Vinyl Numbers

On Monday, June 18, 2018 at 1:15:05 PM UTC-4, Michael Opitz wrote:
At 16:02 18 June 2018, Charlie M. UH & 002 owner/pilot wrote:
Shocking revelation. Hope you didn't get to much static from the
bubbles......;-)

Realistically, low humidity (winter up north, lots of times in
deserts)
static builds up. A damp towel (acetone or similar) as a final wipe
seems
to help.
Don't be wearing wool or polyester as they tend to build up a
charge just
by moving around.


About 33 years ago, I asked fellow glider pilot Ron Webster to make
us some Team USA stickers, as he was then President of Gerber
Scientific (which had the patents on all of the new vinyl sign
computer controlled cutting technology). Anyway, he gladly made
up our stickers and furnished application instructions along with
them.

Yes, you have to clean the area, but then you are supposed to use a
spray bottle containing water with a dash of dish soap to spray down
the surface area where the sticker will go, as well as the back of the
sticker. You then apply the sticker. The water solution will even let
you shift it around some until you get it right where you want it.
Then, you use a semi-hard plastic squeegee (starting from the
center) to squeeze out the water and air bubbles working it all
towards the edges. You do this all with the top transfer paper still
attached to the top of the sticker so the squeegeeing doesn't mar
the sticker surface.. When you have the air and water bubbles all
worked out, let it sit overnight, or at least for a few hours so that
the transfer paper can dry out, and the adhesive can set. Then,
finally peel the top transfer paper off at a very sharp angle so that
it doesn't try to lift the new sticker underneath. Done this way,
almost all air/water bubbles are eliminated. Any small ones that
are left can be poked and drained by using a needle.

RO

That works really well as long as the transfer or release paper backing doesn't go soggy in water. Test first.
UH

On Monday, June 18, 2018 at 2:07:10 PM UTC-7, wrote:
That works really well as long as the transfer or release paper backing
doesn't go soggy in water. Test first.
UH

The transfer paper *should* be waterproof enough to do what Mike O describes. I hang out at a place that does vinyl lettering and that is the technique they use. You're not soaking the surface or decal, just getting it damp enough to let it slide around as you place it. Also, it can take several days for the bubbles to completely go away - if you still have any.

5Z

On Monday, June 18, 2018 at 7:19:13 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Monday, June 18, 2018 at 2:07:10 PM UTC-7, wrote:
That works really well as long as the transfer or release paper backing
doesn't go soggy in water. Test first.
UH

The transfer paper *should* be waterproof enough to do what Mike O describes. I hang out at a place that does vinyl lettering and that is the technique they use. You're not soaking the surface or decal, just getting it damp enough to let it slide around as you place it. Also, it can take several days for the bubbles to completely go away - if you still have any.

5Z

The 3M 7125 series material I use (intended for sign making and such)has a backing release paper that does not tolerate water. Other than that issue it is great. Thin, goes on easily, available in many colors.
My point is simply check your materials before you go crazy.
UH