Is this a 3M problem or am I just a hack installer?

[TheSnowman]

I've been putting graphics on vehicles for 15 years now, and never had anything going on like stuff I've had in the last year. I got a call from this customer, 6 months after we installed the vinyl, and it's all blowing apart. I do my best to work stuff into the contours, and I'll be the first to admit, they're never as perfect as I want them to be, and seems like it's mainly when they're covered in transfer tape, because I can't truly see what the vinyl is doing until the graphic is set, but it looks like on stuff that's not even considered a contour it's blowing up.

The common thing is that the ones that are doing this, are from Signs365, and it's the 3M Cast that they sell. I guess I'm just questioning it, because I've installed Avery, and Oracal on big projects and small projects, and never had an issue with either one, and so far, I'm 2 for 2 on the last couple jobs I've subbed out the prints on, and I just did another one last week I'm worried about.

The pictures here all looked great when they left, and I'll even accept some of them as my fault, but I don't understand why the flat ones that just have a tiny little gap between the panels are popping apart.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

That looks like bad install... looks like you spanned the gap and heated it in rather than following the curve.

Also those deep grooves should have been relief cut to prevent tenting.

 

[TheSnowman]

Ok. I guess I always assumed that stuff could stretch more than that since I've never seen my Oracal do that, but maybe I just got lucky.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

That's a deep stretch... some materials can do it, namely 480cv3 or the new Arlon 6100xlp with 3310. But it also takes the right technique to get it to stay.

Did you heat the flat area or the spanned area?

 

[TheSnowman]

Yeah, I used heat on it when I was done to set it.

 

[AaronSSsignsKC]

The best way to get areas like that to stay down is to try no tot span them if possible or relief cut.

 

[reQ]

Yeah, to much stretch in these areas. There is a video where they show how you should stretch vinyl from the center to that kind of recess. Also,,,,,, always trim around rubber/silicone stuff, i see you wrapped over it, it will never stay on any rubber surfaces (i am pretty sure 3M & other state that you should not use it for that kind of surfaces)

Had same problems before but practice + this forum allows you to improve

 

[HulkSmash]

Since it isn't full coverage you can roll those in without a relief cut, but for a full wrap always drop and cut that.

It looks like you bridged and heated in.

 

[papabud]

for that install i would of put down some 3m primer, heat stretch/tuck and then a quick relief cut. i do a lot of contour jobs. it works best if you try to work into an area with as little stretching as possible. vinyl will always fight to return to its natural state. this is why cast works best cause its made into a flat shape from the start.

 

[Starter]

Good advice from papabud. Primer 94 is a must on a concave surface. A little prep and primer saves a lot of headaches down the road.

 

[DirtyD]

I talked to Justin Pate St the NBM show in Indy today and he told me to always use 3M 480 series lam for deep recesses and channels... 180 and 8518 will always want to pop.. He also said to use Avery 1460 opposed to 1360 lam for Avery in deep channels.. He said it's mainly about the laminate that makes it pop off

 

[SeanMcM]

Also to note, the top ridge looks to have a rubber/silicon seal they can cause adhesion problems as well, it may have been better to relief cut the top ridge and seal it or cut out the part that lays on the rubber seal and then edge seal it, or maybe adhesive primer? haven't tried that method my self but i have herd people recommending it on difficult surfaces.