Box Truck Vinyl....

[bendeane]

I am wrapping our company box truck. It's a pretty standard box with the big fat rubber rivets through the center horizontally (about 8 per side) mounted on an E350 chassis. I don't think I need IJ180 for this job. The owners want to standardize to all 3m vinyl with vehicles. IJ40 gives me the air egress I need, but wouldn't work for the cab with it's curves. Is there a 3M product comparable to say General Formulations AutoMark that would work well for this? Also, IJ160 is an option. It's a calendared vinyl that, according to Fellers' 2012 catalog, should be laminated with 8518, which is cast...

Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[jfiscus]

I would use the 180 if you are wrapping the rivets (primer94), if you are not wrapping the rivets, then you could use a lesser grade of vinyl (like the IJ40) for the box, and then use 180 for the cab.

As long as you put notes in the files about what material was used on what vehicle, I can't see what the big deal is to the owner. It may even be beneficial to wrap everything with different vinyls to test the longevity of each product.

 

[FatCat]

For me, IJ-180 on everything vehicle wise. UNLESS the stipulation is made that it is for a very short term or specialty promotion period and will then be removed. Honestly, using IJ-40 with a cast lam like 8518 might save you $100-$200 on a big box truck. Not worth it in the long run.

 

[signswi]

Oracal 3551-RA with 290G cast overlam is used a lot for box trucks.

 

[boxerbay]

the material you use depends on what you've sold the client and what he is expecting.

 

[AdamLarson]

Thanks for everyone’s responses. The only thing I would add, as a product marketer at 3M, is a comment towards using cast films with calendered films ("Also, IJ160 is an option. It's a calendared vinyl that, according to Fellers' 2012 catalog, should be laminated with 8518, which is cast…").

The issue with using calendered substrates with cast substrates isn't that they won't work together, but rather that the combination will always perform like the weakest component (the calendered film). This means you over spent on the premium cast substrate and should have just used two calendered parts or you were not happy with the performance, you should have purchased to cast films. Hope that makes sense.

Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. Good luck with your box truck, hope everyone is having a great day.

Adam Larson
3M Commercial Graphics Marketing
ajlarson@mmm.com; 651.733.9259

 

[HulkSmash]

Thanks for everyone’s responses. The only thing I would add, as a product marketer at 3M, is a comment towards using cast films with calendered films ("Also, IJ160 is an option. It's a calendared vinyl that, according to Fellers' 2012 catalog, should be laminated with 8518, which is cast…").

The issue with using calendered substrates with cast substrates isn't that they won't work together, but rather that the combination will always perform like the weakest component (the calendered film). This means you over spent on the premium cast substrate and should have just used two calendered parts or you were not happy with the performance, you should have purchased to cast films. Hope that makes sense.

Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. Good luck with your box truck, hope everyone is having a great day.

Adam Larson
3M Commercial Graphics Marketing
ajlarson@mmm.com; 651.733.9259

Good point. Just use ij180, it's the best stuff for the job... especially if it's meant to represent your company...