Mounting Methods for Small Business?

[Rsias]

Hi There! I have a small shop in Chicago and we're basically just a Canon imagepress 8000 for small format and a Canon iPF8300S inkjet for large format. Our clientele is mostly in the entertainment industry, and we have common requests for foam board prints. We were outsourcing all of these preciously, but the logistics can be a headache, so I'd like to find a reliable method to mount to foam board in-house. 90% of the time they are 24x36 on 3/16, but we have an occasional 36x48 or odd size.

Currently we use spray adhesive, but it's a giant pain, and at times they will bubble over time in the humid Chicago weather. I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a different method for reliable mounting that doesn't cost a pant-load. Dry mounting looks great, but getting a heat press that will fit that size will likely cost an arm and a leg. Oh, and I should mention that shop space (footprint) is also an issue. I'm sure I sound like I'm begging and choosing, but times are tight and I guess I'm hoping someone has a "hack" of sorts haha. We're no strangers to DIY approaches, if that helps.

Thanks!

 

[YourCastle]

spray adhesive

Yikes!

We use an adhesive vinyl/substrate, align, tape down, peel and squeegee, then sometimes laminate.

But... Outsourcing, when time's available, is still a good idea. We use imaginetr and signs365 when the quantity is sufficient

 

[TJPrinter]

Yikes!

Use the self-adhesive foam board or buy a few rolls of adhesive backed production gloss or satin paper. You can then mount them using an inexpensive cold roll laminator. One like this will mount up to 39” and should cover you for what you need without having to send these jobs out.

Cold Roll Laminator

 

[YourCastle]

Use the self-adhesive foam board or buy a few rolls of adhesive backed production gloss or satin paper. You can then mount them using an inexpensive cold roll laminator. One like this will mount up to 39” and should cover you for what you need without having to send these jobs out.

Cold Roll Laminator

FYI for OP, I worked with a guy very experienced in doing all this and he rarely turned the heat on with the laminators (they have both cold and hot). He simply had more success not using the heat. so, you don't always need the most expensive equipment. The owner of the shop bought a lot of equipment recommended by corporate (SpeedPro) that was never used by the people who knew what they were doing.