Clear top sheet with printer graphics

[Cornice]

Here is what i want to do... I have Duravision 5050. I would like to get some graphics printed on regular ol printer paper and lay that up under the clear top sheet. After searching some people say printed paper does not bond as well to these clear top sheets?
Any hints on this process?

I have used regular printer paper graphics on a few skis but with polyurethane coatings not actual top sheets.

[chrismp]

As far as I know, I'm the only one who tested this with a full graphic and not just small pieces. My tests were made with a thicker matte coated printer paper as well as plain old copy paper. Both paper types were printed with pigment inkjet inks, dye inkjet inks (not sublimation) and a laser printer. The topsheets used were clear uhmw in sintered and extruded versions (can't remember the exact types).

Unfortunately all samples showed poor bonding strength and delaminated easily. I only conducted these tests because I used a full laser printer graphic on one of my first builds and it delaminated after a couple of rides.

I would recommend you do your own test pieces, maybe itworks with your combination of materials.

[MontuckyMadman]

the 50/50 is a tpu, Tpu sticks really well to almost anything with epoxy. You would have to test it and make sure.
Offgass is the issue here and regular printed inject can be of gassing for several days so you have to wait.

[Cornice]

Chrismp- I had read on here somewhere about your issues with bonding, i was hoping some one would tell me you were full of it... lol

I will do some tests this week and post the results here. Im using a new epoxy system as well so i probably should test that as well.

Thank!!!

[chrismp]

I can't remember for how long I let the graphics sit before laying up the samples, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't that long. So maybe you should try letting them sit for a few days like MM suggests.

[Acka]

My first pair of skis included a full graphic layer of rice paper. I used acrylic paint and hand painted the full graphics. The visual result was great, but the bond between rice paper & clear top sheet is not great. There has not been huge delamination, but around the edges where the layers are exposed the top sheet has small pockets forming which will soon wreck the ski.

I will skip the paper all together next time, but if I were to use it again I would cut down the paper to just under-size for the whole ski shape to allow for a proper bond around the edges. There may be long term issues with this, but the defects after one season are purely at the edges of the top-sheet

I haven't started my journal yet, but I will get some pictures up soon.

[Cornice]

I did end up doing this... I used Fedex Kinkos. Printed on their frikin lazer beam printer with whatever mate paper they had. Bonded super well and looks pretty darn good. Some tinny bubbles but almost perfect and zero delam when flashed. Altho it has been a year and they have yet to be skied or even mounted... LOL

[amidnightproject]

When I was doing printed graphic under top sheet I was letting it off gas for 24 hours. That seemed to prevent bubbles and the like for me.

But Chris is right. It will eventually delam. Sometimes you get lucky (I have a pair still going strong from 5 years ago). Sometimes you don't. If you put a lot of days on them you'll make it delam at some point.

[the.quass]

If you are doing rice paper graphics that have printed on two pages would you join with medical tap or clear packing type tape? I would prefer to print in one go put its not really possible.

[amidnightproject]

If you are doing rice paper graphics that have printed on two pages would you join with medical tap or clear packing type tape? I would prefer to print in one go put its not really possible.

You definitely don't want to put clear packing tape anywhere in your layup. I would carefully line them up and carefully place your top sheet. or print them wider then your top sheet so you can tape them together outside of the ski area to keep them together. This way you don't have tape inside your ski.