Not liking this idea

[deegrafix]

A high profile corporate client is having some specialty trucks built by two vehicle builders who are basically competing with each other and the winner will be building several trucks for the client and the contract will go into the millions for my client. My client is one of the builders. The truck will be full graphics. They have had wraps before and say that they don't trust those that transport and use the trucks to take care of them and they have ruined wraps. Because of that they wanted a six color paint job, base/clear with no vinyl and we so quoted, working with a painter and spray masks.

Now they want to paint a base coat and wrap the truck in vinyl and clear coat with automotive clear. My immediate thought is that this is not a good idea. Pretty sure 3M will not advise it but I'll research it. There are multiple doors, but it is flat sided. No curves or rivets. I'm sure they are thinking it will be extra protection but I worry that the clear will not do well over the lam on the vinyl.

Has anyone done any testing on clearing 3MIJ180CV3 with 8508 lam? Any thought will be appreciated.

Dee

 

[Circleville Signs]

Vinyl/lam expand and contract with temperature fluctuations. Do the math...

 

[deegrafix]

Seems like this idea will never die. Seems like every other month I have to talk someone out of it so I started wondering if any professionals actually do it.

 

[S'N'S]

I haven't done it with printed vinyl but I made a test piece with all types of plotter vinyl (even cheap stuff) clear coated with 2k and surprisingly it all held up good. I expected the cheap crap to at least peel a bit or fry and wrinkle, but no it's all perfect. I would suggest doing test print and apply to similar substrate as the truck and clearcoat...chuck it out in the direct sun and see how it goes, obviously they will take awhile before these trucks are ready.

 

[deegrafix]

My biggest worry is that with the vinyl expanding and contracting and the heavy truck flexing that the clear coat will crack and peel. I can start a test piece but they want to establish a method and cost now.

 

[rjssigns]

I've done what you describe on a small scale. Motorcycle tank/fender graphics that get printed then "buried" in automotive clear coat. No reported issues.

What is the timeline to have graphics on the fleet? If you have 4 to 6 weeks you could do 2 large test panels and fix one to the shop roof facing South by South-West. Set the other panel inside and use as a reference.

 

[visual800]

We have done it on a large scale. Ill clear anything and from what Ive seen, it will be fine. However I do think that it is stupid to clear over a wrap on a vehicle. That vehicle will worthless to anyone else if they trade it or sell it...I wouldnt advise it. I also dont see a need to clearcoat over laminated prints....makes no sense

 

[deegrafix]

It's hard to understand how a company this big doesn't know more about signs and graphics. I am having to communicate through an intermediary from the coach company, who is fairly new there and doesn't have a good grasp of methods either. Has anyone else noticed that people now want to call all graphics "wraps"? I had to spend some time this morning explaining what HP vinyl was, wrap vinyl, contour cut digital prints, backlit vinyl, etc., how each method is chosen and why it is finished when I'm done and does not require further protection like clearcoat. I asked him if I could write the description of what we intend to do for the corporate client but he says he will do it. Geez.

It will not be a wrap, but a combination of contour cut prints and cut vinyl on a 2 color paint job. At least I hope so....


Thanks for the responses confirming that I am not crazy. Well, not that crazy anyway. At least it's not as bad as explaining to a customer why we would not use a level to mark a Ford van.

dee

 

[Pat Whatley]

So you wrap them and the shipping company screws up the wrap....the shipping company pays to have it repaired just like they'd do if they bent a fender or broke a window. Why is this even an issue?

 

[autoexebat]

I know people who have wrapped full bikes and used a clear with no issues at all , the job actually came out flawless .

 

[deegrafix]

They've switched gears on the project again so I probably won't have to do it.

If I were to clear a vinyl wrap, wouldn't I have to put on several coats on to keep the edges down? I've seen it done on motorcycles and car hoods, but not a 10' tall, 30' truck wrap with seams. Also, I'm assuming an automotive clear done by a professional painter?

There seems to be two camps on this one: "Absolutely not" and "Go for it". lol. Now I'm just curious.


dee