Installing long stripes on box truck

[ScottyAdams]

Hey Guys,

Im doing some graphics on a big moving box truck 26' long. The customer wants two stripes going down the side of the box truck (red and black). The stripes are about 7 inches tall by about 20'. I have them cut and app taped already. Any suggestions or techniques on how to best install these. Ive never installed something this long and continuous and dont want it to be crooked after getting it on the truck. Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks so much!

 

[Drip Dry]

Maybe you can snap a chalk line and put the stripe down wet. Would have been better not to mask it

 

[GAC05]

I'd lay out some tick mark guides with a grease pencil every 3 or 4 feet, roll the stripe, set one end and then work it down the side using the guides to keep it on track. Pull the backing off a few feet at a time and use it to keep the stripe off the side until you hit it with the squeegee. If you run into rivets just block over them like they are not there, then go back remove the mask and work the vinyl down around them.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[CSOCSO]

there are a few methods.
You can tape it up every few feet and make marks with china markers. Then tape across at 5'. peel it back. install the first 5' only. Then roll up the other 15' and only peel a few feet off at a time and follow your marks.
The other way is:

tape it up every few feet and then tape the whole top of it down horizontally. Like put half of the tape on the vinyl and the other half will be on the truck. Make sure its straight and then lift the bottom of the graphics peel the tape and install. You will need a few people to do it this way but it would be never crooked this way.

I would do the first one to be hones with you.

 

[Jillbeans]

I would have used a chalk line, then tightened that up with some Staedler pencil marks about every 18".
Then taped the edge with fine line tape, burnished well, then went over the fine line with good masking tape, then rolled the color on using Ronan's Speednamel.
Hit any bubbles with a 1" Foamie then carefully peel off the tape.
Love....Jill

 

[SIGNTIME]

you could also cut your graphic into pieces the size of the aluminium panels that make up the box on the truck where you would have to cut anyways make it a little easier for one person to install just means more measuring

 

[rjssigns]

visible line laser?

 

[Gino]

Get a second pair of hands..... anyone, they don't have to be a trained vinyl-layer -downer. They just have to hold it steady at the other end and presto, you'll have your stripe down in about 15 minutes.

On that size, we generally put a 6" or 8" piece of application tape at the two far ends and lay it on. Squeegee down and BA-dum-bum.

 

[ScottyAdams]

Awesome....some great tips here. Thanks guys. think i might try a combo of some of these and see what works. Thanks again.

 

[SIGNTIME]

vinyl-layer -downer

haha so that's what I tell people who ask what I do for a living

 

[Gino]

haha so that's what I tell people who ask what I do for a living

No, that's a high tech term. Usually, we call them monkeys.

 

[Drip Dry]

"Vinyl Jockey" here

 

[johnnysigns]

snap a line, do them dry, tack it taught every 4 -6 ft and plow right through these.

 

[westpointsigns]

Mask it an inch over top and bottom if you can.
Tape it up perfectly flat. (Tack Tape it about every 4-5 feet)
Top hinge it and use the extra inch of app tape to hold it in place while removing the release liner.
I would apply it wet and squeegee it from top down starting in the middle because any run that length will probably want to tunnel somewhere along the line.

Depending on placement I don't use Grease Pencils or chalk lines. I use a 24" clear quilting square.

Take your time and it'll turn out good.

 

[DizzyMarkus]

Usae small 2" pieces of tape as guides-- run them down the side of the truck and apply to the tape :0)

Markus

 

[visual800]

We always use pinstriping masking tape and hinge the stripe or apply wet and slide down to the tape. It's green tape available at body shops. 1/4 thick