Oracal 651 for trailers

[strypguy]

I learned the hard way as many others have using calendered when cast is the right choice. Use cast vinyl!! Or offer a very short warranty.

John

 

[OlsonSigns601]

I agree, if you would have cut that, it wouldn't be failing today.

But what I was talking about was if you look at the upper right of where the / meets the l. Over time, this is the only problem I've seen with 651 on vehicles. It tends to crack/rip at intersections. Its on the majority of the vehicles we did in 651 but we are talking 4 years later.

 

[Gino]

How is that cheaper or quicker than putting down a 36" wide strip of 751 cast?

Material cost - 36" x 16' x 2 pcs - about $50 or so ??
Time to install - about an hour TOPS

With a conservative shop rate of $60 an hour, painting it like you said would cost $170, vinyl would cost about $110, plus it can be removed in the future much easier if the customer decides to sell the trailer.

Okay. You want it right out here where all your friends can see this.

751 - 48" - 10 yard roll is $130 or so.
You need two rolls.... one black & one white for $260.

You now have to cut it down to 36" leaving a lota waste.
Now it's cut and for the most part, cast will have application tape on it. Add in whatever you think 40" x 35' of tape is gonna cost to it.
Prep your sides then rub down with alcohol.
Make your tick marks at 36" and put the first side down.
Do all of this all over again.

Are you gonna have any bubbles using cast ?? Probably.

Now cut out your white copy, weed it, tape it, line it off and apply it.

You're gonna have over $300 in it with materials alone, plus your prep time, application time and the lettering time which will be the same on vinyl or paint. You're really gonna just about max out his $500 budget.

My way will involve less then $50 in supplies for black and maybe $145 for the white copy portion. A whole lot less and maybe two hours tops in making it all black and completely bubble-free and actually last probably easily up to 10 years.

Your theory is wrong because you're using shop costs and then hourly retail costs. The OP wants HIS costs.

So it's less then $250 for mine, while yours will be around $400 to $450. Double my method for a trailer that is old and beat up as described. Why worry about resale on old equipment ??

 

[aerial]

Gino, you have a point. If I have to choose between cast and paint, I would opt for paint.

 

[visual800]

I got a cheaper method tell him you cant do it

 

[TXFB.INS]

have countless vehicles trailers in Texas heat with 651 that are doing fine,

yes it is not the best material, that is cast, it does it's job better than others in its class.

 

[Jillbeans]

Paint would also be my first choice.
You said it's an older trailer.
It is so much less costly and it's faster for me than d!cking around with vynull and bubbles/wrinkles.
Use Ronan Bulletin enamel, then wait a few days and apply your white cast lettering.
Love....Jill

 

[ICeMAnAbk]

Gino is right, paint is a good option too. The only thing that would suck is the prep time. good scuffing of the surface (we're talking, 3ft x 16ft for 2 sides, plus probably 3x5ft for the back, right?) Will take some time to get that scuffed. Anyone that's painted anything knows, you don't scuff it good, that stuff will be ripped off after applying tape to it.

Im looking at it this way. From how you describe this 16ft trailer, it's a POS, the guy wants to get 5yrs max out of it til he throws it in the scrap yard. So, already, it probably doesn't look the greatest. You could put cast on it, sure. The vinyl will outlast the trailer. 651, will outlast that trailer. Cut where it intersects on the metal, do a good appication, be done with it. I wouldn't waste a lot of time on this job, and just get it done. It's probably 4ft wide sections of metal, giving you 4 panels, so cut a few 52" and cut em off inbetween panels to make it easier to deal with. Slap some letters on that and kick it out the door.

I know calandered vinyl isn't the best for vehicles, but people look... don't compare wrapping a ford explorer or a dodge ram 1500 to a flat, no rivet trailer. There is no possible stretching here, no dips or bows in the bodyline to worry about. If you're affraid to letter a flat surface with 651, are you telling me you letter flat aluminum signs with 751 cast vinyl? It's flat, easy as it gets. Don't get crazy, just get it done. 651 or paint. I'd do 651 though. scuffing up a total area of around 37ft by 3ft, even with a 600grit orbital is going to take a little bit of time. Plus dry time. Or, just apply about 13yards of 3ft vinyl.

 

[wildside]

Thanks Think for the pics. I was planning on cutting the vinyl at the seams to avoid bridging.

I have been on some nightmare wrap removals, mostly unlaminated bus wraps. Is it safe to say that removing cast is easier than calendared? That would be a deal breaker.

Good advise all. many thanks.

from your pic in this post, my big question has nothing to do with calendared or cast or the painting option, but why in the heck did you design a $1500 trailer layout and tell him you can do it for $500?

if you knew his budget was 500, design him a 500 dollar version.... giving the customer the design they want at a fraction of the cost is a bigger issue than the materials to use to save your butt, design cheaper instead of cutting corners to get his price

 

[OldPaint]

ok gino and jill are on the SIMPLEST, EASIEST way to get this $500 job done so YOU MAKE most of the $500, rather then give it to some vinyl supplier!!!!!!
i am assuming the trailer is ALL WHITE for this.
STEP 1.
really clean the sides of the trailer, with PURPLE POWER and water.
STEP 2.
now completely wash both sides again with AUTOMOTIVE pre-paint solvent. PREP-SOL, KLEENZ EASY. after that wash down again with at least 91% alcohol.
NOTE: these 2 steps should be done, for both paint and wrap.
STEP 3. if you got a vinyl cutter, cut all the text that will be WHITE in the black background, from oracal MASK. APPLY THEM to positions on the trailer both sides.
STEP 4. tape off where you want the black to stop all the way round. or both sides.
i have compressor/spray guns, so i would put BLACK AUTOMOTIVE ACRYLIC ENAMEL paint on this. hour later its dry!!!! if your gona roll it, KRYLON/RUSTOLEUM OIL BASED ENAMEL. will take much longer to dry.
STEP 5.
RED SECTION, strip of red vinyl.
name.......you can print it along with the diamond.
STEP 6.
after black is dry to touch, remove MASK VINYL........now you got white letters and black background DONE!!!

 

[thewood]

I use cast vinyl on vehicles...period.