Avoiding wrinkles over rivets

[GAC05]

What's a wrankle?

Super noisy rotary engine Mazda used in the Rx7

 

[Boudica]

Super noisy rotary engine Mazda used in the Rx7

Ooh, memory trigger... When I was 17, I had access to a Mazda rx7 for a weekend. It was my dad's, he needed my truck for the weekend, so he left me his brand new car. I got it up to 100 on a nice long stretch of road. In town - not a highway or county road. What a thrill that was! Memories I can't share with my kid. Or my dad.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Super noisy rotary engine Mazda used in the Rx7

Haha had 2, ported 13B and 13B turbo

 

[BluetailGFX]

For real rivets, The Rollie Pro is superior. For removable hex head enclosed trailer "rivets", the same Rollie Pro technique can be used, but you will still need to come back and squeegee closer into the rivet base with the hard edge. And they will still typically pop up, at least a little bit.

The Rivet Sealer 2000 is OK....... The multi needled poker plunge tool, tends to easily bend the thin needles, and then they will not retract back into the tool. But the circle press plastic dies for the end of a heat gun work pretty well. Just not as fast as the Rollie Pro technique.

If you are getting wrinkles, then you are concentrating too much on actually applying over the rivets. Squeegee like they are not even there, then come back, poke, heat, press, then seal around with the hard edge of the squeegee.
Or do the Rollie Pro technique and avoid them completely on first application.

 

[gnubler]

Am I the only newbie reluctant to use a torch? So far I've done okay with heat guns.

 

[WhiskeyDreamer]

i dont think i've seen anyone mention it yet, but are you using the correct material? intermediate vinyls aren't great for sealing around rivets.

 

[johnnysigns]

I bee decaling Fleets for 31 plus years.
Rivits? Yeah by the millions and millions
The Needle thingie is called a Leather stitching Tool. eBay



This is the drill 52"w drops with your squeeg you are simply ignoring the rivets, ok
Just get moving and after 3-4' Narrow the air pockets, If trans tape; start bringing it on down.
Now hit hit the 3- 4' run of rivets with the stitching tool. twice for good measure.
Now you whip out the Propane torch and heat up an 18" run to start with.
Now the Rolle Pro, Slick, you are DONE, reheat the run to temper vinyl and adhesive.

Yeah some times you get a wrankle that is stubborn, do not over work it
3m will typically relax and release the wrinkle within 60 days.

Thats

You jump on a 53' trailer or 24 -28' straight truck with riveted panels
and dont use a Rolle Pro. Not on my time clock.

Lets examine the lower horizontal row of rivets at the bottom and the vertical at each end.
Of course this is wher you get the wrinkles

Just work it with the same method as above. The Rolle Pro resolves that issue.
Yeah there is the occasional wrankle but just hit that with the felt side of your squeeg. Re heat
and address Trim the excess. Done

The Rolle is the best invention. ever. I rarely use the brush,,,yes of course I have a brush
but the velcro side of the squeeg is much faster, because why? The Rolle Pro

Buy Two Rolle Pros per Installer on your Crew. Why??? Back Up is why.
These Rolle Pros pay for themselfs on the first day. The time savings is Massive and no F N Way
do you not have back up.

If you have any doubt and you doing Fleet installs, just buy it,, and you do not have to thank me later.
I have worked on way more than 20,000 trucks over the past 30 plus years, Of course I have hired help.

These things are $60 each Amazon or eBay

Your Propane torch is the trigger ignite and the cylinder is the short fat green one
Get both at Home depot and the Nylon Tool Pouches are great.

You set yourself up for speed and efficiency because time is money.
This is the correct way to spend your hard earned Money.

I left fleet work before the rollepro came out, but this is excellent advise. We were still doing rivet brushes for the rivet lines, but I'm sure the rollepro has saved countless rotator cuff surgeries that many fleet installers were facing.

 

[bcxprint420]

I'm having a hard time getting vinyl to lay down without wrinkling over rivets. I have a few trailer jobs in the queue, so I made a small panel to practice on using carriage bolts drilled through ACM. I've watched every video on Youtube and understand the technique, but have yet to get any of my test vinyl to lay down wrinkle-free. Tried it with printed/laminated IJ180 and 3M 7125 black film, both premasked with 4075RLA vs not premasked. Fail. Tried different squeegees. Fail. Tried using a RollePro. Fail. Can't seem to get past a rivet without major wrinkles forming that won't work out.

If its torx screws they are usually loose already so i go thru and remove them one row at a time drop the vinyl set it and screw them back in not tightening too much or it will pull the vinyl causing a wrinkle. Gives the trailer an original look since everyone wraps over them. Reoving the wrap unscrew then first and makes the job easier so the wrap doesnt tear at every screw.

 

[Retro Graphics]

If its torx screws they are usually loose already so i go thru and remove them one row at a time drop the vinyl set it and screw them back in not tightening too much or it will pull the vinyl causing a wrinkle. Gives the trailer an original look since everyone wraps over them. Reoving the wrap unscrew then first and makes the job easier so the wrap doesnt tear at every screw.

or wrap over them and use a leather punch tool that is the same size as the rivet and cut the vinyl out perfectly.

 

[gnubler]

Just a thought. Are your carriage bolts realistically spaced apart, or did you cram as many in the test piece as you could? For those toy hauler trailers, you're only looking at one screw head every 8"-12", which gives you plenty of room to lightly tack around and work around the screw without a different screw screwing it all up.

That's a good point, my test piece just had a few carriage bolts at random spacing. I'm doing another trailer today, real life practice is probably the best way to learn.

What about doing wraps on aircraft that have hundreds/thousands of rivets? Doesn't sound like a good time.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Go find a school bus and offer to wrap it for free so you can get some practice.