3M 1080 Advice

[Jordan23]

Hello everyone! This is my first post here. Ive been lurking for a while getting some great tips and advice. Im preparing to do my first full wrap on my personal vehicle. Its a 2011 Chevy Camaro. Im using 3M 1080 satin black vinyl. My car was previously wrapped in 1080 and it came off easy and clean. So Im sticking with what I know comes off easy.

Ive been playing around with this vinyl for about a year. Ive wrapped partial sections of my vehicle with some scraps a friend gave me to practice and left overs I had from my previous wrap. Ive wrapped model cars and various items around the house. Its easy to work with and very forgiving. Again Im sticking with what I know works.

My main question is using heat when applying this vinyl. Is it mandatory? I understand using heat on the edges and post heating the wrap. I was able to wrap the rear quarter panel and front bumper with no heat at all. Sure it took me longer than using heat but Im not in a hurry and have 2 extra sets of hands helping me.

To conclude and summarize my questions:

Is heat a must when applying the vinyl (not including edges and post heat)?

Will not using heat have a negative effect long term even if I post heat the entire wrap?


Thanks for reading and any advice you can give!

 

[formanek]

​Only use heat when needed. Post heat is a must no matter what.

 

[Jordan23]

Thank you for responding. I just wanted to make sure. Ive watched hours worth of videos watching installers and they all use heat much more than I would. I came to the conclusion it was just faster to use heat and since they are a business time is money. Im in no rush and have plenty of hands to hold the vinyl for me. Again thank you and any other tips from anyone is much appreciated.

 

[worthy1]

​Only use heat when needed. Post heat is a must no matter what.

+1

Only heat if absolutely necessary. Then if you have to heat, try to heat an area of the vinyl that is excess and it should stretch from there (check out Wrapitright.com for more on this technique).

You have to think you have an area with a set amount of adhesive on it, although they make the vinyl to allow for a set amount of stretching of the adhesive, It does thin out when heated and stretched. You can also get a decent amount of stretch without heating.

You are right, heating makes for quicker installs and some of the vids you see they are hopefully aware of how much they are stretching the adhesive but if you have the time do it right.

 

[S'N'S]

These are 3M's videos, there one's on using heat...when and where, wrapping difficult areas etc..... https://www.youtube.com/user/3MCG1/videos

 

[HulkSmash]

you should hire a professional to do it. It seems to me this is a you doing this on your spare time.

 

[Jordan23]

Ive watched just about every video I can find. I also watched a certifed 3M installer wrap my car the first time. I just noticed the "professionals" using heat where I didnt need to. So I was wondering if it was mandatory to use heat besides on the edges and post heat. If I dont need to use heat why would I risk overstretching the material? I am doing this in my spare time while Im on vacation for a week. I dont need a professional. If I blow it oh well. Ive already wrapped the most difficult parts of my car with no heat at all like the "professionals" used. If you are suppose to keep heat to a bare minimum why are the "professionals" using heat to wrap a roof on a Camaro? I didnt use heat one time on my front bumper besides the edges and when I post heat this time. Every video I watch the "professionals" heat a large section and stretch it around the side. I didnt. I did what the "professionals" say and "use as little heat as possible". Kind of contradictory.

 

[formanek]

You will get a few people on here that always are negative. I got the same thing when I first started. Very few are willing to help because they feel threatened. Those that say "hire pro's" etc.... are just being jerks. We all started from no knowledge at some time. Keep asking questions and the ones that don't want to answer with true advice just ignore them.

There is A LOT of trial and error when learning. A lot of differences in materials and a lot of differences in install procedure. I have wrapped over 50 semi trailers with corrugations and rivets and have had zero failures. I asked when I first started if I should tent the material, heat and then use a rollepro to work them into the corrugations. People on this board hammered on me for asking such a dumb question and that it had to be done without tenting. Well screw them. 4 years later and millions of miles on 50 trailers with no failures. And I tented!

So, in short..... hang in there and just jump in with both feet. If you read too much on this board people will talk you out of your ideas and also make you paranoid you are doing the wrong thing and should get a job at McDonalds. Failures will show you what not to do and also make you a stronger installer.

 

[worthy1]

You will get a few people on here that always are negative. I got the same thing when I first started. Very few are willing to help because they feel threatened. Those that say "hire pro's" etc.... are just being jerks. We all started from no knowledge at some time. Keep asking questions and the ones that don't want to answer with true advice just ignore them.

There is A LOT of trial and error when learning. A lot of differences in materials and a lot of differences in install procedure. I have wrapped over 50 semi trailers with corrugations and rivets and have had zero failures. I asked when I first started if I should tent the material, heat and then use a rollepro to work them into the corrugations. People on this board hammered on me for asking such a dumb question and that it had to be done without tenting. Well screw them. 4 years later and millions of miles on 50 trailers with no failures. And I tented!

So, in short..... hang in there and just jump in with both feet. If you read too much on this board people will talk you out of your ideas and also make you paranoid you are doing the wrong thing and should get a job at McDonalds. Failures will show you what not to do and also make you a stronger installer.

