Oracal has released a new line of printable permanent adhesive vinyl for inkjet printers - perfect for when you have multi color decals and don't want to layer vinyl.
Not only is the adhesive strength similar to Oracal 651, but if you layer the printable vinyl with laminate, it's UV protected so the colors won't bleed or fade. So how do you use printable vinyl with Silhouette? It's nothing more than print and cut!
How to Use Oracal Printable Adhesive Vinyl with Silhouette
The process to use Oracal's printable vinyl sheets (Orajet 1917 is the exact item) is the same as any other print and cut - with one added step between the printing and the cutting. By the way the Oracal printable adhesive vinyl comes in 8.5" x 11" sheets so you don't need to cut it down to fit into your home printer.Start in Silhouette Studio with your design open in the Design area. I am using this Frenchie with Bandana design from So Fontsy's Awesome SVG Bundle.
Make sure you change your Page Set Up settings for print and cut.
- Change Page Size to "Custom Printer."
- Check the box for Show Print Border
- Go to the Registration Marks tab and pick "Type 1"
- Position the design so it's within the same printing and cutting area and not touching any of the hashed ares
- In the Send panel change the cut lines are on "Cut Edge"
Place a sheet of Oracal Printable Vinyl into your printer tray oriented so you print onto the front side (the backing is marked.)
Click the Print tool from the top tool bar or File > Print. If you have printer setting options, you may want to change them to "best quality" print.
Once the sheet is printed, remove it from the printer.
Usually you would move forward with cutting, but before we do that we want to add the laminate vinyl.
How to Add Oracal Laminate to Printable Vinyl
I would not recommend using an entire sheet of laminate over your print and cut vinyl decal for several reasons. First, this is a big waste of materials and secondly putting a glossy laminate over the registration marks will likely cause an error while reading them.To avoid this, I would instead recommend cutting down a sheet of Oracal laminate, removing it from the backing and placing it over the printed area carefully to remove bubbles.
Cutting Oracal Printable Vinyl with Laminate (Silhouette Cut Settings)
Now place the printed sheet onto your Silhouette cutting mat and load it into the machine.
Return to Silhouette Studio and from the Send panel change the Silhouette cut settings to:
Blade 6, Speed 8, Force 16, Passes 2
When it's finished cutting, unload the cutting mat and material. You can pick up the decals like stickers if you'd like or if it's not one single piece, you can use a piece of transfer tape to transfer the printable vinyl decal.
The printable vinyl decal can go anywhere that permanent vinyl can go - mugs, signs, car windows...
Oracal Printable Vinyl with Laminate Review
I have been testing Oracal Printable Adhesive vinyl with laminate vinyl overlay for several weeks on a mug that I have washed by hand and in the dishwasher (gasp!) multiple times.
The color continues to be perfect and the adhesive has not lifted or peeled at all! I should point out the manufacturer does not make claims this printable vinyl is dishwasher safe....but if you plan to try it, be sure to let the vinyl cure (sit to come to full strength) for at least 3 days prior to washing!
Also, the Oracal laminate sheet is a UV protection to help against fading and smearing. Keep in mind though, the quality of the ink in your printer also has a lot to do with the long term performance of the colors especially when placed in direct sunlight.
You can grab both the Oracal Printable Vinyl for Inkjet and the transparent laminate at Swing Design. The inkjet printable vinyl is sold in 8.5" x 11" sheets in 5, 10, 25, and 50 packs.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!
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Does the Transparent Laminate have to be used with the Oracal Printable Vinyl for Inkjet or can the Oracal Printable Vinyl be used alone?
ReplyDeleteHi, Is this available in the UK, $39.99 postage from the USA.
ReplyDeleteJust locate an Oracal reseller/distributor in the UK and see if they have it or if they can order it for you. Totally unnecessary to buy from the US.
DeleteHi Melissa, do they have a similar product for laser printers?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the purpose of changing Page Size to "Custom Printer"?
ReplyDeleteFor print and cut you need to change the page size to the current printer
DeleteDo you prefer the waterproof printable from online labels to this? Is there a benefit to this over the other?
ReplyDeleteYeah I'm curious as well. I would need to know the difference, the weatherproof ones are awesome and cheaper. But I'm curious of this product.
DeleteI always compare pricing and am wondering about how the Expressions Vinyl printable vinyl, which comes in a 5 yd roll for $30, compares to the Oracal that you're promoting?
ReplyDeleteSeems like even if it is comparable, it is more expensive than the oracal. 15ft for $30 compared to closer to $1 per ft for oracal.
DeleteI ordered the vinyl and laminate sheets, I also ordered a ratchet blade. Now under the setting donyou change the the depth of the blade manually to 6 and set the settings in studio to 6 also?
ReplyDeleteYes :)
DeleteIs the back of this (like when decal is peeled up) grey? I was asked to make decals for someone and he gave me one that he had on hand and I am trying to see if this was what the previous maker used.
ReplyDeletejust ordered some Swing Design printable vinyl you had linked to in the post! and the uv film. Going to come back to this tutorial when it arrives so I can print and cut. THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteI tried these settings and it does not cut through the back! Any other suggestions??
ReplyDeleteHi there! The settings above are not meant to cut through the backing. They are only meant to cut through the laminate and vinyl.
DeleteIs this like vinyl sticker paper? Does the laminate make it waterproof?
ReplyDeleteThe mug above has been hand washed AND put through the dishwasher.
DeleteWhat type of paper would you select in the printer settings for the 1917?
ReplyDeleteI have a question about how you washed the decal. Did you put the mug with the sticker on the top rack or bottom rack of the dishwasher? Is it safe for both racks or should I only use the top rack? Thank you!
ReplyDeleteTop rack is your best bet!
ReplyDeleteWhat settings do you use to die cut completely through the laminate and vinyl?
ReplyDeleteBlade 6, Speed 8, Force 16, Passes 2
Delete