Michael Hartley Loc: Deer Capital of Georgia

We need a new topic, in our new section, so I'l start with a topic about a media called PhotoTex: http://www.phototexgroup.com

It is a self adhesive fabric material, made for wall murals, and such, which is how I mainly use it. Also works for those who don't want to go to trouble of framing/stretching a canvas, and then having to hang the canvas. A simple 'peel and stick' application. Doesn't harm the paint, removable, and re-positionable.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

That's pretty neat. I like that it is repositionable.
What do you mean about stretching on a canvas? How would you do that to replace the stretching process, just hang on the wall as is, or use it in conjunction with the frame?
I hope that's not a dumb question, but I've toyed around with printing on canvas and stretching my own to save a few pennies. (on my own photos, not on the ones I sell, I don't want the liability of if my prints fade)

Michael Hartley Loc: Deer Capital of Georgia

Some just don't want to pay for mounting a canvas, expense of shipping a framed canvas, some aren't allowed to mount the hardware to hold a large framed canvas.

The phototex will not replace a framed canvas, or the look of a framed canvas, it is a peel and stick material, directly to the substrate, in this case, the wall.

Of course, you see it can go around a corner, with enough ingenuity, a framed canvas could too. With enough ingenuity?

Plus, the phototex will stay on the side of a Corvette, upwards of around 150 - 160 mph.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Could be a fun way to make a "poor man's" car wrap for advertising, and you could change it weekly.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

This product is sold in rolls (sizes: 17”, 20”, 24”, 36”, 42”, 50”, 54”, & 60”x100’ & 54”x150’), so I assume it can only be used in professional printers designed to print commercial banners, etc.

The widest paper my Canon Pro-100 will accept is 13-inches. Which printer do you use to make this finished specialty print? And what is the typical cost of such a printer?

Michael Hartley Loc: Deer Capital of Georgia

Some dealers used to sell sheets, all it was, was a 17 - 20-inch roll cut into sheets, which anyone could do. I use a 44-inch Epson printer, have a 64-inch, but no projects to justify $2,000 in ink. 44-inch new model, around $5,000; 24-inch would be less. Have a 13-inch too, I'm converting over to do dye-sublimation on the aluminum panels.

The reason I put it on the Corvette, the fella restored old 'Vettes, and built Cobra kit cars. He wanted something like a magnet to put on the cars at shows, but the corvettes are fiberglass, and the cobras had aluminum bodies. So, I made him some signs to put on the cars, and had one on the side of my truck when I delivered them, which brought up the question, "will it stay on my Corvette"? I put it on the Lingenfelter Corvette, we went over to the hi-way, and ran up 150 -160 mph, in no time at all, I may add. Phototex 'claims' it's good to 500 mph?

Of course he also needed something that left absolutely ZERO residue. Some those paint jobs are in the $15,000 to $25,000 range.

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

Lingenfelter = Bad fast.

Michael Hartley Loc: Deer Capital of Georgia

Lingenfelter sounds better. YES, that is one bad-ass Corvette. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

Sounds cool, what would the consumer expect to pay for say a 24x36 print?

Michael Hartley Loc: Deer Capital of Georgia

I do that size for $40.00

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

$6.67 per sq ft has a nice mark up but well within line of the consumert expected price. Have you calibrated the Phototex or are you using the generic profile?

Michael Hartley Loc: Deer Capital of Georgia

You can download the ICC profile, from Phototex. I use my own profile(s).

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

They only have one ICC profile but it's not for my printer. I have to use a custom profile.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Photo-Tex was originally a Kodak patented product which was sold off with their bankruptcy proceeding. There is still old stock Kodak rolls available from 17" wide through 60" wide. I have printed to it with my Epson 9600 as well as my HP 5400 roll printers with very good results. I have signs on my Jeep that were printed on it 1 1/2 years ago and they are holding up pretty good except for some color fading. A single sign on the back of my pickup camper is now 2 1/2 years old. Indoors it would likely last forever. It is a very tough Polyester fabric with a paper peel-off backing. Yes, it is repositionable, but be aware that every time you remove it that some debris, dust, lint, etc. will also come along with it and each time the adhesion will be reduced a little bit.
It also is not cheap so cost has to be considered when using it. I did cut a roll tail down to 11x17 and 8.5 x 11 sizes to try in a Canon Pro-100 but the paper feed on the Canon did not like the Photo Tex at all, it was just too thick and jambed each time, regardless of paper settings.