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3M Dusted Crystal Replacement

TomTint

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MikeMN

MikeMN

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Like Mike I have generally not had issues with 3M Dusted Crystal. I have been installing it since '96.

The only exception was a few years ago. A couple of rolls came through with random spots about the size of a grain of rice that when removing the liner would pull and a hole in the film would result.

3M replaced any with the batch code right away. No issues since.

Again, my biggest complaint is removing the liner. Anyone who has tried to peel a large piece knows how bad it deforms the film where you hold it. This is not the case with the Correct Spec. If the old DC works for you great, I'm just sharing another option for those who may not be familiar with what is available today.

Tom, explain how you remove the liner on large pieces of 3M Dusted Crystal.....?

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TomTint

TomTint

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It depends, if I have a helper close by I will hold it, they will peel and spray it. If I have a piece of glass close by that can be used as a peel board, I may use that. I rather have someone peel it so it will minimize the chance of contamination. We just do whatever we have to. With the Correct Spec, you can hold a 60x60 with one hand and your teeth and pull the liner with one hand... That ain't going to happen with DC

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Tintguy1980

Tintguy1980

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It depends, if I have a helper close by I will hold it, they will peel and spray it. If I have a piece of glass close by that can be used as a peel board, I may use that. I rather have someone peel it so it will minimize the chance of contamination. We just do whatever we have to. With the Correct Spec, you can hold a 60x60 with one hand and your teeth and pull the liner with one hand... That ain't going to happen with DC

Reverse roll (manual, drop)?
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TomTint

TomTint

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It depends, if I have a helper close by I will hold it, they will peel and spray it. If I have a piece of glass close by that can be used as a peel board, I may use that. I rather have someone peel it so it will minimize the chance of contamination. We just do whatever we have to. With the Correct Spec, you can hold a 60x60 with one hand and your teeth and pull the liner with one hand... That ain't going to happen with DC

Reverse roll (manual, drop)?

Ohhhhhhh hells no!

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MikeMN

MikeMN

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It depends, if I have a helper close by I will hold it, they will peel and spray it. If I have a piece of glass close by that can be used as a peel board, I may use that. I rather have someone peel it so it will minimize the chance of contamination. We just do whatever we have to. With the Correct Spec, you can hold a 60x60 with one hand and your teeth and pull the liner with one hand... That ain't going to happen with DC

As far as I can remember, I only had too hold a large piece of Dusted Crystal and have someone remove the liner for me 2 times, I used 4 clean fingers on the corners " Adhesive side" and had them pull the liner at a 45 degree angle too the other corner and then strait down from there.

When removing the liner, the faster you pull it off the easier it will remove.

As far as a contamination issue, if I am not cutting on site I will pre-cut at the shop with a film-handler and roll the film liner side out and mark it and use a piece of 3M scotch tape on both ends, then place it in a clean plastic sleeve like used on new rolls of film.

The next time you have too remove the liner without a type of peel board and help doing so, you could try this, use a piece of pre-mask 4" to 6" wide across the top too prevent stretching the film.... :thumb

ede5a7cf-7c57-4a14-a752-2c1fdcf68b82.jpg

Does your corners look like this........ :spit ..........?

4e55809e-783d-4ab8-85d9-cf5342d43e55.jpg

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TomTint

TomTint

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EEEEECH, I dunno, I think I would rather just use a material that did not require any more time or steps in the process. If you get a chance Mike, Try the Correct Spec... I think you would like it. :twocents

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MikeMN

MikeMN

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EEEEECH, I dunno, I think I would rather just use a material that did not require any more time or steps in the process. If you get a chance Mike, Try the Correct Spec... I think you would like it. :twocents

If you need some step by step pics of how I install 3M Dusted Crystal large or small pieces and as well as plotter cut, let me know, no extra steps on the way I install it, just easier then you install it.

Did you have the . " like a outline around the cut" issue with the correct spec film ....... ?

Already done, I have some on the way, I will run it through some tests and let you know what I think.

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TomTint

TomTint

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No silhouette with the CS. Like I said, it is a great replacement for DC. I notice "outlines" when we have to use some white frost films. I do not like to use W Frost for plotting, just for this reason.

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MikeMN

MikeMN

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No silhouette with the CS. Like I said, it is a great replacement for DC. I notice "outlines" when we have to use some white frost films. I do not like to use W Frost for plotting, just for this reason.

I thought you were talking about the CS film, we use a plotter on all the 3M Fasara films as well as a lot of other frost type films and have not seen an issue like you are describing, with the exception when cutting the same films on a glass cutting table I will notice a ridge on the film at times.

Are the outlines you are seeing only appear once the film is installed or even fully cured.............?

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TomTint

TomTint

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We have done a pile of interior office sidelights where they want a 1" or 1 1/2" clear reveal around the edge. This is where I see the edges of the film leave a silhouette.it makes no difference what blade we use or how sharp it is. I have seen this happen with almost all PET films but not with vinyl. This is why I do not like to run PET through the plotter. Especially when there are fine details in the cut. The edges can be pushed down a bit after it totally dries, but that requires another trip... Which is just more work.

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