starts to taper at the top - add 5 drops of old school Joy - not the ultra - I get mine at the dollar store - and fill half of the space remaining with alcohol - in the cooler weather I about double that and in winter probably triple it.  It seems to help with it drying in cool weather, but it may all be in my head.  It hasn't had an adverse effect on the adhesion of the graphic - or making the transfer tape leave any gummy yuck behind.  I did have that happen to me one time when I used a bottle I had mixed with ammonia for cleaning upholstery.  Don't use ammonia!!  It was no fun working to get that snotty stuff off!

The clear I have is Rtape AT60 I think - I think they have a higher tack tape too - and they may have something less tacky. Mine is workeable on glass and painted surfaces on vehicles - just have to baby it while pulling it off the graphic.  I had real problems doing signs on a pick-up bed sized cooler made out of that pebble grained plastic like they use on the walls of commercial kitchens.  I had a hard time getting the clear app tape off - and when they went 800 miles to cater a job some of the lettering blew off (traveling at 90+ mph)  I wound up makind the signs over on aluminum and pop riveting to the cooler -been running up and down the highway for a year and a half now and still looking good.

I saw a post on here about using paper tape over the graphic and bordering it with clear tape around the edge - by putting the registration marks around the edge where the clear will be you get a clear area to use for aligning your second color.  I just did a search and couldn't find it again, but that is a way to have the best of both.

-Mike

[di3go 0]

I saw a post on here about using paper tape over the graphic and bordering it with clear tape around the edge - by putting the registration marks around the edge where the clear will be you get a clear area to use for aligning your second color.  I just did a search and couldn't find it again, but that is a way to have the best of both.

-Mike

I do mine like this