Knifeless tape and combinations...

[Trip59]

Got a job coming up shortly and it would take forever to get right trying to pre-cut... basically I'll be filling in pre-striped designs with a chrome film. The original striping will be covered, but trying to match the existing with a template/cut started as a nightmare. So I decide that the knifeless tape system looks like the answer, but I have some questions;

1. As this will be adding designs/striping, it looks like the newer Designline tape would work best. The brochure recommends 2-3mil vinyl and that leads to the next question

2. I had originally planned on using Oracal 352 silver, but it's a 1mil metallized polyester, anyone know if the system will work with that and leave clean edges? I looked at Avery's Conform chrome, but at 5.7mil, I was concerned with overlaying a vinyl pinstripe (cast, pre-cut on a cutter) over the edges as the customer is scared of paint. The thickness of that is also outside the recommendation of the system.

Thoughts or advice? And as this is something newer to me, I will certainly be running a few practice pieces on my own vehicles before the install to get comfortable, just looking for a good starting point or known bad ideas to be pointed out from above

 

[Auburnpeanut]

We have used the knifeless tape on several jobs. Some very similar to what you are proposing. From my use of the tape, I do not think that it will leave as clean an edge. I have Oracal 351 chrome and the tape in stock. Just did a test piece and it cut like crap. Jagged edges and actual started to tear away from the designated line. Sort of how metallic films will start to tear along an unintended line when weeding or pulling excess away.

Peanut

 

[Trip59]

We have used the knifeless tape on several jobs. Some very similar to what you are proposing. From my use of the tape, I do not think that it will leave as clean an edge. I have Oracal 351 chrome and the tape in stock. Just did a test piece and it cut like crap. Jagged edges and actual started to tear away from the designated line. Sort of how metallic films will start to tear along an unintended line when weeding or pulling excess away.

Peanut

I think you just saved me a day of frustration and more than a couple dollars...

I know someone will mention it, but running green tape, making the cuts with a razor is not possible, the customer is too insistent that no blades are used, won't let me do it unless I promise.

I wonder if the knifeless will work ok with the Avery even though it's thicker, and I wonder what the edges would look like with a cast vinyl stripe overlaid, though I suppose I could lay down the outline color first then just trim the chrome smaller. I really wish he'd just let me gild and stripe it with paint.

 

[Auburnpeanut]

Is it over a flat surface or really contoured? do you have a picture of what you are going to be covering? I have on one occasion taken app tape and put it down onto a pretty much flat surface, traced design with a pencil or pen, pulled the tape off carefully and then laid it down onto my material. Then I trimmed all of the excess away while leaving the app tape on my material. Then I put the material onto the vehicle and pulled the app tape off. This was long before knifeless tape and was for a fairly simple design that just had to match and cover up. Think something like that would work for you?

 

[Auburnpeanut]

Any of the polyester metallized material would not cut correctly I think.

 

[Trip59]

This one is a fairing, tank, side covers and bags on a brand new HD... if it works out, there are many other opportunities in the same family for bikes, trucks, etc. I got the ask after the guy's wife asked for her bike to be pinstriped but didn't want to commit to paint, I did a combination of cut and hand applied stripes using cast, after a number of bike runs and events and no one thought it was vinyl (in fact, lots of compliments on the 'striper's steady hand') he wants more work.

Actually, I guess I didn't search enough this weekend, just came across this while eating lunch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIJzjTyg-p0 so I guess the original knifeless works ok with the chrome, and since it's mostly flat and will have an overlaid cast vinyl on the edges, I'm hoping I can avoid using AP, it'd be nice if this stayed removable.

 

[Auburnpeanut]

Good to know that the Avery chrome can be cut with it. Thanks.

 

[CES020]

I'm watching the Justin Pate videos these days and I just watched him talk about chrome and the things to consider for it. In that he mentioned that one of the knife less tapes works better for chrome than the others ones. I think there was Design Line and Finish Line and I don't recall which one he said worked better, but he did say one would give you issues with the edge not being cut clean, so it might be worth looking into.

 

[GaSouthpaw]

Any of the polyester metallized material would not cut correctly I think.

Exactly what I was thinking.

 

[Auburnpeanut]

Trip59, I want to see pictures and get your impression after you are done. I am very curious to how it went.

Peanut

 

[Trip59]

I'll definitely come back and post after the job. The owner decided to wait until after bike week, wanted to have some cash on hand, so it'll probably be a couple weeks. I may order some of the 352 as well and give it a shot, but after talking with him again, there are a couple areas he wanted to see if I could wrap instead of buying aftermarket chrome pieces, no way that 352 will do those, so I'm going go just go with Avery to do the whole thing and if the 352 DID work, might just use that for the original flat areas, but have the Avery on hand in case it goes like you tested and others suspect.

 

[tintshopplus]

Design line is definitely a better edge than Finish line. However, neither are like a knife for me on some films. Pulled off a 3m carbon fiber cut with design line pretty clean though. Especially after hitting it on the edge with some heat and a card bump. I've never fooled with chrome. However, I would order and give it a few practice runs. You'll always find use for the tape down the road even if not on this one. But from what you've said you could cover the edge in your background color or use the tape to make a butt seam. It does do that very well. There's a youtube vid on it.