Application Tape too cold

[pitkin2020 1]

Has this happened to anyone else or is just me................well I went to tape some graphics the other day but my paper app tape has lost its stickiness (if thats a word) and has basically turned in to .............well paper lol it wont stick to the vinyl it was fine until we had a bout of really cold weather and it is really cold in the unit where it is stored.

I did how ever find a way around this problem by just heating the roll up with a heat gun before applying and it seems to go sticky again which is fine whilst I apply the graphic to the substrate, i'm just not sure how long it will last once it has been applied to the vinyl and shipped for example.

[john! 1]

Has this happened to anyone else or is just me................well I went to tape some graphics the other day but my paper app tape has lost its stickiness (if thats a word) and has basically turned in to .............well paper lol it wont stick to the vinyl it was fine until we had a bout of really cold weather and it is really cold in the unit where it is stored.

I did how ever find a way around this problem by just heating the roll up with a heat gun before applying and it seems to go sticky again which is fine whilst I apply the graphic to the substrate, i'm just not sure how long it will last once it has been applied to the vinyl and shipped for example.

You should not store vinyl in any cold areas.

I keep it 65-70 in my areas and have never had a problem really.

When the UPS guy dropps off my vinyl at my door if i'm not here i always let it sit for a hour to get to room temp and it's fine.

[Pushing Vinyl 1]

I agree with Guest, your vinyl or anything that has adhesive needs to be in an warmer room. You did good by heating the tape up for that application. If the future store it in a warmer room.

Setting like like will cause it to age faster as well.

Garry

[pitkin2020 1]

HHMM I appreciate what you are saying but logistacally it would be a night mare to remove it from the unit and take it home for example to keep it in a warmer environment.  I will have to look into a solution maybe like a small cabinet that i could store all my rolls in that is insulated..............any suggestions?

[mabscotthandyman 1,410]

Do you have room for a small room to be built? I have a small room in my shop that i store paint,caulk,glue and so on for my handyman service it is about 5x5 ft. insulated well and i use a small ceramic heater to keep it warm. With the cost of heat so high i had to find a way not to wast heat when i was not using the shop and i could not afford to loose items like these to freezing hence the room it works very well . As a matter of fact the heater on high keeps it to hot had to set on low heat and about half way on the thermostat  and it stays about 60 these heaters are very efficient and low cost to operate. My vinyl is inside my house  so no problems with that.

Dan

[pitkin2020 1]

Its a good idea, but not practical at the moment.

Maybe I will have to insulate a big wooden chest and put a hot water bottle in with the vinyl and app tape every night lol.

The cold has only really effected the app tape, all the vinyl still looks fine and is still as sticky as it was when the weather was warmer and cuts/applys fine.  I will have to find some sort of small cupboard that i can insulate well to store this stuff for when we are in the winter months.  Or better still take all the stuff home and have the winter off lol, now that sounds like a plan.

[john! 1]

Its a good idea, but not practical at the moment.

Maybe I will have to insulate a big wooden chest and put a hot water bottle in with the vinyl and app tape every night lol.

The cold has only really effected the app tape, all the vinyl still looks fine and is still as sticky as it was when the weather was warmer and cuts/applys fine.  I will have to find some sort of small cupboard that i can insulate well to store this stuff for when we are in the winter months.  Or better still take all the stuff home and have the winter off lol, now that sounds like a plan.

I'm confused, the app tape and vinyl does not take up that much room. I can't imagine the place your at is THAT small.

I didn't have room and i ended up fitting a 30" versacamm print/cutter no problem...

[pitkin2020 1]

My comment was in reference to building a room inside the unit, due to the fact I share my unit and we are jammed packed at the moment there is no room to build another room.  The area I have dedicated to cutting/work is around 5ft x 5ft give or take a little, as you can see in the picture below, the vinyl rack is now full with more rolls stored elsewhere.

My work area is far from ideal but is what is affordable as this isn't my main income, and this problem only occurs obviously for a few months a year.  Ideally I need to make a well insulated cupboard that I can just heat enough so its not freezing to store my materials in.

[Pushing Vinyl 1]

When you said Small you meant it. Now that is tight

[pitkin2020 1]

Yep definetly tight LOL, that area is just mine though.  I do have another area I can spread out to as and when I need it just not permanently.  Just to left of that pic is a 40ft x 12ft work bench so I have plenty of room to work in just not to actually store stuff.

I will come up with something over the summer in preperation for next winter.

[mabscotthandyman 1,410]

Very good idea on the homemade vinyl storage rack, i see what you mean about small

Dan

[pitkin2020 1]

Very good idea on the homemade vinyl storage rack, i see what you mean about small

Dan

Thanks the vinyl rack was needed to save space as you can clearly see why, was very easy to do and just used up some old wood.