Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: bellimages on May 22, 2011, 12:21:05 pm
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I've been using the D-Roller for about a year now. Works great. BUT, the adhesive that the manufacturer uses on the rubber strips (on each side of the mylar) is not right. They need a "permanent" type of adhesive. What they are using is almost like a "repositionable" adhesive .... allowing the strips to migrate over time. Mine have moved about two inches, leaving exposed adhesive.
Does anyone have a contact for D-Roller? I'd like to see what they have to say about it. Shy of that, I'm considering removing the strips (slowly/carefully), removing the adhesive with solvent, and reapplying the two rubber strips with 3M 969 adhesive tape.
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Hi Jan,
I've been using two of the De-Rollers for a few years and the strips have always presented a problem. I finally decided to use two staples in the ends of both strips, close to the roller core. That scheme lasted for a few months but eventually the strips pulled loose and migrated again. I'll probably be doing the same sort of procedure you are describing, but I'm not sure which adhesive I'll be using. Obviously it will have to be one that's flexible, and yet strong enough to hold the strips in place. The adhesive seems to stick to the strips well enough, but not to the blanket. Personally I think it might be a good idea to use a bit of rather coarse sandpaper and rough up the blanket where the strips are applied. That might help the positioning last longer, but I suspect they will eventually move again. I think it's at least worth a try.
The De-Roller was originally distributed by Bienfang, but I believe they have been taken over by another company and I don't have that information on this computer. Please keep us posted as to your progress with this issue.
Gary
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One thing that I'm not looking forward to is removing the rubber strips. It's going to be slow, tedious, procedure. It seems really ironic that they seem to be adhered so well, but migrate so easily.
A product that cost so much (for something so simple) should have been better engineered.
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One of the strips on mine had a couple of places that were bowed out of straight by about 3/16" at their apexes, exposing the glue by that amount. The glue was on the outside edge so it didn't cause a problem, but I removed it anyway with a blade, which I also used to "straighten" the bow. It arrived that way and hasn't changed in the year that I've been using it.
My problem with the D-Roller has been the heavy bar at the core (which is probably the most expensive part of it). Apparently, the glue isn't strong enough to hold the plastic (Mylar?) material against it. I had to remember to keep the edge of my print a couple inches from the core. Much worse of a problem was the undulations on the print caused by the weight of that core as it flopped around, regardless of how slowly I rolled, and how tightly it was wrapped. I finally cut it off and replaced it with a cardboard core from a roll of paper. It has worked fine since then... much easier to handle, the glue sticks to the cardboard core, and most importantly... no undulations. I suppose a length of stiff plastic plumbing pipe would work fine too.
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One thing that I'm not looking forward to is removing the rubber strips. It's going to be slow, tedious, procedure. It seems really ironic that they seem to be adhered so well, but migrate so easily.
A product that cost so much (for something so simple) should have been better engineered.
I agree totally with your last statement, for the price it should have been a better build. As far as removing the strips, yes, it is somewhat tedious, but it can certainly be done. So far I've simply repositioned them with the original adhesive, but next time round I'll have to use a different adhesive I'm sure. Most of it has now adhered to the blanket and will have to be cleaned off. I imagine a bit of acetone will remove it quite nicely, but I'll have to test it on the mylar first obviously.
Gary
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Try this one:
Wendy Harris
Sr. Service Specialist
D&K Framing Products
Formerly Bienfang Framing Products
Tele: 888-240-6021 ext. 10
Email: [email protected]
/Sven
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Thank you for the contact information. I'll be calling them tomorrow to see if there are any updates to the roller that will help. I'll also ask if they can supply a better adhesive.
Your comment on the undulations caused by rolling a print is a concern too. I've been trying to overcome that with various techniques in rolling and unrolling. I hate to give up on the metal core .... replacing it with a cardboard core .... I'd feel as though I wasted $250. I am curious though, what size cardboard core are you using?
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The cardboard core I'm using is 1 7/8" diameter and a fraction of the weight of the metal bar. I think the weight of that bar is what causes the strips to migrate from their original positions, too. I can't imagine what they were thinking when they decided on that thing.
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My D-roller seems to be the older version, the 2" core.
It works extremely well. Almost everyday using.
But I recently helped some colleagues to purchase from the same US supplier,
and the new ones was really sh-t. >:(
Another (cheeper) material, badly assembled and glue everywhere.
Returned and money back.
/Sven