Printing, Stickers, etc.

Kitsune · 03-15-2006, 03:08 PM

Does anyone out there have any experience in printing? I'm curious about the process of creating stickers and such using vinyl cutters, 1-color printing, silkscreen, and the like. Would you care to share the secrets, a preferred process, and - most importantly - what you've produced?

I've been really unhappy with what local places produce, as it seems a lot of chains like to simply print something with a standard printer onto weatherproof media. The results are awful and don't hold up. Online ordering yields fair to excellent results, but I have no idea how they do it! I might have a chance to play with a vinyl cutter and I'd like to know what is possible.

...and if anyone at all knows the magic behind producing window cling stickers, I'd really be interested.

Skunks · 03-15-2006, 03:47 PM

I've had luck (albeit not exceptionally weather-tested luck, haven't really made many) with stickerpaper ($20/50sheets or so) and a photocopier: scout out the shop with the best copiers, because some do really horrible blacks and others are essentially solid. I've had more weatherproof luck with regular paper, regular photocopier, and spray adhesive. They peeled some in the Eugene summer (highs in the 90s), so Florida is probably going to be dramatically different. My most weatherproofed experience was watered down elmers glue in a spraybottle as both a base coat & a top coat.

I've never experienced homeade window cling stickers, but (I don't, thinking now, know how he attached it) heard once of a friend's logo sticker printed silver on clear, then affixed next to the Visa, Mastercard, etc stickers in a shop window -- apparently it stayed for a long time.

kerosene · 03-15-2006, 05:54 PM

I have some friends in my area that run a printing business. I will ask them about this and see what I can find out for you.

Stevonez · 03-28-2006, 11:48 PM

I printed promotional products for many years... using both the screen technique and pad... contents of the inkwell have a lot to do with how long a print will hold up... as in the ratio of ink... hardner... and the amount of thinner used...

most of the prints I'm familar with are no bigger than the inside of your palm... tee shirts and such I haven't any experience with...

with pad printing metal plates are used... an image is burned into the plate and then placed in an inkwell... a blade pulls ink over the plate then another sharper blade pulls the ink away... a pad then comes down and strikes the plate picking up ink ready to transfer to the product... this all happens in a few seconds... pad pressure determines how distorted the image outcome will be...

screen printing involves a cheesecloth type material with the image burned directly into the screen... ink is poured directly into the screen area and using what is called a squeegee the ink is applied directly to the product... depending on the amount of pressure used while applying determines the coverage or thickness of the ink prints...

both processes are much tougher to master than one might think... there is so much that goes into the preparation process that it is just to hard to explain without seeing it...

Kitsune · 03-29-2006, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dev_of_AG

screen printing involves a cheesecloth type material with the image burned directly into the screen...

I saw a simplified, "home" version of this involving actual cheesecloth and glue to create the screen image, then using paint to print an image on a t-shirt. The process to put the image on the screen was tedious and took some time, though. How are they "burning" the screens, today? All computer based (laser?) or something like a robotic cutter?

Stevonez · 03-29-2006, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitsune

How are they "burning" the screens, today? All computer based (laser?) or something like a robotic cutter?

the printing shop I worked at used these high powered lights to transfer an image from a film like material to the screen itself... then any unwanted "pinholes" were covered with a rubberized substance that blocked any unwanted ink from seeping through... the whole process is really interesting when you know what all goes into it... I haven't worked in the printing field for over 7 years now and I still find myself looking at different products to see if I can see any mistakes that might have been made during the process...

Just noticed you're from Tampa Kitsune... the shop I worked for was called AdvaLite... located in Largo of Pinellas county...

Stevonez · 03-29-2006, 04:15 PM

me again... I was looking around on the net after thinking about this conversation and came across this site it might give you a better understanding of the types of pad printing machines used and how they function...

Kitsune · 03-29-2006, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dev_of_AG

me again... I was looking around on the net after thinking about this conversation and came across this site it might give you a better understanding of the types of pad printing machines used and how they function...

Those are some sexy machines! Wow! I don't think I want to know what a decent pad printer runs!

