posted
Scotchlite can be a beast to work with on compound curves. A local fire dept. has purchased a '10 Silverado and would like a 4" stripe above the door handles from bumper to bumper. There are compound curves a-plenty. Have any of you striped this vehicle? If so, how did you solve or work around the problem? Thank you in advance.
-------------------- Harvie Loomis Loomis Signs 76 Cortright Hill Road Newark Valley, NY 13811 (607)642-8616 tozrox@frontiernet.net Posts: 47 | From: Newark Valley, NY 13811 | Registered: Jul 2000
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Depending on the severity of the curve, I have taken paper, taped it to the problem area the curve and made a template. Using the template, I digitize the shape and cut it on the plotter. Then I lay it down onto vehicle to test and see how the new shape conforms the compound curve. I may have to do this two or three times before I'm happy with the result. Once I have it the way I want it, I cut a duplicate mirror for the other side of the vehicle.
It can be a lot of work and I charge the client for the effort accordingly.
posted
I've done plenty of Fire trucks, Dozens of police cars, and Highway enforcement trucks without anytrouble using Arlons Reflective... the only time I had trouble with relective was with 3M... It actually delaminated from the glue.. True Story. Now that was about 15 years ago I used the 3m when it failed.
[ March 20, 2010, 07:37 AM: Message edited by: Neil D. Butler ]
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Last time I did any emergency vehicle work, I had a couple of fairly small areas of curves to deal with. I just laid it down gently, on around the quarter panel area and around back. Then took my heat gun and warmed it up a little, and smoothed it into place with my fingers. Worked fine.
And more and more emergency vehicles from civilian, to municipal, to military....use reflective lettering and graphics. It greatly increases their visibility at night, and greatly increases safety....contrary to some information.
-------------------- Dale Feicke Grafix 714 East St. Mendenhall, MS 39114
"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." Posts: 2963 | From: Mendenhall, MS | Registered: Apr 1999
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posted
Here's one we just hauled out of the shop last Friday, a partial wrap... All the white lettering is Reflective with a Black Vinyl Drop Shadow...sorta like doing the Van twice is'nt it.
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[ March 20, 2010, 11:46 AM: Message edited by: Neil D. Butler ]
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
I've had real good luck over the years with the 3M 580 & 680. In most cases I've used wet method with Rapid Tac and Rapid Tac II especially on the curves. Even with the debate of wet or dry with this material, wet has worked for me with no failures (except for the time that the highschool kid who was washing vehicles cut loose with a high power pressure washer - oops!)
Nikkalite has a nice flexable material available for vehicles too and it can also be wet applied. It's a little more economical than the 3M, as well as a bit more tricky to work with.
Hope this may help a little.
-------------------- Robert Graham Grahamsville Signs 1120 E McReavy Road Union, Washington 98592 360-898-2260 Fax 360-898-2262 e-mail:gvs@hctc.com Posts: 135 | From: Union,Washington - USA | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
I've got one coming in a week and finished one this winter. Try to keep the stripes below 6" in width and do as Glenn says. I ALWAYS pattern a vehicle when working with reflective. If the paper doesn't want to conform well, neither will the refl. I use FDC HP for striping, printing...it seems to conform better than 3M.
-------------------- Nikki Goral Image Advantage Signs 4050 Champeau Road New Franken, WI 54229 920-465-4500 "Finish every day and be done with it. Tomorrow is a new day."-Ralph Waldo Emerson Posts: 928 | From: New Franken, WI (East Green Bay) | Registered: Jun 2007
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posted
Gotta be careful about wet applications with reflective.
I'm going out of town tomorrow to fix a reflective job installed by a fire apparatus service. Their guy used soapy water when he applied it. The fire truck had been in the service bay the entire time the company had it. The client looked it over and approved it. We hit 77f and sunny last Sunday and the fire department rolled their truck out to wash it. While they were washing it they noticed that the 8" reflective striping had bubbles all in it and was getting progressively worse.
I get to strip it, clean it and do it right. Gonna be fun.
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