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customer wants me to strip his 5-ton truck

gabagoo

gabagoo

New Member
I did the truck about 4 or 5 years ago and now he wants it stripped before it goes back to the dealership. I am not opposed to normally doing this but his logo is a 60" x 72" pure 2ml metalic gold square with a small knockout of lettering over rivets.

On a good day 2 ml vinyl can be a beatch to get off of a vehicle but metalic can be a nightmare and I need to figure out how to get out of this. I have not accepted the job but I have done work for them for over 10 years and dont want to tick them off.

Can anyone suggest if there is a service to strip these type of graphics. I have heard high pressure washers can remove graphics but I know they can remove paint too!!

help:omg2:
 
JasperST

JasperST

New Member
Where's the problem? Tell him you don't know how long it will take and you will do it for X dollars an hour.

I don't think it will be that bad though with a propane torch, just don't burn it.
 
ProWraps

ProWraps

New Member
5 years ago with reflective vinyl. your in for a nightmare. been there done that. took several cases of 3M citrus and a high flow pressure washer to get several stripes off of mr rooter vans. it was the worst job i have had to do in this business.
 
Letterbox Mike

Letterbox Mike

New Member
Vinyl zapper. A job like this will easily justify it's purchase. We rarely remove vinyl but our vinyl zapper is one of our favorite tools.
 
ProWraps

ProWraps

New Member
i think that adhesive on the reflective would toast that vinyl zapper. steam sounds like the best route.
 
P

petrosgraphics

New Member
we use a wallpaper steamer, you can rent or buy thats up to you...

it is not that bad...... works on all types of vinyl.... there will be some residue.....

we usually charge by the hour to remove old vinyl, you can give him a price, as we all

know, it always takes longer than we think...
 
Dave Drane

Dave Drane

New Member
MBX Vinyl Zapper is my favourite tool too. There are many threads here about it, check them out by doing a search.
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
We just took two sides front and rear off a shuttle bus today with an MBX Vinyl Zapper. Half reflective and half cast vinyl. Did it in about 3-1/2 hours. Any other method would've taken a full day, probably. We did a full cop cruiser last week and it was 90% reflective..... under 4 hours.

Well worth the price.
 
Baz

Baz

New Member
Give him an honest price. Nothing wrong with that. This situation has just hapened to me a few weeks ago ... Gave my customer a price ... and ... he got a couple of his guys to strip it off ... I still have work to do for him:thumb: Guess he saw how hard a job it was.
 
Letterbox Mike

Letterbox Mike

New Member
Kottwitz-Graphics said:
+1...

Just make sure not to use it on fiberglass...
Click to expand...

Actually it works on fiberglass, you just have to be VERY careful. I stripped all the vinyl off of our boat last summer with it, worked fine. I've also stripped fiberglass box truck sides and as long as you don't use too much pressure or sit too long in one spot it won't burn the surface.
 
BobM

BobM

New Member
I bought a $50 wallpaper steamer at Home Depot. That and plastic razor blades in a good holder will make it relativily easy work. I use Rapid Remove to get the glue residue. I bill all removal by the hour. Whenever a customer balks at the "by the hour" I invite them to watch me for the first 1/2 hour. They get the point real quick.

You're charging a fair price for difficult work. The dealership is going to charge them $450 to $550 if they return the truck with the lettering on. If you take 5 hours at $70 per hour they will save money by having you do it for them.
 
Rydaddy

Rydaddy

New Member
We charge by the hour to strip (vinyl not clothing) and that is the ONLY way we do it. Those who complain about this I remind them they are welcome to strip it themselves before hand. We don't make a living stripping, but you have to do it. My .02... and, we use a MBX also, just not on everything. Most of the time a heat gun and elbow grease will beat it. If it is REALLY old, as in curling up and adhesive is starting to show... MBX all the way. We actually have both, electric and air.
 
gabagoo

gabagoo

New Member
OK I guess I should just say...I dont want to do it cause I gonna be the guy who has to do it. lol

I have the vinyl zapper, I have a steamer and torches but I have seen metalic films basically dintegrate over time and break into tiny pieces. 5feet by 7 foot pure gold logo x2 on rivets will take the zapper hours and hours.
I also dont like the idea of doing this at this time of year due to the heat and humidity that I can expect. I would much prefer to farm it out, but have no idea if such a service exists
 
sjm

sjm

New Member
gabagoo said:
OK I guess I should just say...I dont want to do it cause I gonna be the guy who has to do it. lol

I have the vinyl zapper, I have a steamer and torches but I have seen metalic films basically dintegrate over time and break into tiny pieces. 5feet by 7 foot pure gold logo x2 on rivets will take the zapper hours and hours.
I also dont like the idea of doing this at this time of year due to the heat and humidity that I can expect. I would much prefer to farm it out, but have no idea if such a service exists
Click to expand...

Hey I can hook you up with a couple of talented installers. Mind you they are in it to make a loonie.
 
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