For my own work, I found some online places that seem to have reasonable minimums as far as sticker orders go, so I may give them a shot if I can come up with a decent design. Meanwhile, I found out that you can do window cling-like printing with an inkjet, but it is absolutely miserable in quality and appearance. Blegh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dev_of_AG

the printing shop I worked at used these high powered lights to transfer an image from a film like material to the screen itself

I think I'm going to have to sneak into the print shop at the university someday to see this for myself. They do a lot of screen work over there, I've been told, and I occassionally see old equipment being tossed. I have no intentions of trying to bring any of it back to life, but I couldn't believe they decided to junk a vacuum form machine rather than repair it!

Stevonez · 03-29-2006, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitsune

I don't think I want to know what a decent pad printer runs!

For my own work, I found some online places that seem to have reasonable minimums as far as sticker orders go, so I may give them a shot if I can come up with a decent design.

yeah they can get quite pricey...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitsune

Meanwhile, I found out that you can do window cling-like printing with an inkjet, but it is absolutely miserable in quality and appearance. Blegh..

yeah I've thought about perhaps trying something simular but decided against it... the cost outweighs the benefits for me...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitsune

I think I'm going to have to sneak into the print shop at the university someday to see this for myself. They do a lot of screen work over there, I've been told, and I occassionally see old equipment being tossed. I have no intentions of trying to bring any of it back to life, but I couldn't believe they decided to junk a vacuum form machine rather than repair it!

Sounds like a good plan with the interest you have in it... good luck with it...

03-15-2006, 03:08 PM	#1
Kitsune still eats dirt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 3,031	Printing, Stickers, etc. Does anyone out there have any experience in printing? I'm curious about the process of creating stickers and such using vinyl cutters, 1-color printing, silkscreen, and the like. Would you care to share the secrets, a preferred process, and - most importantly - what you've produced? I've been really unhappy with what local places produce, as it seems a lot of chains like to simply print something with a standard printer onto weatherproof media. The results are awful and don't hold up. Online ordering yields fair to excellent results, but I have no idea how they do it! I might have a chance to play with a vinyl cutter and I'd like to know what is possible. ...and if anyone at all knows the magic behind producing window cling stickers, I'd really be interested.

03-15-2006, 03:47 PM	#2
Skunks I thought I changed this. Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: western nowhere, ny Posts: 412	I've had luck (albeit not exceptionally weather-tested luck, haven't really made many) with stickerpaper ($20/50sheets or so) and a photocopier: scout out the shop with the best copiers, because some do really horrible blacks and others are essentially solid. I've had more weatherproof luck with regular paper, regular photocopier, and spray adhesive. They peeled some in the Eugene summer (highs in the 90s), so Florida is probably going to be dramatically different. My most weatherproofed experience was watered down elmers glue in a spraybottle as both a base coat & a top coat. I've never experienced homeade window cling stickers, but (I don't, thinking now, know how he attached it) heard once of a friend's logo sticker printed silver on clear, then affixed next to the Visa, Mastercard, etc stickers in a shop window -- apparently it stayed for a long time.

03-15-2006, 05:54 PM	#3
kerosene Touring the facilities Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The plains of Colorado Posts: 3,476	I have some friends in my area that run a printing business. I will ask them about this and see what I can find out for you.

03-28-2006, 11:48 PM	#4
Stevonez conformity is deformity Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 104	I printed promotional products for many years... using both the screen technique and pad... contents of the inkwell have a lot to do with how long a print will hold up... as in the ratio of ink... hardner... and the amount of thinner used... most of the prints I'm familar with are no bigger than the inside of your palm... tee shirts and such I haven't any experience with... with pad printing metal plates are used... an image is burned into the plate and then placed in an inkwell... a blade pulls ink over the plate then another sharper blade pulls the ink away... a pad then comes down and strikes the plate picking up ink ready to transfer to the product... this all happens in a few seconds... pad pressure determines how distorted the image outcome will be... screen printing involves a cheesecloth type material with the image burned directly into the screen... ink is poured directly into the screen area and using what is called a squeegee the ink is applied directly to the product... depending on the amount of pressure used while applying determines the coverage or thickness of the ink prints... both processes are much tougher to master than one might think... there is so much that goes into the preparation process that it is just to hard to explain without seeing it...

03-29-2006, 04:15 PM	#7
Stevonez conformity is deformity Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 104	me again... I was looking around on the net after thinking about this conversation and came across this site it might give you a better understanding of the types of pad printing machines used and how they function...

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