Question side by side not working out

[signgirl71]

Are there templates for the bobcat uv34xl? It's suppose to be wrapped a solid matte color, but no matter how hard I try - it just isn't working for me. I believe it needs some relief cuts or cuts and overlaps, I can't get it to work with the deep recesses on the hood along with the almost corner like edges. By far I am not a wrapper but I have had no issues wrapping other items but this is the first time using the Avery SW900 series and just can't comprehend wrapping these panels without cuts. It is white being wrapped with a matte olive green so the edges have to be covered completely. Anyone have any suggestions? I'm about to make myself look like an a$$ and just hand the panels back and say I can't do it. Not to mention how hard it is to wrap panels when they aren't on something stable..... Also, how do you go about telling a customer you can't do something when you already took the panels? Have never had this happen before.

 

[judead]

Are your channels coming back up?

 

[somcalmetim]

I will not use Avery SW. I find it too thin and brittle. Also got to watch a nearby competitor replace the graphics on a 100 trailers worth of Red Reflective and black Avery graphics a few years ago.
We use 3M 1080, 2080 or 180 on everything...its thicker, more conformable, easier to install and remove.
In deep channels we use adhesion primer before install that helps but also makes it trickier to install/remove.
Sometimes you just cant get away without seams on snowmobile and bike panels depending how severe they are shaped.

 

[signgirl71]

I never use Avery at all but that's what was suggested, also had to match a matte color. I got the recesses to sit nice in spots then go back the next day and they have popped up in spots. Can't get a good stretch for around the edges, they seem too boxy. I'm ready to give the panels back but I've already removed the factory decals for cleaning before my attempted install. How do I go about getting out of this job without looking like an incompetent a$$?

 

[Boudica]

I never use Avery at all but that's what was suggested, also had to match a matte color. I got the recesses to sit nice in spots then go back the next day and they have popped up in spots. Can't get a good stretch for around the edges, they seem too boxy. I'm ready to give the panels back but I've already removed the factory decals for cleaning before my attempted install. How do I go about getting out of this job without looking like an incompetent a$$?

Do you know an experienced installer you can bring in to do this? You might (will) loose money, but it would be worse to just get partway through and bail on, or deliver a garbage install. The bad reputation would last a lot longer than the little bit of money you would make. When this is all over... never ever sign on to do a job you don't know how to do.

 

[damonCA21]

Stick it down with superglue ? OK, they will never be able to get them off again, but that's their worry in the future

 

[signgirl71]

Do you know an experienced installer you can bring in to do this? You might (will) loose money, but it would be worse to just get partway through and bail on, or deliver a garbage install. The bad reputation would last a lot longer than the little bit of money you would make. When this is all over... never ever sign on to do a job you don't know how to do.

If I knew someone I either would have paid them to do it or paid them to teach me how with this vinyl. Love your bottom line, sounds a bit harsh - how do you expect to learn new things if you never try? I was talked into taking this job and I'm trying to figure out how to do it, don't really need to hear never ever sign on to a job you don't know how to do, obviously they saw some of my other work and thought this would be no problem, now that I reach out for help I don't really need to hear that crap. But anyways, I'll figure out something, don't hear any advice from you other then pawn it off. The last thing I want to do is give them an unfinished project and tarnish my name that's why I'm asking for advice.

 

[Boudica]

How do I go about getting out of this job without looking like an incompetent a$$?

The short answer is you can't.
My longer answer was an attempt to be helpful. I would encourage that you learn and try new things, just not at the expense of your customer. Did you tell them beforehand that you have never done this, and can't guarantee that you can do this? If you printed the vinyl yourself then you should give it a shot, and if you screw it up you can just reprint and retry. We've seen that happen a few times on this forum. at the end of the day, the wrap worked out, but wasn't as much of a money maker as it was a learning experience. But they didn't give up and say - sorry, I can't do this - halfway through the install.

If it's not printed, then you could buy more vinyl. It sounded like you did not produce the graphics, so I recommended you get some help from an experienced installer.
Have you tried watching any YouTube videos? Here is one that might be helpful

ETA: it's a bad Idea to let your customers set your capabilities.

 

[signgirl71]

I can't find any videos on this type, plus it isn't even the same style that they sent me a picture of. It's a full coverage wrap, not just face decals so no white can be showing. Here's some pics of what I'm working with. I really do want to do it myself, im just struggling having had the flu for 2 weeks and way too much work on my plate. Even had to do a semi trailer today feeling like crap. This being sick is just zapping my confidence.

