Scott Shepherd
01-15-2009, 9:36 AM
We've discussed this many times in many threads and the answer is always about the same, to get rid of sticky edges on engraving plastics use Denatured Alcohol. If you call the plastic manufacturers they will tell you a couple of things. One, they will tell you that the stickiness (is that a word?) goes away after a day. I have found that to be false. They also tell you do not use alcohol on their plastics. Then, they will tell you to use Denatured Alcohol to make it go away. So lots of confusion and misinformation.
We make a lot of small pieces with intricate shapes. Anything from Rowmark Lights (thin) to 1/8" thick LaserMark. We get many problems from it. We use air assist and when cutting colors, it tends to blow the color down into the side and stick in the sticky part. So now it's a sticky part with color stuck to it. It's a real mess and when you're doing 100's and 100's of parts, it's a real pain to wipe each one down.
We've been looking for a solution for this for many months now. We have been using DNA, but it's a real pain and doesn't always get the edges clean and free of the color where the air assist has blown the color down into the cut.
Joe mentioned using a product for adhesive removal many months ago and we've been experimenting with a variety of them. We let some plastic soak in each one and every one of them actually ate the plastic up when soaked. So no good news there.
However, there is a product called "Rapid Remover" from rapidtac.com and it works very well. I personally think it works much better than DNA. It works faster, it cleans edges very well and it removes all the sticky edges. Put it on a rag and hit it and it's done. I wouldn't leave a drop of it on anything, because it will ruin the surface, but a very light application on a rag and wiped down the edge shows no signs of damage days later.
Their Rapid Tac product, I believe, actually neutralizes it, so it would be a handy thing to have around and give a final wipe down if you were worried about it.
You can normally get sample bottles from sign supply companies. If you get the chance, check it out, I think you'll be impressed with how well it works.
Thanks again to Joe for pointing us in this direction on another thread.
We make a lot of small pieces with intricate shapes. Anything from Rowmark Lights (thin) to 1/8" thick LaserMark. We get many problems from it. We use air assist and when cutting colors, it tends to blow the color down into the side and stick in the sticky part. So now it's a sticky part with color stuck to it. It's a real mess and when you're doing 100's and 100's of parts, it's a real pain to wipe each one down.
We've been looking for a solution for this for many months now. We have been using DNA, but it's a real pain and doesn't always get the edges clean and free of the color where the air assist has blown the color down into the cut.
Joe mentioned using a product for adhesive removal many months ago and we've been experimenting with a variety of them. We let some plastic soak in each one and every one of them actually ate the plastic up when soaked. So no good news there.
However, there is a product called "Rapid Remover" from rapidtac.com and it works very well. I personally think it works much better than DNA. It works faster, it cleans edges very well and it removes all the sticky edges. Put it on a rag and hit it and it's done. I wouldn't leave a drop of it on anything, because it will ruin the surface, but a very light application on a rag and wiped down the edge shows no signs of damage days later.
Their Rapid Tac product, I believe, actually neutralizes it, so it would be a handy thing to have around and give a final wipe down if you were worried about it.
You can normally get sample bottles from sign supply companies. If you get the chance, check it out, I think you'll be impressed with how well it works.
Thanks again to Joe for pointing us in this direction on another thread.