hayride2 0 Posted June 18, 2009 I sure hope someone can help me. I have a 20" Texas (shape) that I have to make the left side blue, the top right white and the bottom right red. The problem is no matter what I do I can not make the colors line up inside Texas without showing gaps! The white is no problem as I am doing the Texas outline in white, so I just left it in the Texas after weeding out the rest. I was told I needed to re-cut the entire Texas in all three colors, then put them together. I didn't want to waste that much vinyl so I tried drawing the shapes I needed. Well that was a waste of time and vinyl. So I figured I'd bite the bullet and waste the vinyl by doing what I was told to begin with. You would think the vinyl would be cut the EXACT SAME everytime, but it doesn't! Even cutting out the Texas in all three colors it will NOT match up. I need some help! This is going on an 18 wheeler tractor and I sure want to do a good job for him but I'm at a loss as to how to make this Texas. Here is the Texas I'm "trying" to do. Any help would be greatly appreciated! I've only been working on this silly thing ALL DAY...... Hayride2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tlzimmerman 11 Posted June 19, 2009 If it were me, I would do a layer in white that is the full size of texas, then a layer in red and blue as overlays. I would put them together on the substrate, meaning on the truck. Next thing is do them wet, then you can slide them until they are just perfect. The cutter should be cutting them so they are perfect, but of course if you don't line them up perfect when you put them together you will have problems. Are you using registration marks when you are trying to line things up perfect? Doing joints like that is hard, thats why you have to be really good with registration marks and lining things up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest round2racing Posted June 19, 2009 +1 Zim If you try to do this type of work dry, you end up stretching the vinyl if it sticks, even if just for a second. If it's wet, it slides and your line up process goes by so much better!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hayride2 0 Posted June 19, 2009 I guess you missed the part in my post where I tried what you're talking about but for some reason the pieces do not line up. This is before even removing it and accidently stretching it. The problem is it is short in some spots and bigger in others. It just didn't cut it the exact same. I ended up just cutting the white then laying it over the blue and red and cutting it out by hand. A lot of work but at least everything lines up. I don't know why the pieces are not the same. Anyway, thanks for the help. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
midwaste 4 Posted June 19, 2009 No cutter is going to cut all the pieces exactly the same, especially a lower-end cutter. There is slippage between the vinyl and the rollers, backlash in the belt drive for the head, and a number of other factors that will contribute to it being slightly different each time. I would have cut out the white, then cut out the red and blue slightly larger and trimmed around them, pretty close to what you did. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tlzimmerman 11 Posted June 19, 2009 No cutter is going to cut all the pieces exactly the same, especially a lower-end cutter. There is slippage between the vinyl and the rollers, backlash in the belt drive for the head, and a number of other factors that will contribute to it being slightly different each time. I would have cut out the white, then cut out the red and blue slightly larger and trimmed around them, pretty close to what you did. My experience had differed from this, I have done 2 exact overlays like this on arcade cabinets.....both of which lined up perfectly to eachother once I was done. Slow the cutter down, they are plenty accurate for something like this in my opinion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tekcorps 50 Posted June 19, 2009 I would do this image this way. Two registration marks at the top. Make a small white out line around the image and would contour cut the white. Then I would make the red cut section slightly wider to the left. Lay down the white, line up reg marks lay down the red and then line up reg marks and lay down the blue. The blue would actually overlap the red a bit since you made it wider on the left side of the red. Couple reason for this, easier to line up when laying it down and when the vinyl ages and shrinks a bit you won't see a white gap between the blue and red. I would lay it down dry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hayride2 0 Posted June 19, 2009 I'll try slowing the machine down. Thanks for all the great suggestions! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
