Wet or Dry Vinyl Application for Reversed GLASS Application???

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

I've applied my cut vinyl graphics DRY ever since I went to a Rob Ivers workshop 23 years ago. EVERYtime. (Except Translucent for first surface plastic faces that are backlit.) I saw him use the hinge method using taped "hinges" and I've never looked back. I remember it hit me like a ton of bricks. I've no idea how we got along before that using application fluid.

But on glass, REVERSED....I get the tiniest, itty bitty bubbles that for an up close and personal viewing is undesirable. I've considered trying fluid again for reversed glass. (Or just Soapy Water.)  I've got some Boy Scout trophies--that are actually just 11x14 picture frames--to do today.

Has anybody every whipped this problem using just run of the mill High Performance Cast Vinyl?  I'm out of ideas.

Stan

[Homer]

some vinyls do require a wet app, unfortunately. we do dry app as well because anything you put between the adhesive and the substrate becomes a contaminant. BUT, being indoors, it will expand/ contract with the window temp, you'll be alright....lightly soaped water, or one of the "special fluids" they sell...when applying wet, we use the plastic application tape, the paper stuff -with water, makes a mess...

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

I just went to the local sign supply and bought a bonafide bottle of RapidTac. FIRST time in decades.

Jay, do you really think the....ummm...... "micro bubbles" will actually go away?

I don't like doing these myself. "I've got people" that oughta be doing them.

If I have to re-do a decal that an embroiderer just applied, it doesn't make sense.

Maybe this will help, but I guess I'm about to find out....

[Inkworks]

We have the same issues, but have been using the hinge method from day 1 as I was familar with it from my graphic screenprinting/membrane switch days where we laminated all day every day in the shop.

Rapid tack is a good option for glass windows and the like, but it also takes some getting used to and you have to be careful to not burnish the vinyl with the squeegee which can leave marks too.

[Homer]

people say the bubbles go away with time/heat  but I call BS...

how big of a decal we talking here for the window?

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

people say the bubbles go away with time/heat  but I call BS...

how big of a decal we talking here for the window?

11 x 14 picture frames with small copy mostly.

[Inkworks]

Bubbles do not go away unless it special vinyl, but people stop looking really closely at it after they do the initial inspection.

For small piece like that a set of lamination rollers work wonders, worth having around the shop.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-25-Manual-Cold-Roll-Laminator-Applicator-Vinyl-Application-Tape-Mounting-/161607714536?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item25a09206e8

[GaryG]

Does the laminate reduce bubbles due to having a slightly stiffer overlay?

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

Bubbles do not go away unless it special vinyl, but people stop looking really closely at it after they do the initial inspection.

For small piece like that a set of lamination rollers work wonders, worth having around the shop.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-25-Manual-Cold-Roll-Laminator-Applicator-Vinyl-Application-Tape-Mounting-/161607714536?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item25a09206e8

How does that work? Do you use it to apply the transfer paper? I wouldn't have thought the glass substrate would survive a trip under the roller with very much pressure.

[Inkworks]

It's not about a lot of pressure, it's about a perfect rolling single point of contact. For substrates that are tricky to laminate without bubbles it's a great tool in the arsenal.

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

Here's an Update:

By using RapidTac, I was able to train a neophyte vinyl installer to do an acceptable job on reverse cut, inside application of cut HP Cast Vinyl on glass. A VERY good job actually. This is HUGE for me. And the other UPside is that there are indeed fewer micro bubbles.

The downside is that it WAAAAY slower than the way I'd probably have done it. Hinged and dry, that is. But the presentation is nearly flawless with the application fluid, and I'd be hard pressed to find an excuse to put it on dry in an identical job. We used Transferrite Premium paper, not synthetic transfer paper, and we let that paper soak for a little while before removing it. Just a "sharp", smooth vinyl application squeegee was used...the 3M GOLD.

For normal decals, it's still gonna be  dry hinges all the way for me!

[Inkworks]

With a roll laminator you still use the hinge method, the rollers just replace the sgueegee, nothing else changes. If anything it's a little faster. We use it for putting reflective vinyl onto sign blanks, and sometimes use it for applying the lettering too. Of course if we have 20+ of the same image we usually just screenprint them...