Have to disagree with you here. I don't like when people are negative and do not provide advice either, however, if it is something that someone is looking to do spare time then this is not my understanding of the forum. All for up and comers learning if they are looking at it for a profession but the line has to be drawn somewhere. With Vinyl available everywhere (ebay, Auto stores etc) then this allows for anyone to do it if they wish. Is there a problem with that? No of course not but it doesn't mean the forum is setup for each one of those people that need advice on how to wrap.

You have to also understand that in some parts vehicle wrapping is still fragile, meaning that there are a lot of misconception of how the end result looks. My area is a perfect example, if there are cars driving round with lifting edges, bubbles, incorrect corners then it hurts us all that are serious about it and consider it an art form. an 'if I blow it, oh well' attitude does not protect our art form. How can you not see how that makes people 'feel threatened' or 'paranoid'. They aren't threatened about you taking their business, they are threatened about the customers that are turned away from the art by seeing a sub par job. Those that want to make a living off it wouldn't let their work drive around sub par either so yes it is justified.

Now you seem to be making a living of it with your trailers (and assume other work) so I would have been helpful but surely you agree that helping every person looking to wrap their car in their spare time with an attitude of not caring if they do a bad job isn't the right thing for any profession. The issue is you yourself didn't take the advice of professionals, sure the bashing may not have been warranted, but by the sounds of it someone did offer advice and you chose to ignore it, so why get on a forum and ask a question? Not every way is the right way, sure, but a lot of the time you cant fault and should listen to someone with years of experience, after all that is why you asked the question on the forum isn't it? If someone got on here and said I can wrap a whole side of the car with a long piece of vinyl and trim in between the doors and I said this is the incorrect way to wrap, each panel should be wrapped individually for a superior finish and they chose not to listen but then said 'well screw them' I haven't had a failure then unfortunately it makes that person look silly that you actually believe your way is the way it should be done because it didn't fail.

Again I don't usually get into 'being a jerk' and I was helpful to begin with and provided all the info to answer his question only for him to continue asking the same questions so why would I continue to help? Agree some people can not get to training courses but ones that have no interest in doing so and think they can learn from videos is a different story. I can tell you if you did training with actual professionals (somehow I think every video he is watching he classes as professionals) then you would attend classes that don't use heat for these areas and offer the same information as I did above.

Maybe have a think about why people 'feel threatened' and offer the advice of a pro before you bash them. If I go on an electrical forum and look for help on how to wire my house, a spray paint forum and ask for help on how to spray my car as I don't understand some things in youtube videos, a mechanics forum because I want to build my own engine in my spare time etc etc then I expect them all to tell me to take it to a professional.

/rant

Now my advice above was given to help and offer advice where I can with my experience as a wrapper, if it was not listened to then I obviously am not going to continue to offer advice to that person. I don't get into making someone feel dumb or bash them for asking a question but again have a think about why people do, sure they may not go about it the right way but there are reasons....

 

[HulkSmash]

You will get a few people on here that always are negative. I got the same thing when I first started. Very few are willing to help because they feel threatened. Those that say "hire pro's" etc.... are just being jerks. We all started from no knowledge at some time. Keep asking questions and the ones that don't want to answer with true advice just ignore them.

There is A LOT of trial and error when learning. A lot of differences in materials and a lot of differences in install procedure. I have wrapped over 50 semi trailers with corrugations and rivets and have had zero failures. I asked when I first started if I should tent the material, heat and then use a rollepro to work them into the corrugations. People on this board hammered on me for asking such a dumb question and that it had to be done without tenting. Well screw them. 4 years later and millions of miles on 50 trailers with no failures. And I tented!

So, in short..... hang in there and just jump in with both feet. If you read too much on this board people will talk you out of your ideas and also make you paranoid you are doing the wrong thing and should get a job at McDonalds. Failures will show you what not to do and also make you a stronger installer.

There's a difference between trying to start a business, and completely avoiding using a business to do it yourself, and never wanting to get into this field.

 

[formanek]

Have to disagree with you here. I don't like when people are negative and do not provide advice either, however, if it is something that someone is looking to do spare time then this is not my understanding of the forum. All for up and comers learning if they are looking at it for a profession but the line has to be drawn somewhere. With Vinyl available everywhere (ebay, Auto stores etc) then this allows for anyone to do it if they wish. Is there a problem with that? No of course not but it doesn't mean the forum is setup for each one of those people that need advice on how to wrap.

You have to also understand that in some parts vehicle wrapping is still fragile, meaning that there are a lot of misconception of how the end result looks. My area is a perfect example, if there are cars driving round with lifting edges, bubbles, incorrect corners then it hurts us all that are serious about it and consider it an art form. an 'if I blow it, oh well' attitude does not protect our art form. How can you not see how that makes people 'feel threatened' or 'paranoid'. They aren't threatened about you taking their business, they are threatened about the customers that are turned away from the art by seeing a sub par job. Those that want to make a living off it wouldn't let their work drive around sub par either so yes it is justified.

