Bubble in Print

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Matoaka

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Apr 28, 2002
Posts
519
Loc
Albuquerque, NM
I just took in a 25x38 digital print... printed on Orajet Digital Printing Media paper. It has what appears to be a very thin matte laminate or coating. The problem is the laminate (?) has lifted from the back paper and left a nice long bubble across the face of the portrait. I can move it around a bit; but the customer, of course, wants it gone. I fear that trying to separate the matte coating from the paper will destroy the piece.

Any ideas about fixing this problem.

Thanks,
Matoaka
 
Your fear is probably well-founded. Since nearly all digital media is heat sensitive I'd reccomend NOT heating it. If it's a pressure-sensitive laminate (?) you might try putting it in a press for a while and see what happens.

Best solution that comes to mind is to refuse the job UNLESS they're willing to sign some sort of release absolving you of anything bad that may happen. You probably can't make it better but it sure would be easy to make it worse :eek:
 
AS the others said, this is exactly the sort of
problem that should be handled by the customer
and not by the framer.

Hugh
 
Let the customer handle this. Inks and paper have to be compatible--some inks just won't dry completely. Or, they coat the paper in a way that eliminates the "tooth" you need to get a good bond with a laminate. It also is possible that the laminate was put on the print shortly after it was printed. If heat was used the bubble was created by gases. Some people pierce the bubble and reheat. I've never seen this approach produce an acceptable product.
 
I just realized that I know who brought you that print! Tell him to take it back to the printer, because it is their job to make it right, not your job to fix their mistake. That laminate is too shiny to try any tricks with.

I guess some people are intimidated by their printers, because I have had this sort of thing come up with other orders. The print is wrong in some way, and the customer expects us to be able to "fix" it. Although this trust is flattering, it isn't the right thing to do.

{rant mode}
I was trying to make a green photo go with a blue room, when the customer says, "Well, her outfit really was blue, but the photographer printed it green." I told her to take it back to the photographer and get it printed right. She didn't want to. When I pressed her, she admitted that she didn't want to make the photographer mad! Geez. Either the photographer is a professional who will want his work to be right, or he's a slob you don't want to work with anyway.
{/rant mode}
 
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