Need Help Large Multi Color decal for customer, help?

[allbrite]

So, I've been here at my location for almost 4 years and I've not had this issue.
Most of the time when people come to us for vehicle vinyl they have me apply it. I have a customer whos wanting to apply their own vehicle decals. The problem is, they are large, nearly 36" long and 36" tall, so I normally, would just do registration marks and then layer them on the vehicle myself, layer by layer, color by color. But that doesn't feel right giving the customer 'parts' of the puzzle to be put together.
My issue is that since its multi color, some of these pieces are wider than the solid vinyl size is, so I don't have a solid backing piece that would catch all of the colors. The top could be all transfer tape, but the bottom is just.. bits and bobs. Is that normal? Should I give it to them in layers? How is this normally done? I'm self taught and I'm not sure how this normally would go. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Gino]

Give them the various layers and tell 'em to have fun. It will cost the same to replace any parts over again....... or I could do it for a solid price.

By the way, it's not a good idea to layer more than two layers, no more than three when using cast. Otherwise, it should be printed.

 

[allbrite]

Oh, yeah, I didn't mean they are layered on top of each other.. like layers. I meant like, each different section is a color, no outline or anything. I don't think I'm even explaining it right.
Like, colored sections I suppose would have been better wording! Sorry. And thank you for the response. That's more or less how I was hoping to approach it.

 

[Boudica]

Have someone print it. One layer.

 

[victor bogdanov]

print and apply in one piece, easy

 

[Geneva Olson]

Generally, when we provide a decal to a customer that they claim they will install, once they see it and we begin to discuss the application piece, they will pay for installation. I've learned to not assume what they can and cant do. Some people totally get how to apply graphics and other people can't put a magnet on a car door straight.

 

[donkur]

I always register the colors together before giving decals to a client. Easier for them and you (to not have to redo them). Happier client as well.

 

[GaSouthpaw]

Printing really is the best thing you can offer the DIY'er (and even then, you're liable to get an "I need another one" request blaming you because they couldn't follow directions). If you don't have print capability in house, Ms. Olson's suggestion is the next best solution.

 

[StarSign]

Have faith in your customer, their cousins husbands old babysitter who lives in NY said it's really easy to do yourself.

 

[McDonald Signs]

We make decals like that all the time using registration dots. Just cut small 3/4in circles or squares that match for each colored vinyl layer. Sometimes you have to peel
the app tape off one layer to apply the next till you get done but it's pretty easy. Also applying 2 layers of app tape has helped us with customer installs. It's a little
harder to get wrinkles with 2 layers of app tape.

 

[gnubler]

Have faith in your customer, their cousins husbands old babysitter who lives in NY said it's really easy to do yourself.

Me: Have you ever applied a decal before?
Customer: No, but my neighbor's son works on cars so he can probably help us.
Me: Okay.

I give DIY decal customer some basic printed instructions and tell them to watch a few videos on Youtube so they can actually see the process first. I think I've only had one customer call to tell me they screwed up and place a reorder. The rest either screwed up and accepted it, or were possibly successful. I bet there's a lot of truck/boat numbers out there with clear app tape still covering them.

 

[McDonald Signs]

Or just cut the matching dots on each layer and have them match the dots up for each layer while they install.
We get pretty large fleet graphics around 4ft x 10ft from companies to install on trailers and box vans and they use matching dots for each layer.