Now you seem to be making a living of it with your trailers (and assume other work) so I would have been helpful but surely you agree that helping every person looking to wrap their car in their spare time with an attitude of not caring if they do a bad job isn't the right thing for any profession. The issue is you yourself didn't take the advice of professionals, sure the bashing may not have been warranted, but by the sounds of it someone did offer advice and you chose to ignore it, so why get on a forum and ask a question? Not every way is the right way, sure, but a lot of the time you cant fault and should listen to someone with years of experience, after all that is why you asked the question on the forum isn't it? If someone got on here and said I can wrap a whole side of the car with a long piece of vinyl and trim in between the doors and I said this is the incorrect way to wrap, each panel should be wrapped individually for a superior finish and they chose not to listen but then said 'well screw them' I haven't had a failure then unfortunately it makes that person look silly that you actually believe your way is the way it should be done because it didn't fail.

Again I don't usually get into 'being a jerk' and I was helpful to begin with and provided all the info to answer his question only for him to continue asking the same questions so why would I continue to help? Agree some people can not get to training courses but ones that have no interest in doing so and think they can learn from videos is a different story. I can tell you if you did training with actual professionals (somehow I think every video he is watching he classes as professionals) then you would attend classes that don't use heat for these areas and offer the same information as I did above.

Maybe have a think about why people 'feel threatened' and offer the advice of a pro before you bash them. If I go on an electrical forum and look for help on how to wire my house, a spray paint forum and ask for help on how to spray my car as I don't understand some things in youtube videos, a mechanics forum because I want to build my own engine in my spare time etc etc then I expect them all to tell me to take it to a professional.

/rant

Now my advice above was given to help and offer advice where I can with my experience as a wrapper, if it was not listened to then I obviously am not going to continue to offer advice to that person. I don't get into making someone feel dumb or bash them for asking a question but again have a think about why people do, sure they may not go about it the right way but there are reasons....

----------------------

I am at a loss. Someone asked a simple question. It shouldn't matter what they are asking it for. If they are other factors I don't know it. I simply said that on this forum people like to not give advice as they feel threatened and you jump down my throat for trying to help. The exact reason I have stayed away. Give some advice and an opinion and get crapped on. I have asked questions on this forum when I started and got some good advice from some and then others that said stay out of the business. It's like a pissing contest and I don't care to pee in the wind. The poor guy just asked a question.

Screw it.... I am done trying to make sense because what your long rant did was just show the exact thing I don't like about this forum. Bash me all you want. I am a one man shop in Central MN and the way I don't worry about helping others out is by knowing that if someone else does a crappy job on a wrap and others see my quality work it is better for me. KCCO my friend.

 

[formanek]

There's a difference between trying to start a business, and completely avoiding using a business to do it yourself, and never wanting to get into this field.

You must not change your own oil then since others do that for a living. Who cares if he/she doesn't want to get into the field?! A forum says nothing about full time business of wraps people only.

 

[worthy1]

----------------------

I am at a loss. Someone asked a simple question. It shouldn't matter what they are asking it for. If they are other factors I don't know it. I simply said that on this forum people like to not give advice as they feel threatened and you jump down my throat for trying to help. The exact reason I have stayed away. Give some advice and an opinion and get crapped on. I have asked questions on this forum when I started and got some good advice from some and then others that said stay out of the business. It's like a pissing contest and I don't care to pee in the wind. The poor guy just asked a question.

Screw it.... I am done trying to make sense because what your long rant did was just show the exact thing I don't like about this forum. Bash me all you want. I am a one man shop in Central MN and the way I don't worry about helping others out is by knowing that if someone else does a crappy job on a wrap and others see my quality work it is better for me. KCCO my friend.

You obviously missed the point. Like I said you need to think why people get their back ups. As you can clearly see I answered the guys question quite simply as I like to help where I can. Will I spend all my time helping anyone that wants to get a roll of vinyl to give it a go? No. will I help up and coming new businesses/wrappers that are looking to take it seriously? YES.

I actual cant see anywhere in your post that you helped answer the guys question (like I did). Instead you chose to bash someone else for their comments, contradict much?

Nothing wrong with people changing their oil, trying wrapping doing anything but as I stated in the 'long rant' was you cant expect to get on a forum for those that do it for a living (purpose of this forum) and ask questions. So yes I will change my oil but im not going to ask mechanics how its done, again you failed to see that point.

If you look at all my posts I have never 'bashed' anyone and have only help. I to get frustrated when people wont help those actually looking to get in a profession but I do stand by them when people aren't. Simple....

 

[SightLine]

You must not change your own oil then since others do that for a living. Who cares if he/she doesn't want to get into the field?! A forum says nothing about full time business of wraps people only.

Yes but do not forget that the premise of this site is for those in, entering into, or teaching this business. This forum is NOT for do it yourselfers that just want to save a buck and bypass the businesses who do this for a living and who have no intention of being in this business.

On the registration page to create an account here - things like business name are required because it helps Fred weed out those. Also on the registration page....

"Signs 101 welcomes sign industry professionals and those who want to be. Please check the answer that best applies to you. If you have no interest in sign making as a profession, please do not register. This is a private information entry which is required for registration approval but that is not displayed and not shared. Incomplete or false answers will result in rejection of your registration."


It sounds as though this part applies here..... "If you have no interest in sign making as a profession, please do not register."