Masking and remasking: multi-color question

[zenbot]

How do you brilliant dyers line up your stencils for multi-color? I have a hard enough time getting the first one on right.

 

[chongomasters]

I think they cut the stencil after applying it to the disc.

 

[zenbot]

Ah. This is a lot different than my process. Since I'm using a plotter everything is cut and weeded even before I lay the vinyl down.

 

[tbird888]

I think they cut the stencil after applying it to the disc.

That's a major league no-no. I did that with my Grinch dye, and it left marks in the disc. Do not ever do that.

Here's what I do:
-Before peeling the stencil, lay it on the disc in the exact position you want it.
-Put a piece of tape on the top and bottom of the rim to secure it onto the disc.
-Peel half the backing and cut it away.
-Stick that half to the disc.
-Remove the tape.
-Peel back the other half, remove the rest of the backing and stick it to the disc.
-Dye as you would the first stencil.

 

[bigmanbailye]

sometimes i try to get away with short cuts...

1. I hand cut my design on the contact paper/vinal
2. I use de-stickied masking tape to transfer to disc
3. I tweese then dye
4. Now instead of remasking, I have already cut everyingthing out so next I... use elmers glue and paste everything I basically just dyed, the vinal is still on so no glue on any other parts of disc
5. Elmers will desolve in a hot dye bath so i'm not done. I then take adhesive spray, basically spray paint glue. It goes on wet but will dry to a film that doesn't desolve in water.

tip: you need to work fast. you must put the spray over the elmers before it dries, then you need to peel/tweese away the spots for the NEW color before the spray drys. If you wait too long the elmers will flake off while tweeseing, and the spray once dried will stretch and not give you sharp lines.

6. After all tweesing is done, let the disc sit so all glue dries. I tried using scotch guard to water proof the elmers, but that didn't work.

tip: don't skip the elmers step and just spray the adhesive because it is nasty to get off your disc. lots of rubbing with acetone and tons of clean up. if spray is coated on top of elmers, run under hot water and scrub and the elmers will melt away with the adhesive spray on top.

Results very, and i only recoment with small areas otherwise you are not saving any time with this shortcut.

 

[Jermy]

Theres a couple ways that I do this that I find work well
1- When dyeing 2 colors (one being black) just have everything cut, transfer the entire thing onto the disc and then remove black. Do the black dye then pull it out, wash it, and peel off the next color then redye. One downside of this is having little black lines from where you cut. (This can be minimized by covering the cuts with extra vinyl / contact paper)

2- For more colors... it IS OK to cut on the disc! If your leaving marks on the disc your simply pressing to hard. It takes very little pressure from a sharp xacto to cut it. To do this you simply cover the entire disc with an uncut piece of vinyl/contact paper and then trace where you want the other color to go (black should still and always be done first)

You can get a feel of how hard you need to press by cutting on a scrap piece of vinyl/contact paper, if your cutting the backing or leaving deep marks in it - your pressing to hard.

 

[Nerdboy]

ditto- I cut on the disc all the time. I emphasize getting a feel for how a sharp blade will cut the vinyl but not the disc. I buy the larger blades too btw

 

[MrFixIt]

^^^^

Yeah, I cut directly on the disc as well.
I haven't had any problems so far. However, I only do very simple designs...

 

[Puck]

Hi, This is my first post, yay!

Anyhow I wanted to chime in an add a thought.

My technique is much like bigmanbailye's, but simpler i think.
First i cut all lines on my vinyl, transfer it all to my disc. and dip in my darkest color.
Rinse and towel off the disc
Then I use good old Petroleum Jelly. Vaseline should work too. Just smear it over all the parts you don't want to dye again. It's an instant water proof barrier between the disc and the dye.
Peel away vinyl for the next color, and dip.
repeat as many times as necessary.
The only tip is to me liberal with the jelly, if it's too thin you might get a faint bleed through.

Hope this helps someone.
Oh, and mineral spirits will dissolve the jelly pretty good and won't hurt your disc

 

[bigmanbailye]

puck your first post is brilliant! good old patrolium jelly huh? now I don't have to beat the clock. I will try this!!!

 

[MOON]

I've used both glue with out spray and Vaseline. Like the Vaseline better you just have to be careful to not get it all over. Most of the time I remask with clear contact paper and cut right on the disc.

 

[I3ooI3oo]

Since I use a plotter/cutter I just cut 2 stencils. The first one goes on the disc with only the black pealed off. After the 2nd color is dyed I just remove the stickers from the 2nd stencil and apply it to the disc. With 2 stencils used you can do as many colors as you want with 2 square foot of vinyl.