Avoiding wrinkles over rivets

[gnubler]

I'm having a hard time getting vinyl to lay down without wrinkling over rivets. I have a few trailer jobs in the queue, so I made a small panel to practice on using carriage bolts drilled through ACM. I've watched every video on Youtube and understand the technique, but have yet to get any of my test vinyl to lay down wrinkle-free. Tried it with printed/laminated IJ180 and 3M 7125 black film, both premasked with 4075RLA vs not premasked. Fail. Tried different squeegees. Fail. Tried using a RollePro. Fail. Can't seem to get past a rivet without major wrinkles forming that won't work out.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

There is a tool that they make that has a bunch of pins in it. I put it on the rivet to release the air. It takes practice and technique to be able to work rivets. I work them from all sides and then heat and use the foam roller rivet thing. It took many many MANY trucks in order for me to get it right.

 

[Gino]

Watch justin pate. He is probably the best mechanic in the industry.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

I like a rivet brush better than the roller thingy. I use a little pin pricker on a stick to put a few holes around it then roll or stab it with the brush. I have never had a perfect result, I aim for good enough and keeping my sanity.

 

[Gino]

Too late.

 

[gnubler]

I read that the RollePro isn't meant for premasked spot graphics. Are you poking holes in it as you're laying the vinyl down, with premask still on?

Yeah, I've traded sanity for sign rage, myself.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

You can't shrink or manipulate vinyl with tape on it. For cut letters, peel off the tape and then work the rivets, for printed panels, don't tape it.

 

[rjssigns]

Everyone will have a different method, here's mine:
Run vinyl close to the rivets during initial application of the panel.
Once panel is in place squeegee as close as possible to the rivets.
Hit with a torch for a split second then go over rivet with rivet brush.
(3M rivet brush has super stiff bristles that will poke vinyl and release air)

Once you've done a lot of trailers you will find a method that works and you are comfortable with.

 

[Mike Paul]

Rivets or torx screws?

 

[Jeff grossman]

There is a tool that they make that has a bunch of pins in it. I put it on the rivet to release the air. It takes practice and technique to be able to work rivets. I work them from all sides and then heat and use the foam roller rivet thing. It took many many MANY trucks in order for me to get it right.

rivet sealer 3000 works for me check it out

 

[johnnysigns]

We would treat the rivet or obstruction like it wasn't there and squeegee right over it as close to the center of the squeegee as possible. It should tent right around it that way.

 

[gnubler]

Johnnysigns, that's what I did. Another trailer install yesterday and it went well. Used a soft squeegee for the initial laying down of vinyl with premask. Remove mask, poke a couple holes around the rivet, smooth out with squeegee, then several blasts with a heat gun and some hard squeegee action. Not a fan of the rivet brush, it scratches the laminate.

I also cut the vinyl where it ran across the trailer panel split. Hit it with heat and tucked it under with the squeegee.

 

[gnubler]

River Sealer 3000 looks neat, and also discontinued? It's been mentioned elsewhere on the forum but I don't see it for sale anywhere.

 

[gnubler]

I saw that but I think it's just the replacement tip. I think there's more to it that they don't stock.

 

[jfiscus]

Get a 6" wide foam (paint) roller from Ace hardware. Squeegee your panel in-between the rivet lines, maybe 1" away from the rivets on each side, leaving an un-squeegeed area the whole length of the rivet lines. Be sure the ends are open so the air has somewhere to escape. (important!) Now take your torch and get the vinyl hot, take your foam roller and start at one end of the channel, doing it in like 3ft sections, until you've ran down the whole channel. It might take a few tries but once you get it you'll be flying through the rivets. Our installers FLY through trailers this way.

 

[Gino]

Ahh, don't listen to any of these has-beens. They don't know anything anymore. They're just making this sh!t up. Besides, you know it all now, you shouldn't be asking these infantile kinda questions. You know better than this.

 

[karst41]

I bee decaling Fleets for 31 plus years.
Rivits? Yeah by the millions and millions
The Needle thingie is called a Leather stitching Tool. eBay



This is the drill 52"w drops with your squeeg you are simply ignoring the rivets, ok
Just get moving and after 3-4' Narrow the air pockets, If trans tape; start bringing it on down.
Now hit hit the 3- 4' run of rivets with the stitching tool. twice for good measure.
Now you whip out the Propane torch and heat up an 18" run to start with.
Now the Rolle Pro, Slick, you are DONE, reheat the run to temper vinyl and adhesive.

Yeah some times you get a wrankle that is stubborn, do not over work it
3m will typically relax and release the wrinkle within 60 days.

Thats

You jump on a 53' trailer or 24 -28' straight truck with riveted panels
and dont use a Rolle Pro. Not on my time clock.

Lets examine the lower horizontal row of rivets at the bottom and the vertical at each end.
Of course this is wher you get the wrinkles

Just work it with the same method as above. The Rolle Pro resolves that issue.
Yeah there is the occasional wrankle but just hit that with the felt side of your squeeg. Re heat
and address Trim the excess. Done

The Rolle is the best invention. ever. I rarely use the brush,,,yes of course I have a brush
but the velcro side of the squeeg is much faster, because why? The Rolle Pro

Buy Two Rolle Pros per Installer on your Crew. Why??? Back Up is why.
These Rolle Pros pay for themselfs on the first day. The time savings is Massive and no F N Way
do you not have back up.

If you have any doubt and you doing Fleet installs, just buy it,, and you do not have to thank me later.
I have worked on way more than 20,000 trucks over the past 30 plus years, Of course I have hired help.

These things are $60 each Amazon or eBay

Your Propane torch is the trigger ignite and the cylinder is the short fat green one
Get both at Home depot and the Nylon Tool Pouches are great.

You set yourself up for speed and efficiency because time is money.
This is the correct way to spend your hard earned Money.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

What's a wrankle?

 

[Retro Graphics]

a kiss of heat before running the roll pro over helps too. also if you are punching out your rivets (on the more particular jobs), I use a leather punch tool, they sell a pack at harbor freight, but like the 2nd or 3rd one in fits perfect for either cutting around the rivet to leave or remove the vinyl.

 

[Boudica]

What's a wrankle?

A wrinkle in Texas?