 

[Boudica]

Tricky parts are tricky parts - no matter what type of vehicle it is. You need technique, not a template.
I found this video - about 8 minutes in might be helpful for you.

You need to use a heat gun to heat up the vinyl enough to get into the recesses. Go slow and careful with the squeegee. You also need to post heat to keep it down in the channels. The vinyl needs to be cut larger than the panels you are wrapping, to accommodate those drastic recesses. Color change wraps of any kind require a lot more vinyl.
I've seen our installer do amazing things with vinyl. But he's a pro and has been doing it for years. I would bet money he could do this now, but not the first time he encountered something like this.

 

[Eric H]

That looks tough, definitely multiple pieces and inlays. If you're trying to do the panels in one piece they will never stay down. You can't just stretch everything into all of those corners and creases Templates aren't going to help. Knifeless tape is your friend. I know this isn't helpful but those pieces would probably be better painted.

 

[SightLine]

Agree with Eric. Too much going on and impossible to wrap those in one piece. Some of those parts are going to require inlays and seams. Do the inlays first. Like that first pic - the inner corner with the flat bottom above the rectangle hole, impossible to do that as one piece.

 

[signgirl71]

Tricky parts are tricky parts - no matter what type of vehicle it is. You need technique, not a template.
I found this video - about 8 minutes in might be helpful for you.

You need to use a heat gun to heat up the vinyl enough to get into the recesses. Go slow and careful with the squeegee. You also need to post heat to keep it down in the channels. The vinyl needs to be cut larger than the panels you are wrapping, to accommodate those drastic recesses. Color change wraps of any kind require a lot more vinyl.
I've seen our installer do amazing things with vinyl. But he's a pro and has been doing it for years. I would bet money he could do this now, but not the first time he encountered something like this.

Thanks, I've pretty much done the preheat, the post heat, the extra vinyl, I really think it's the type of vinyl I'm not use to and the lack of patience from being sick. Think I'm going to rip it off and start from scratch again, I probably overworked the vinyl in spots in my rush to just "make it work". I'm not one to be defeated and say "I can't do this", I usually figure it out. Just have to put my head to the wall and grind through it, make it work some how.

 

[Eric H]

To add to Boudicas heat and stretch, you need to be careful with how much you stretch the vinyl. Ideally you don't want any stretch. That's probably the biggest misconseption about wrapping everybody thinks you just heat and force things into place.And the more I look at that there are areas that really don't look wrappable with no white showing.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I agree with Eric, this looks like paint job.

 

[signgirl71]

Ok that's what I thought, in my mind I just wanted to hear it out of some one else's mouth so I knew I wasn't crazy. Once I saw the panels they gave me weren't like the ones I saw in the picture I thought there was no way but I was determined to try it. Now to just figure out how to tackle this.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Tell them what happened... you received panels that were different than originally shown and you can't wrap them. Since you already bought the material, you figured you'd at least try... only to confirm the limits of wrapping material. The now removed dealer decals will just make it all that easier for the painter.

 

[signgirl71]

Yeah, that's been my fall back on all along, receiving panels that were different from what I was shown. But either way I would like to help them out in some way, I don't mind eating the material as it was working with something I never worked with before and I ordered it before getting the deposit on my own because I wanted to try it out and have other things I could use it for. I was even thinking about hydro dipping (not me of course) but finding out if they do that in matte and on this plastic type material and the costs. Well, I guess I'll figure out this week how it will all play out. I just like the advice I get on here and bouncing ideas of people in the same line of work. Sorry if I'm crabby but I do appreciate you all!

 

[somcalmetim]

Yep, no way those get wrapped properly without seams and inlays...even the bodylines on a Sprinter van will come back up if you just heat/stretch the inner bends and those panels you show have much sharper bends.
The guy in the ATV wrap video is doing it pretty well but I think I could get away doing his panels with a couple less seams on the outer bends...I wouldn't pay much mind to someone who tells you how well their installer could do it.
I would attack it something like this...if it is a brand new high dollar machine I would use knifeless tape like guy in video but if its already been in the bush or I have to sand panels anyway you can usually get away with just lightly hand trimming the edges on the panel...

 

[judead]

I never use Avery at all but that's what was suggested, also had to match a matte color. I got the recesses to sit nice in spots then go back the next day and they have popped up in spots. Can't get a good stretch for around the edges, they seem too boxy. I'm ready to give the panels back but I've already removed the factory decals for cleaning before my attempted install. How do I go about getting out of this job without looking like an incompetent a$$?

It may be injection molded plastic if it is you are wasting your time.