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I know you're not supposed to wrap with calendered...

Banners Signs Etc.

Banners Signs Etc.

New Member
But what about these high performance calendered vinyls such as Oracal 3551 RA(i guess thats the only one)

I remember the crack and peel thread...it really isn't worth screwing a customer...but it is right there in the featured wrap vinyls section of the cowboy magazine

We're talking a truck wrapped in camo here

:signs101:
 
A

acothran

New Member
We tend to only use vinyl that is approved for the application and there are a handful of calendered (high performance calendered if you chose to use that verbage) recommended for vehicle graphics. For example, if the manufacturer doesn't approve a vinyl for use on rivets, we don't apply it on a vehicle with rivets. For 3551 I guess there is a gray area in defining "simple to moderate curves" but we've used it for box truck and things of that nature. To be honest, after laminating 3551 you are talking a minimal savings over cast and for us, it isn't worth the savings since cast is easier to work with.

The one exception would be General Formulations AutoMark 230 w/ 231 laminate. It is a calendared vinyl recommended for corrugation, moderate curves, and rivets that is a significant savings over cast vinyl and 3551. I would rather install cast but you can cut your material cost in half. We wrapped one of our 53' semi trailers with it a couple of years ago (over 12,000 rivets) and it still looks great.

Allen
 
rjssigns

rjssigns

Active Member
If the customer agrees to it, or if it just an old hunting truck go for it. Could always spray-bomb it like my buddy does. As low tech as it sounds he does amazing work. Uses all types of real leaves, ferns, bark etc...for masks/patterns. People always begging him to do their trucks, canoes, blinds, whatever. He's kind of a camo-savant.
 
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Circleville Signs

Circleville Signs

New Member
It is fine for use on box trucks and short term (<24 month) applications. I wouldn't try to do any type of compound curve surfaces with it.
 
H

Hog Wild graphics

New Member
That would probable work for very simple wraps. Box truck, trailers

But why not spend the extra .15 and get the right material. I wouldn't put that on one of my wraps.

I don't want to wrap it again for free just to save a little on material.
 
CS-SignSupply-TT

CS-SignSupply-TT

New Member
GF AUTOMARK recommendation!

acothran said:
We tend to only use vinyl that is approved for the application and there are a handful of calendered (high performance calendered if you chose to use that verbage) recommended for vehicle graphics. For example, if the manufacturer doesn't approve a vinyl for use on rivets, we don't apply it on a vehicle with rivets. For 3551 I guess there is a gray area in defining "simple to moderate curves" but we've used it for box truck and things of that nature. To be honest, after laminating 3551 you are talking a minimal savings over cast and for us, it isn't worth the savings since cast is easier to work with.

The one exception would be General Formulations AutoMark 230 w/ 231 laminate. It is a calendared vinyl recommended for corrugation, moderate curves, and rivets that is a significant savings over cast vinyl and 3551. I would rather install cast but you can cut your material cost in half. We wrapped one of our 53' semi trailers with it a couple of years ago (over 12,000 rivets) and it still looks great.

Allen
Click to expand...

Allen, thank you for the GF AUTOMARK recommendation. CiberSupply is a GF distributor and we would be happy to help you with your GF needs.
 
anotherdog

anotherdog

New Member
I have trailers around for over 5 years that have been done with calendered vinyl, and 210 lam. I do simple curves on doors and hoods, but I'm not sure how you would even wrap a complex curve with no stretch, let alone deal with tenting.

If you like I can add some hate?
 
Banners Signs Etc.

Banners Signs Etc.

New Member
Some hate.

You are willing to get run out of town to save 20 bucks on a roll. Why are you even asking these stupid questions if you already know the answer. DID you even do a SEARCH before adding more bloat to this forum!!!
 
Kentucky Wraps

Kentucky Wraps

Kentucky Wraps
"I know you're not supposed to wrap with calendered..."

Very short term on Bus or box truck etc. would be the only exception...but like the others, I'd rather pay a .15¢ per sft. more and have the installation go smooth.
 
mnapuran

mnapuran

New Member
We've used 3551RA on box trucks and trailers with no issues... however, due to the pricing on 3751RA now, we've been using that for most projects.
 
dj_elite

dj_elite

New Member
I believe what hes saying is, he knows your not supposed to. But he saw in a catalog that they advertise that you can.
 
Flame

Flame

New Member
Banners Signs Etc. said:
Some hate.

You are willing to get run out of town to save 20 bucks on a roll. Why are you even asking these stupid questions if you already know the answer. DID you even do a SEARCH before adding more bloat to this forum!!!
Click to expand...


60" x 150' 3551 - $495

60" x 150' 3951 - $709

not $20 savings... $214 savings.

And no one is going to get ran out of town over using 3551. Heck I'd say half the "wrap guys" in town here are using intermediate air release vinyl. 3551 is some awesome and beautiful material. It's ALMOST a full wrap film. And I say almost because it won't hold into recesses like 3951. But with 290 film, I have a vehicle wrap I did a good 3-4 years ago on a truck, and it's still looking awesome.

It CAN work, just know that it won't hold like 3951 and probably won't last as long. If it's not a complex wrap, I'd use it. But for the most part it IS better to just stick with the high grade stuff. $214 a roll is nice, gives you a little extra padding in your pocket, but it's not worth it if you go out and wrap a S10 and a year later you get a customer complaining to you and giving you a headache because it pulled up in the long channel recess on his truck.
 
kstompaint

kstompaint

New Member
This was all done several years ago on 3551 with 290 lam and I actually saw it yesterday. It still looks great and it has been kept outside. 3551 is great stuff and on a project like this, it results in a pretty significant savings.
 

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