The Letterville BullBoard: Vinyl Application Tips and Tricks

This is topic Vinyl Application Tips and Tricks in forum Old Archives at The Letterville BullBoard.

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Posted by Dave Draper (Member # 102) on :

Hi Heads,

We use blue paint mask tape to establish base lines on signs and vehicle lettering.
(it doesn't leave glue behind when you rip it off)
We never make measurement marks directly on a vehicle...instead we mark on the tape
and then step back to see if the taped base lines are indeed running horizontly correct with the vehicle...if not a little adjustment
is all that is needed. We see alot of van lettering on crooked becasue they mistakenly measure from the drip rail...and on a new GMC van with a curved roof...this is a big mistake!

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Go Get 'Em.....
AKA Raptorman on #Letterheads mIRC Chat
Draper The Signmaker
Bloomington Illinois USA

Proud 2-yr. $upporter of this Web Site (May 1999-May 2001)

[This message has been edited by Dave Draper (edited January 24, 2000).]

Posted by Tim Whitcher (Member # 685) on :

WOW! Why didn't I think of that! What a time And aggravation saver.

Thanks

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Tim Whitcher
Quality Signs & Design
107 E Adrian St
Blissfield, MI 49228
qualitysigns@hotmail.com

Posted by cheryl nordby (Member # 1100) on :

Isn't it a crack up how many letters are put on wrong????! I bet you helped quite a few people with your suggestion.

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Cheryl Nordby "surf" signs by Cheryl!
"surfsigns"
a hop and skip from Seattle
surfsigns@excite.com

ICQ# 36992184

Posted by Ken Henry (Member # 598) on :

Installing angled panels or copy on many vehicles can sometimes be awkward because of compound curves. By using an overhead projector and a piece of straight-cut vinyl, you can project the desired angle onto the vehicle, mark it with removeable tape as Dave has earlier suggested, and apply the panel or copy as required.

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Ken Henry
Henry & Henry Signs
London, Ontario Canada
(519) 439-1881
e-mail kjmlhenry@home.

10,000 sperm swimming for that egg...and I won!

Posted by Chuck Churchill (Member # 68) on :

When we do sign layouts with angled text or graphics we have a little trick to make sure the angle is the same on all of the signs. We cut the text at the angle it was laidout at then cut a horizontal rectangle about 1/4" high (a stripe) under the copy. When you lay it up on the sign just make the sure the stripe goes on horizontal. All signs will have the copy at thre correct angle without a whole lot of measuring.

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Chuck Churchill,
It's A Good Sign Inc.
3245 Harvester Rd, U-12
Burlington, Ont.
Phone: 905-681-8775
Fax: 905-681-8945

Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :

Great tips, I've used the tape idea before. But what exactly is the rule of thumb for lining up lettering on vehicles when two body lines, one above and one below the lettering are at converging angles? Level lettering can look crooked.

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Dave Sherby
"Sandman"
SherWood Sign & Graphic Design
Crystal Falls, MI 49920
906-875-6201
ICQ: 21604027
sherwood@up.net

Posted by Donna in BC (Member # 130) on :

Hi Dave,

I personally follow the main body line that runs along the center area of the vehicle. I find if you fight it, the lettering looks even worse.

If under an angled window, I normally would go by the bottom of the door in this case to measure with.

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Graphic Impact
located in BC Canada
gisigns@sprint.ca

Posted by Dave Draper (Member # 102) on :

Hi Dave Sherby,

There are always level guidlines on a van or truck somewhere. Windows are most always level and certainly the bottom of the van or the bottom of the door. Some times you can even measure from the centers of the front wheel and back wheel ....those have to be level...but that would be in an extreme case.

If a truck or van is that odd of shape so as not to have a level line....then design the graphics really weird and slanted uphill

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Go Get 'Em..... :)
AKA Raptorman on #Letterheads mIRC Chat
Draper The Signmaker
Bloomington Illinois USA

Proud 2-yr. $upporter of this Web Site (May 1999-May 2001)

Posted by Dale Feicke (Member # 767) on :

Good tips, Dave. But isn't it a shame the way they design some of these new vans, no matter how you put the lettering on, it looks off somehow. When will these Detroit genius designers learn that there is only so much you can do to make a box aerodynamic, and slanting the side body seams is most probably not one of them. Anything to make our jobs rougher, right?

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Dale Feicke
Dale Feicke Grafix
11128 Baltimore St.
Brooksville, Fl. 34614
doda@gate.net

Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :

Actually Dave..I would advise against using the centers of the wheels to measure by. Yes they are always level with the road but they are seldom level with the body of the vehicle. Most vans and pickups have suspensions that raise the back end higher than the front. And depending on what is inside the van the back end might be lower on the suspension. I have found that the bottom edge of the doors or the bottom of the rocker panels are the best places to measure from.

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Dave Grundy shop#340
AKA "applicator" on mIRC
"stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!"
in Granton, Ontario, Canada
1-519-225-2634
dave.grundy@odyssey.on.ca
www.odyssey.on.ca/~dave.grundy
"A PROUD $ supporter of the website"

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