Butch ‘Superfrog’ Anton shares his secrets of his success in selling airbrushed vinyl. Hint: it’s a three-tiered pricing approach. Read on to learn more. It’s time to get a return on the time and money you’ve invested into becoming an expert at airbrushing on vinyl. Learn how to generate a buzz and close the sale […] Read more »
The Differences Between Polyurethane and Vinyl Films
Many in our industry use the all-encompassing term “heat transfer vinyl” to refer to any heat transfer flex film. The fact of the matter is that many of the heat transfer films on the market today are not vinyl at all. Much of what is sold today is polyurethane or a polyurethane blend. Read more »
Fooling the Optical Sensor
Plotter Cutting Prints on High Gloss and Reflective Media Some printer manufacturers, such as Mutoh, Summa and Mimaki, have systems that utilize a separate plotter to contour cut the printed graphics. To ensure accurate cutting of the printed graphic, the plotters utilize an Optical Positioning System called OPOS. The electric eye or photo sensor of […] Read more »
Laminating Application Tape and HotMask™ Films
Stick It In Reverse How you apply an application tape to a vinyl graphic or a HotMask™ transfer tape to a printed heat transfer applique can affect the appearance of the finished product. If you get wrinkles or bubbles in the paper application tape, I can just about guarantee that you will get wrinkles and […] Read more »
Arlon’s DPF 8000
An Ideal Solution for Wall Graphics Many shops, which have printed wall murals in which the ink bleeds to the edge of the panel, have experienced edge curl issues with a variety of vinyl films. For permanent wall graphics applications, I would consider using Arlon’s DPF 8000 film. DPF 8000 is a 3.5 mil (90 […] Read more »
When Ink Is Not the Problem with Digital Printing, Part I
Variables like surface tension, media expansion and ink absorption take on new dimensions on larger substrates. If the paper doesn’t advance, it could cause blobs of ink or other ugly outcomes. If the media stretches even a little, you could get blurs. Tiling can become a challenge on larger prints. Read on to discover what […] Read more »
Picture Perfect Wall Graphics
Applications to Smooth Walls Applying graphics to a flat, smooth, painted wall is easy. Still problems can and do occur. Rarely are these graphics failures the result of application technique. Instead improper surface preparation and poor material choices account for most problems. If you follow the few simple rules in this article, your applications should […] Read more »
Storing Application Tape
Application tape manufacturers package their products in plastic sleeves, then box them in corrugated containers to protect the tape from light, dirt and humidity. If you’re not going to use the tape immediately, keep it in its box. Tape not stored in boxes is exposed to light, which can cause yellowing. Even shop lighting can […] Read more »
Are Premask and Prespacing Tape the Same Thing?
The plethora of terms used for the application tapes sold in the sign and screen print markets could confuse anyone. In the sign market, many people just use the terms “application tape” or “application paper”. Frequently this tape is also incorrectly referred to as “transfer tape”. If you are a purist and want to pick a […] Read more »
Preparing Floors for Floor Graphics
Learn how to how to laminate the graphic, how to place it, how to prep the surface, and how to install the graphic so it will stay put and do its job. With floor graphics representing a $2 billion industry, can you really afford not to get involved? The answer for most of you is […] Read more »
