So I'm taking delivery of my SC-540 in a few days. I do not yet have a laminator. Whats the outdoor life expectancy of things I eco-sol print if I dont laminate them? A laminator is in the budget coming up, but I have a job lined up that I just have no way to laminate it without spending valuable time shipping the prints to be laminated.

The job is for the side of a recycling truck, and they said to go cheap as they expect the graphic to get nicked, dinged, dirty and generally messed up, and putting on an 8 year vinyl when it wont last beyond 3 anyway is silly. So how necessary would you say a lamination is?

Just trying to deliver a good product with the materials I have and make a few bucks before christmas.

Good call I had forgotten about the frog juice method. I've never used it before... what kind of dry time are we talking and how high will I get if I do it indoors?

The graphics are very large... 52" by 106" and 52" by 146".

So, when Roland says it's got 3 years outdoors, in your experience, after 18 months it begins to show signs of wear/fading?

What about scratch resistance?

Yeah, a BS might be in my near future.

The frog juice should definately be used in a ventilated area! You will be higher than Bob Marley if you use that stuff indoors on a project that big!

Yep, thats why I asked

you can also wet app the laminate, once the inks are cured

Just make sure yer not the one removing these graphics in a year when they fade, removing baked on unlaminated vinyl is right up there with having yer sack waxed and beating a turtle to death with yer weiner. 



Ben

Quote from: jfought on December 01, 2011, 05:33:11 PM

Quote from: Xtreme Graffix on December 01, 2011, 05:08:57 PM

you can also wet app the laminate, once the inks are cured

do what you never want to do that because you will never get all the water out and it will cause it to fail quicker. just get a BS to start with. we just got our laminator 3 weeks ago. we have been printing for about 2.5 to 3 years. better choice than frog juice is ClearStar you apply it with and sponge roller and just a small odor. i use it on banners. 

Jason, do you use a matte finish on the banners to reduce glare?

nope i prob should but the company that showed it to me said it really doesn't make a difference. but i only use it for long term outdoor banners.