posted October 04, 2002 11:50 AM
i can't say "no".
i had a slow couple of weeks in September, and now things have gotten crazy again. A guy wants me to letter (with paint!) his "new" small moving van. he had his last truck painted about 15 years ago (maybe more) and he doesn't like the "new plastic letters" (vinyl).
this one is a 14' box on a F350, so its not a huge moving van, but its a lot more truck than i've ever prepped. he's had it in service for two years, so it needs some cleaning, but he wants me to handle it. (i wanted to do a big truck job like this, so i agreed).
can i just bucket and rag it? use a mop? i'm doing 18" letters across the side, so its not exactly "fussy" work, but i don't want it to flake off after a year, either. do i wash, and then use a rag with degreaser?
also, do i need to prime before lettering, or just go at it with the 1-shot? hardener? colors will be green and orange lettering on a white truck. (yeah, he's Irish).
any other tips are appreciated too. (like, when am i supposed to do this one... i've already got four weeks booked up...)
if he likes it he might have me re-do the others...
anybody in the Bay Area slow and need some work?
-------------------- :: Scooter Marriner :: :: Coyote Signs :: :: Oakland, CA :: :: still a beginner :: :: Posts: 1356 | From: Oakland (and San Francisco) | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted October 04, 2002 12:07 PM
Scooter, After washing with soap and water you can clean the lettering area with Rapid Roger's Magic Prep. You could then apply your pattern and dust it on, and then cover the area with a layer of application tape. Squeegee it down and you'll see the layout and you could hand cut it, then with a 3" or so roller you could apply 1-Shot without any hardener. Peel the mask and fix any small leaks and take a photo, hand him the invoice. This process will give more of a hand done look than a computer cut mask and won't take much more time. Often these trucks get sold and if there is hardener in the paint it will be a bear of a job for the next guy.....which might be you.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6831 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Is he at least going to slow it down for you? Hehe
I wouldn't think you'd have to prime it. Just wipe it down with a wax and grease remover type cleaner and paint away! Maybe someone more experienced will know better than me.
posted October 04, 2002 12:20 PM
I would wash with Wesley's Bleachwhite....whitewall cleaner. If its a fiberglass box..you better git a buffer and some fine finishing compound and give it a buff. Finish up with a good scrub with rapid prep.
posted October 04, 2002 02:12 PM
thanks guys! (i'm glad it isn't more complicated than i thought it would be).
Rick - this guy still owns his first truck body - from the 40s (he had it re-mounted onto a new Mitsubishi frame). i don't think he'll be selling it any time soon. (unless he dies, and then his kids can worry about it, which isn't my problem).
-------------------- :: Scooter Marriner :: :: Coyote Signs :: :: Oakland, CA :: :: still a beginner :: :: Posts: 1356 | From: Oakland (and San Francisco) | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted October 04, 2002 05:22 PM
what the other guys tell ya, but i also use prep sol, or fin-l-wash, these are products that paint and body shops use just befroe they roll a vehicle in the paint booth. as for the paint lasting, i got more paint still on vehicles then i do vinyl.....once you paint it, it up to the owner to take care of the paint, if its waxed couple times a year...in will outlast any vinyl, as long as it aint maroon!!!!
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted October 04, 2002 06:19 PM
Don't forget to do a tape test especially if your going to do a spray mask if he got a cheap paint job you might be in for a big surprise.
-------------------- Scott Moyer Canadensis, Pennsylvania 570-595-0310 Posts: 111 | From: Canadensis PA. USA | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted October 04, 2002 06:44 PM
Good answers here. Also I would second what Scott said about tape testing. We are doing one now that has had a cheap paint job over a fiberglas box. Never hurts to check. Told my son it looked like a cheap Earl Shieb job, and he asked who was that? What, Earl is no more?
-------------------- Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Posts: 2787 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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I'll letter your truck, any truck, for $149.50... no ups... no extras... guaranteed!
Have a great one!
-------------------- Bruce Bowers
DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design Saint Cloud, Minnesota
"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter Posts: 6465 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999
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posted October 04, 2002 07:55 PM
Be prepared to double-coat that green. I just gave an estimate the other day on a moving van from SF and it was lettered what looked to be Emerald Green, hard to say as it was very old. It had an Irish name (Herrigan?Kerrigan?) that arched and had a few shamrocks here and there. It was a very old box and was about to be installed on a new truck. The paint shop said the ownner was an "old-timer", and the box had what looked like a "latex" finish that had several coats, and it was corrugated, but it was at least 20',.....same guy maybe?
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