Start of rear vinyl project

[ERA Chas]

OK here's a tip to help you guys (especially if you're chicken to get started) we professional picture framers use.

It's called a 'slip sheet'. When you have an area (any size) to have adhesive applied to (especially 'contact' with no repositioning time) you put a barrier sheet (which the glue will release from) between the glue and the piece, position the piece and slowly peel back the barrier while rolling the piece flat with a 6" rubber roller. This is how we mount movie posters or multiple small piece picture montages.

Now framers sometimes use foamcore mounting board which is adhesive on one side. That comes with a peel-away contact sheet which is discarded. But that sheet has a waxed-paper type finish on the face (and a paper back) which allows it to release from the sticky side of the foamcore. We save these sheets and use them as slip sheets for these type of adhesive mounting jobs.

NOW-you have to test for your own application. Gather a roll of ordinary waxed paper, a swatch of your vinyl, a scrap of aluminum and your particular adhesive. DO NOT USE 'SARAN'-TYPE CLING WRAP!)

Coat the vinyl and aluminum, cut an oversized piece of waxed paper and position it between. Place vinyl down on one thin exposed edge and slowly peel back the wax sheet evenly, while lightly pressing the the vinyl as you go. When the sheet is removed, the vinyl and aluminum should be pressed flat with some strength. Use kitchen rolling pins of smaller sizes-works great.
NOTE: If you use actual slip sheet and not waxed paper, only apply adhesive to the aluminum side, not the vinyl side. The paper side of the slip sheet would stick to the glue if you do both surfaces. Should still hold the vinyl just fine, even in sun's heat.

No bubbles, no wrinkles and placed accurately. You can do this on vertical surfaces like the rear bulkhead (just use dabs of tape on the top edge of the slip sheet to be your third hand) or flat like the dash on a worktable.

This is much harder to write about than to do once you've practiced enough.

If you want the real stuff go to the art supply store or on-line sites like Dick Blick and get adhesive foamcore, rubber rollers, sharp cutting tools, etc. The foamcore is great for making templates when fabricating parts.

This is why your grand daughter's 8 x 10 costs $300 matted and framed...there's a lot goes into the making.

Write back if you have any questions.