Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: JohnHeerema on August 15, 2023, 10:16:02 am
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I'm mounting Epson DisplayTrans Backlight Media to a window. Or, at least, I'm hoping to do it so that it stays on.
In the past, I've used Sihl Clearstik, which has an adhesive - you remove the backing, and wet apply it to a window using application fluid (I use distilled water with a bit of isopropanol and a drop of dish soap).
But, the Epson DisplayTrans media doesn't have an adhesive (unless I've missed something). Some folks here have mounted it with clear adhesive film such as DryTac and a roller laminator, but I don't know if that method can be used on a window, where it's not possible to use a laminator. Also, the adhesive film is really expensive.
I've tried wet application of the Sihl with its backing still on (so I get a frosted background), and it works fine for an indoor window - but on an exterior window, it comes off after a few days of hot weather.
Is it possible to wet mount using some kind of removable adhesive?
Or is there a better way that I haven't thought of?
I would have thought that this would be a common use for the material, but I haven't found any reports of people doing this.
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I'd do a test: Spraying some water/isopropanol/soap mix with a spray bottle to the window, applying a sheet of epson media onto the wet surface and squeeze the water out with a squeegee.
Vinyl gets applied that way, perhaps it works with Epson DisplayTrans, too.
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Vinyl has a pressure sensitive adhesive and a release liner. The backlit material does NOT have an adhesive backing. You'd need to apply a double sided adhesive, permanent on the backlit side and removable on the window side.
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Too true.
I've tried using application fluid - it works fine for interior windows, but because there is no actual adhesive (as there is with the Sihl Clearstick), the comes on when applied to the inside of an exterior window.
Has anyone used the expensive DryTac product called WindowTac?
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Oops - I was caught by auto-mangle.
That second sentence should have read "... it comes off when applied to the inside of an exterior window."
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DotWorks has a new Ultra Clear Window Decal - that works with solvent, latex and UV inks:
Ultra Clear Window Decal (http://www.dotworks.com/ultra-clear-window-decal.html)
- the specs say that it has a 2 year outdoor durability. Maybe this would be a choice.
Tony
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Thanks!
The product looks similar to the Sihl ClearStick product that I've used in the past.
What I need though, is something with an opaque base, like the Epson DisplayTrans, so that white areas show up as white instead of as clear. So I'm trying to figure out how to either mount the Epson product, or find something like the Clear Window Decal but with a frosted base.
WindowTac seems like just the thing, but it's over $700 a roll.