Vinyl materials
The vinyls sold at the space for the Silhouette Cameo Pro MK-II and Silhouette Curio 2, and what each is for.
Storage | Rolls under the table by the vinyl cutters |
Price | Per started decimetre; varies by type |
Offcuts | Take or leave scraps in the box in the drawer unit. The two cutters have different minimum piece sizes. |
Self-adhesive vinyl
Sticky back on a non-sticky backing sheet. Usually cut right way round, then moved to the surface with application tape.
Vinyl | Use |
|---|---|
Sign vinyl (ORACAL 651) | Signs, windows etc. Gloss and matt, several colours. Resists fading and weather. |
Stencil vinyl | Stencil painting on most smooth surfaces. Resists most paints and solvents; peels off without residue. |
Glass vinyl | Frosted or "sandblasted" look on windows. Silvery on the roll. |
Sandblast vinyl (ORAMASK 831) | Turquoise, rubbery, very sticky but removable. Mask for sandblast engraving in the blast cabinet. |
Application tape | Not a vinyl: transfers the cut design to the surface. Beige, thick, sticky, no backing. Two kinds (paper-like and plasticky, slightly clear) that work about equally well. |
Workflow
Cut the design with only enough force to cut the vinyl, not the backing.
Weed: remove the vinyl that shouldn't stay, with tweezers or a weeding hook.
Lay application tape over the design and press it down with a squeegee or bank card.
Peel off the backing carefully.
Press the vinyl onto the surface, squeegeeing from the middle out to avoid bubbles.
Peel off the application tape.
Heat transfer vinyl (textiles)
For designs on fabric. The carrier is sticky; the vinyl itself only bonds to the fabric under heat and pressure. Cut it mirrored, because it's applied upside down.
Each roll is labelled with its type, the press temperature, pressure and time, whether to peel hot or cold, and the maximum wash temperature.
Vinyl | Use |
|---|---|
Siser PS.Film (Siser) | The standard smooth transfer. Thin, flexible polyurethane. Washable up to 80 °C; Oeko-Tex Standard 100 class 1, so approved for baby clothes. Sold as Easyweed in the US. |
Siser PS.Film Extra | Extra adhesion for difficult fabrics such as nylon |
Siser PS.Stretch (Siser) | Smooth transfer for stretch fabrics |
Siser Stripflock | Flocked, velvet-like surface |
Siser Thermoreflex | Reflective, like on high-visibility vests |
The other types tolerate lower wash temperatures than PS.Film; check the roll.
Workflow
Cut the design mirrored, with only enough force to cut the vinyl, not the carrier.
Weed away the vinyl that shouldn't stay.
Place the design on the fabric and press it with the Transmatic TS 3P heat press. For caps, use the Insta 414 cap press.
For several colours, apply one at a time. Cover already-applied vinyl that the next carrier doesn't cover with baking paper.