How to wrap with chrome film?

[biggmann]

I am not new to doing vehicle wraps, I have been doing it for many years and can wrap just about anything but this one is throwing me for a loop. I am trying my first chrome wrap. I have a 2005 Mini Cooper to wrap and I am trying the chrome wrap from Vivvid Vinyl. Its not like regular film that you can heat and stretch around corners but I know its been done there are tons of finished pictures all over the internet. I am trying to wrap the rear quarter panel and there is a lot of curve not only that wraps around but also tapers up so no mater what you are left with a bunch of excess vinyl so I dont know how to get rid of that. regular vinyl I can heat and pull in a triangle and get rid of it. Is there a special technique for this film or tricks to use, any advice is helpful I dont want to give up on this one.

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

Yes. There are special techniques for wrapping with chrome.
No, you aren't likely to learn how to do it by reading in here.
I suggest watching videos, practicing on curves, or taking a hands-on advanced wrapping class that incorporates chrome wrapping.
"Never Stop Learning" (wink wink)

 

[Bosh]

Yeah, chrome is completely different- with a steep and expensive learning curve. I second Kentucky wraps advice about those videos. Beyond that. . .

- Not sure about Vivid materials, but most of those great-looking chrome wraps are Avery conform chrome. I've heard good things about Hexis as well, but never used it.

-That usually simple corner that you can do by yourself with regular wrap film will take 2-3 good installers. I've watched one of the world's most recognizable installers (yeah that one) screw-up a chrome bumper because he was relying on (2) helpful volunteers who didn't help just right. It's a coordinated effort, and just getting "a hand" from someone might not cut it.

-Heating is not cheating with chrome- heat first, last, and always. Low, even heat (IR heaters are best). That's one person's whole job.

-You can't treat the "flat" areas and the "curves" separately- the whole panel needs to be warm and under tension from the start.

-Remove hardware that you normally wouldn't bother with.

Good luck. I've done a bit of wrapping with chrome, and am never completely satisfied. Now my boss wants to wrap his car in matte-laminated printed chrome. Just got the materials in. I've wrapped that car a half-dozen times flawlessly, but I'm not sure if I can actually pull it off in matte chrome.

 

[HDvinyl]

This isn't a quarter panel, but this is a nice visual.

http://sdgmag.com/training/chrome-license-plate-area

 

[MikePro]

awesome tips! I most definitely wish I were an octopus while wrapping-chrome.
heat heat heat & I'm a big fan of "pre-stretching" my vinyl & starting on high points of the curve, allowing the vinyl to shrink-back to its original size (using more heat) as you travel outward/downward. you don't want any of your trimmed-edges to have been stretched/smooshed before cutting... as they WILL curl-back on you over time. lift, heat/shrink, smooth, & THEN trim/finish, always post-heating to be certain you got it all down good. (I've had issues with chrome film & rushed applications, any air that might still be trapped under the vinyl WILL cook in the sun and expand to giant un-fixable blisters.)

youtube is your friend, as well as taking any chance you can to see a sign show where most chrome film manufacturers are demo'ing live installations all day long.