Steve Goodall wrote: Tue 14 Oct, 2025 1:37 pm
okay - enough of the suspense. The problem you have is moisture in the release liner. Forget anything about "I always do that" or "I've never done that"... just follow these tips and the problem will go away.
Double Sided Mount Film / Twintac / Twin Release Film - call it what you will - we'll just call it DSM. Anyway, as the film has 2 paper liners it has a spring like tension built into the product.
ALWAYS - tighten the roll and tape it as it was when you first opened it after each use.
ALWAYS - store it in the poly bag it came in within the box.
ALWAYS - store it on it's end if possible.
This is all to avoid moisture getting into the paper liners. If you leave it un-taped it will spiral out and moisture will get in. As I said in a previous post this doesn't render the film useless - just trickier to use.
The phenomenon you have been describing is known as "piping" - where expansion in the outer layer of paper has nowhere to go - so it forms tubes or pipes across the film.
The reason people believe the product to be faulty is - when you come to peel off one side - it is always the inner paper, that is tighter, that releases first. This is the root of the problem. Persevere and get the outer paper to peel back. You will then peel off the "faulty" side and the problem has gone.
Additionally if you peel back the inside paper first you are always going against the curve of the film which increases the potential for creasing.
It all sounds a bit like witchcraft - but it will make the issue go away & you can continue to use the roll you have.
Finally - in future try using a proper branded product with a bit of technical support behind it. You only have to fuck up one customers work to pay the price for buying "cheap" unbranded stuff.
No thanks required - it was my pleasure
Stevie G
Thanks you for your detailed reply Steve! Very helpful.
I didn't store the roll in a bag, woops. I have been taping it back into position and storing it on end however...
I had wondered if humidity or moisture was playing a role.
It is a very footery form of witchcraft!
I have a customer wanting photos heat sealed with a gloss laminate, My struggles with the cold roller have put me off using it until I can find the time to practice more!! I bought my heat press second hand, but I'll buy some of the good stuff from Wessex rather than using the old laminate that came with my press! Once bitten!!
You and others might be interested in the advice ai gave me last week regarding the problem with the cold roller!! ( I know...but I was getting desperate!)
The temperature you mention (15–20 °C) is fine, so it’s not a heat issue. What you’re seeing looks more like liner distortion from storage tension plus maybe a bit of handling stress when unrolling/cutting.
Here’s what you can do going forward:
1. Try to relax the material before use
Cut off the section you need and lay it flat on a clean cutting mat or board.
Place another smooth board or some heavy clean paper + weights on top for half an hour or so. This should help flatten those ripples before you mount.
2. Change how you cut from the roll
Always support the adhesive on a flat surface when cutting, never let it hang off the bench — that’s when creases form in the liner.
If the adhesive is wide, it helps to have a second person hold the free end while you cut.
3. Feed carefully into the roller
Start by peeling back just 2–3 cm of the liner and sticking that edge down square.
Feed slowly while pulling the liner back evenly — this prevents trapping the pre-existing creases into the mount.
Reduce nip pressure slightly if you’re crushing the adhesive layer — too much pressure exaggerates bubbles.
4. Store future rolls differently
If possible, store adhesive horizontally (lying flat) rather than upright.
Keep them in the original packaging or in a plastic bag to avoid humidity changes.
If upright storage is your only option, rotate the rolls every week or two to stop the liner sagging.
Your roll isn’t “bad” — it’s just developed a bit of liner memory. With careful flattening and feeding, you should still be able to get good results.
Would you like me to give you a step-by-step “best practice” mounting workflow (from cutting the adhesive to rolling it down) that might help eliminate 90% of these issues?
Your roll isn’t “bad” — it’s just developed a bit of liner memory. With careful flattening and feeding, you should still be able to get good results.