Masking Tape or Low Tack Paper

This has come up before in the forum. I’ll just link you to this one. I know mine is laser safe, I’ve been using it for almost 2 years. Tape covering of material to be cut/engraved

This one has the info under specifications:

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The only transfer-paper manufacturer that ever gave me a solid official answer regarding laser-safety was TransferRite, whose 582U and the 592U (medium- and high- tac) are specifically marketed as “laser-safe”. They use acrylic-based adhesives.
The only rubber I have cut in the GF was “laser-safe stamp rubber”, and by golly it smelled terrible.

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Thanks, I was recommended 582U transferrite by a sign company, but couldn’t find out the adhesive base, maybe that is a good one to try.

agreed on rubber, we used a laser safe “low odor” rubber to make a stamp and i would hate to find out what the normal odor rubber was like, because the low odor variant was just terribly stinky !!!

Thanks ! This is helpful

There is info online (as well as on this forum) how you can test a piece to see if it contains chlorine. I believe they put a piece of it on a copper wire and burn it with a torch. If you get a green flame it contains chlorine and must be avoided. Double check that info though I am going from memory and anybody who knows me will tell you that is not one of my strengths.

for stamps, check out the art laser clear polymer stamp material from Jackson Marking Products. It doesn’t make a mess or stink like the grey or the orange stamp rubber.

@cynd11 has a link and nice tutorial here: Art Laser Polymer Stamps How To

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Thanks Ill have to check that out if we end up with a tape that has a rubber adhesive, ill check through the forum but this is good to know that there is a way to check this!

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Thanks !! I thought we would never make a stamp again after our stamp experience. Ill be sure to check that out next time we need to make a stamp. I appreciate the sharing of this learning knowledge so we don’t all have to go through the same process, tons of community knowledge here

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If you have odor while cutting your exhaust run is leaking. There should be zero smell until you open the machine. It took me quite a while to nail mine, but worth the effort!

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Any recommendations for checking this out and finding/fixing leaks. We upgraded our vent hose to something more durable and that didn’t help, the inline duct fan helped a bit but it seems like no matter what we do there is a lot of odor coming out…I would greatly appreciate any suggestions

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One tip is for placement of the booster fan. If the booster is at the machine, then the exhaust run to the exit is pressurized. If the booster is at the building exit then the run is under negative pressure - meaning any leak in the run is sucking air in. Make sense?

I have an extended run of over 40 feet, and I used standard 4" metal duct, I needed two boosters for that, and every seam and joint in the venting (including the booster housing itself) needed to be sealed. The best/easiest method I found for that was caulking.

Keep after it, when you get there your working environment is greatly enhanced. :wink:

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How long have you had your machine? And when was the last time you cleaned the fans in it? I’m just curious because the only time I had any issues with strong odors (not included a leak in the hose from where my cat had his way with it) were when my fans were gummed up with all the glues from the materials I was cutting. Even when you switch to an inline fan, that will also need to be cleaned periodically.

On my 4" Vivosun fan I had to tape the bejeezus out of every single seam before the smoke smell stopped, that thing is like a sieve. Also plugged the space between my double hung window panes with foam.

Finally a post I can contribute to despite my newbie status! I have just ordered my third roll of this. I really like it. It is easy to apply and easy to remove. I guess I should bite the bullet and get the big roll of 300 feet next time. I’m using about 2 rolls every 6-8 weeks of the 100 foot size.

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I have been looking for some new masking paper. I will give this a try. Thanks!

Thanks ! We have not done this, and we will be sure to give this a shot with some compressed air

Thanks, our inline fan is also a vivosun, we taped around it but I am thinking I may need to caulk the thing thanks to the reccomendation from @PrintToLaser !

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Thanks, not sure about the type of adhesive, but I will keep this one in mind after a few others we are testing for odor.

Consider metal HVAC tape when trying to seal versus “duct tape”. Who knew- “duct tape” is apparently not for “ducts”.

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Many decades ago before it was readily available on hardware store shelves we called it gun tape. It was what was used to cover the gun ports after the guns were cleaned on fighter planes. If you watch old WW2 videos of dog fights you can see the stuff fluttering on the wings. They didn’t remove it just fired through it.

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