Written By:
Date Posted: February 7, 2002

Step 2 - Mounting and Cutting

In order to make a proper badge, the first thing we're going to have to do is to be sure that the printed paper is secure to the cutting surface. To keep the procedure as painless as possible, I'm going to tape the sheet to the surface. This will keep the printout from moving around during application. Keep in mind that the surface should be clean of any debris or defects. This will keep any funny bubbles or creases out of your design. I used an air can, but blowing on it will work as well. Uh, make sure you don't spit or drool over your design, or you'll need to start over.

Tied down for some action...

After taping the printout to the cutting surface, an extra shot with the air gun will keep any dust particles away. I dunno about you, but one time in high school, my stupid student ID card was laminated with a big ass piece of lint stuck inside. It also happened to be my luck that it ran right down my forehead. Anyhow, to avoid a similar fate for your case badge, keep the printed surface clean.

Once you've prepared everything, it's time to apply the poly dome to it. There are several ways to do this, but the easiest I found was to move in at a 45 degree angle, resting the edge of the poly dome on the printout. Then slowly, lower the dome until it covers the design. It really isn't hard at all, but perhaps some practice would be in order, because the dome doesn't easily peel off the design once it's on.

Now that the dome is on, take out your knife and cut it. A few little tips about cutting from my days as a graphic designer; a) use a sharp knife. A dull blade will end up tearing the paper (known as "ragged edges"), and b) Don't force the cut, but rather, use gentle strokes. Since it's only paper we're talking about, you don't need to apply your weight to cut it. If you do this, you'll end up bending the edges of your cut (known as "ridging"). Here's a free tip for the future: When you're cutting cardboard, use several strokes with the knife rather than one. It'll be easier and cleaner.

Anyhow, a few strokes of the knife, and voila! All done. You now have a logofied (how's that for Engrish?) poly dome.

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