Use vinyl transfer paper as masking for non-proofgrade materials

very true. i work out as many bubbles as i possibly can. those air pockets can create little flareups, too.

It absolutely works on BB. But as others have said it needs to be a smooth surface with no dust and also use a rubber/plastic squeegee to rub it on real good

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Interesting. I wouldn’t be surprised if the inconsistency is in the baltic birch rather than the transfer paper. Now that I think about it, I used the 582U successfully on birch when I first got it. That was on some scraps from a Rockler sheet. For the last couple months, I’ve been using the cheap Woodpecker’s birch from Amazon and it just won’t stick, no matter how aggressive I am with burnishing. It definitely has an inferior surface to the Rockler stuff. It’s a lot dustier, too, so any lapses in my cleaning would hurt adhesion. The high-tack version works fine, though.

How about a quick spray of a low tack adhesive, before applying the masking paper ?
I’ve used a ‘basting adhesive’ from Hobby Lobby, with tissue paper to good effect, so a little additional help might make the difference.

:upside_down_face:

i’ve only used it a little on the woodpecker wood. maybe 1-2 sheets. don’t remember a problem. the rest of the BB i have is from a local wood supply yard and i haven’t had any with that.

i would definitely at a minimum wipe a very slightly damp cloth across the board and giving it a moment to evaporate before tacking down.

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The problem with using the spray adhesive is that that’s really hard to get off afterwards in my opinion

I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you. I’ve always had great success with the 582U on smooth surfaces.
Cleaning the substrate first, and applying the masking using firm pressure from a squeegee are both important factors… and if you live in a very humid area its probably gonna be much more difficult to get proper adhesion.

-edit- I don’t have any need for a 6" roll at the moment, and I’m sure you can’t beat the industry prices I pay, but if you can’t find a local buyer I’ll see if we can work something out.

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Not sure if this will help anyone, but a woodworkers tip.

If you want to get rid of the “hair’s” of the grain so that you have a good smooth surface, spray the surface with a misting bottle and let the surface air-dry. That will raise all the grains intentionally. Then when you sand the wooden surface, you’ll end up with a very smooth face. That would certainly help with putting the masking on. But it will certainly take a lot longer to “prep”. You can take a number of your boards or plywood and prep them at the same time, and then only have to pick them up and apply the masking when you are about to put them in the laser.

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When you say safe, do you mean toxic or dangerous to the glowforge?

Both. Lasering PVC releases hydrogen chloride which is corrosive to lasers and lungs.

Thanks!

Just wanting to double check as I’m a laser noob that this will be ok to use?

Probably fine. :slightly_smiling_face:

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You want the paper kind, like it says in the description. There is also a clear kind - that is what you want to steer clear of unless it explicitly states it is for use in lasers.

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For people in Europe, Übertragungsfolie usually gets a good hit on google. Cheap too (German Amazon and others).

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Don’t worry!! I totally get it! I studied Biology in college and there are SO MANY scientific terms that are used in the wrong way in vernacular speech. I definitely agree with everyone that you do have to focus on vernacular speech when considering safety in this sort of situation. But seriously, I have many moments all the time when I just want to say “no one is using this word right!” :wink:

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do you know a shop to buy scotch tape like this in europe?
can we use any paper transfer tape for the laser?

Nothing to do with masking tape - I was wondering if you’d be willing to share your settings. Glowforge hasn’t restocked in a while and I have to get a different source.

This question belongs in a separate discussion.

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Hi all,

Just wanted to add to this raging discussion! :slight_smile: Not all vinyl transfer paper (even if not vinyl, generating chlorine etc) is not suitable for laser work. Case in point

The maker specifically said this transfer paper was not suitable for use in lasers.

Always check to see if it is ok for laser use first?

Thanks,
Sridhar