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3M 1080 Color Wrap Vinyl Questions?

redprint

New Member
I am doing a color change wrap for a 2014 Camaro and never have used this type of vinyl before (3M 1080 Black Gloss Metallic). I have only printed and installed using 3M180CV3 and others. After starting the wrap job on the Camaro, I started on the back bumper and after getting finished, I am noticing that there are lines, in which I do believe are the adhesive, from pulling the vinyl up and reapplying it. You can't feel the lines or marks, it is just visual in a certain light. I am also using the Firestorm Metallic Red 1080 and it has the same type of marks/lines in it. I assume these are from the adhesive. My main concern is, will these go away eventually when the adhesive levels out? If they don't go away, then how the heck can you put this vinyl down without getting these marks/lines? I can't believe it can be done. So hopefully, someone who has used the vinyl before, can give me any information as to how to prevent these and or if they are going to go away in time. As far as I can see, the only way to prevent them, is not to stick the vinyl down and pull it back up anywhere. I also noticed that when you heat the vinyl up after installing, other lines start showing up as well. These marks have me concerned, because, in all the advertising and hoopla of color wrap changes, I keep reading that it is like paint. So far, not even close to paint when you have these marks/lines that show when installing the vinyl.

One wrap I did 4 years ago has a few areas that had small wrinkles in the vinyl, around bumper and back door. The client just brought the vehicle back to have the wrap removed. After inspecting the wrap, it was still stuck solid in every nook and cranny. Even under the wheel wells it was still stuck. Also I noticed that all the wrinkles and any problems I was concern about were all gone. So I am hoping that the black and red 1080 3M color wrap vinyl will do the same with these adhesive marks/lines that are showing. Any thoughts or experiences with color wrap vinyl would be appreciated!

Thanks All!
 

Zambookajoe

New Member
Ive installed alot of the 1080 in almost all the colors
and in my experience the mettallics react a bit different then
the other colors. I get what your saying, It should go away after
a while, but it all depends if the adhesive seperated from the vinyl
it might just be the way your putting it on, I took the 3m
classes and they really helped correct my installs.

do you have any pics
 

redprint

New Member
3M 1080 Glo

Thanks for the reply fella!

I took many photos, but couldn't get a good photo of what I am talking about, but then found one of the bumper that showed a few lines. Look at the photo with the black and you can see lines in it. I have two photos of the same lines, one is a closeup, the original is hard to see them at a small size. These are similar to all the lines/marks that have me concerned. Some are not straight like the photo, but most are. Check out the photos of what I have done so far. I also have the mirrors, door handles, spoiler wrapped.

I assume the lines was from pulling the vinyl back up, but it also does it when you don't. I proved that yesterday, as I put on the back trunk and it went on like a dream compared to the bumper, and it did have similar marks in it. I also heated an area, with a heat gun at 110 degrees max, and it caused horizontal lines where there was air that popped the vinyl back up. This has to be the adhesive. It seems that the vinyl hates heat as it does this in any area that is heated. So again I am confused. How do you post heat the areas that need it without getting these lines that show up? I still assume that these will all go away as the vinyl sits on the car for awhile and the heat and sun is exposed to it. If it doesn't, then a flawless wrap job with no marks or lines is basically impossible. I am not sure if going to a 3M wrap class would help me out, as I was trained by Rob Ivers. It was a few years ago, but I have done quite a few printed/laminated wraps on vans, cars, trailers and utility trucks. Doing a color change on a vehicle, is way different than doing a printed wrap. Especially when putting black on a silver car, in which any area showing original paint sticks out like a sore thumb. Trimming takes a lot time because of how to get it done to ensure full coverage and no wrinkles. Nothing more frustrating than when you get the vinyl applied, and then ruin it from trimming it incorrectly. But also, when you get finished and you feel you did a great job with the panel and then see the marks in it. Overall, it looks fantastic, until you start to get close up and start seeing some of the lines in it in a certain light. I hope that it is just the adhesive and it will level out over time and look just fantastic. At least I am hoping! Until I can see this car in a few months, I might not never know until then. Anyone with any information of doing a wrap with 1080 3M Color Wrap vinyl, and their experiences would be much appreciated! Thanks All!
 

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Zambookajoe

New Member
never seen marks like that before, they are really straight compared to what I get sometimes, did you for example squeegee it hard then lift it? in that spot
what kind of squeegee are you using?

did you ever try any 1080 regular gloss colours ? if so did you get any of the same marks?
 

redprint

New Member
I have not used any other colors of the 3M 1080. This the first time I have used it. I have the Black Metallic Gloss and the Firestorm Red Metallic Gloss. Both do the same exact thing. And yes, I have squeegeed some of the spots, pulled it up and squeegeed again, but like I said, it has the same marks in the vinyl that doesn't get squeegeed and pulled back up. It seems to have marks if your vinyl gets any kind of bend, while trying to position it. Any type of stress that doesn't keep the vinyl flat seems to do this also. Like if you have a large sheet and you are positioning it and it bends a little, then you see the bend in the vinyl. I can heat it up and get rid of the bend, let it cool and squeegee it down. So tell me this, do you put all the vinyl down without getting it stuck before hand, and never have any problems with compound curves, difficult angles etc? Do you never squeegee the vinyl down and then sometimes have to pull some of it back up? I really can't see how you put any vinyl down, without getting it stuck somewhere and have a wrinkle that you have to get out. Not all surfaces but the compound curves, indentations, vinyl sticking to the moldings, etc. I don't see how it is possible never to have a problem with putting the vinyl down where you are going to have some types of problems in which you will get it stuck before you want it to or it gets a little bend in it because is didn't stay flat. Also, like I said, when you heat the vinyl up after it is squeegeed, it starts to get lines in it that are very apparent. Makes me wonder how you post heat this vinyl if this is what it does when it heats up.
 

Zambookajoe

New Member
I understand what you mean, and Im not trying to second guess you
we're 2 installers here at my shop and both have the same opinion on
the mettalic black 1080, it doesnt lay down like the others and shows more
defects, but at the end of the day we have yet to have a customer complain
but I do understand if your doing a high end color change, you want it perfect

Im just curious is the firestorm transparent like the black
 

Kentucky Wraps

Kentucky Wraps
3 things it looks like:
1. I'd be willing to bet those lines correlate to the egress channel directions. If that's the case, blame it on the V3 channels trapping teeny tiny lines of air in them which you can test by using heat there and seeing if they raise.
2. Or it could be channels combining (sticking to each other).
3. Other thing it kinda looks like to me is the Metallic layer in it having "Creases" from pulling them 90 degrees then laying them back down. This happens VERY VISIBLY with Chrome and other high metallic vinyls. Nothing you can do about it once that happens. I doubt it's this though.
 

redprint

New Member
Okay! I finally figured it out! My body shop guy who removes the body parts came over and looked at the lines and immediately says, those are sand marks in the body. Apparently the car had been in an accident and was repainted on the back end. The people who repainted it, did not sand correctly I would presume, since you should have a smooth finish. The sand lines transfer thru the vinyl. I never had any other issues like this after getting the rear end finished. The front had none of these lines/marks.
 

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