-
I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...
Box Truck Panels don't line up
- Thread starter Otis2009
- Start date
jkdbjj
New Member
If you haven't had this problem before, than no I can't help. If this is a reoccurring thing, than it is probably your overlap settings. In Wasatch they are finicky.
What is your overlap set to?
phototec
New Member
CanuckSigns
Active Member
You could be stretching it without even knowing it, we just installed a box truck that had 1 panel not line up properly, we must have stretched it. you can try applying application tape over the vinyl to stop it, but this will be a major PITA if there are rivits.
We had some alignment issues that we resolved during the install but I later found out we needed to replace a few pinch rollers- the media was skewing as it rolled out of the machine. One was worn out and slowly steering the media to the right side of the machine. This caused the installed panels to lean slightly and it got worse of a 20 foot span. Just enough distortion to cause a problem! Good luck with solving the issue.
boxerbay
New Member
most likely install error. if you installing outside the panel WILL almost always stretch. when we install we "bank" some stretch on the first panel. in other words we lay the first panel using a heavy hand to stretch it a bit on purpose. then the rest of the panels we use a lighter hand and watch the alignment as we go down and push it as needed to make everything fall into place. remember... you can always make a panel longer while installing but you cant make it shorter. rookie error. live and learn.
jfiscus
Rap Master
Yes, rotating every other panel accounts for printer skew and color variation across the print.
jfiscus
Rap Master
Also, X2 on this.
Typestries
New Member
Surprised no one mentioned the laminator and it's added role in stretching panels via varying tension on the media feed and lam feed. Back up one step, table check the prints before lam, and after lam. Will help you narrow down the issue. If you are applying app tape in the laminator, then check after that, too.
boxerbay
New Member
you should have pushed the first panel hard and the rest of the panels drop in place. usually you will start early in the morning and as the sun heats things up they begin to stretch.
ProWraps
New Member
i dont see how a print can stretch with a backer on it. it would be hanging over the backer and would be super obvious.
i have heard this about external dryers but i asked the same thing.
not that it cant happen, but in my feeble crown royal soaked mind, i just cant wrap (heh wrap) my head around it.
I do all my big trucks outside. Always get stretch so I will align the panel best as I can, lay it down in the middle then start working on align the edge. Sometime it right on but most of the time I have to let the vinyl stay puckered like rolling waves with it hitting aliment on certain spots.Using the heat gun I will blow heat under the vinyl and push it down in alignment, most of the time you are going to have to pull up the spots that pushed down to help get aligned.But that well shrink vinyl on edges just enough to line up.It might sound crazy, but it works for me and I get alot of stretch here in the summer, plus some panels will drive you up the wall. Never stretch the first panel on purpose, but going to try that. Sounds like that will work good.