Questions about Rollepro application (with pictures)

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I just tried out the Rollepro on a trailer with rivets. The thing seems to work great but it does not seal the rivet down absolutely all the way. I can't find close up pictures anywhere so I took some. Am I doing this right?

Are the rivets pictured installed as well as the Rollepro can do it? I can go around each rivet with a squeegee and get them sealed right down but I'm wondering if that is what everyone does. No one does it in the Rollepro videos and it it isn't mentioned in any instructions I can find. Should I just leave them as the Rollepro does them?

I have yet to see a trailer here that the rivets have not tented.

The first picture is of the deformed vinyl that I peeled off a rivet. It looks like it has taken a pretty good "set" to me. What do you pros think?

Adrian

 

[strypguy]

You may need more heat? I had the same problem and then did some testing on different rivets. On some it took a lot of heat to get it right. I almost thought I was going to melt the vinyl at one point. So I'd say take some scrap vinyl and do some tests around the rivets first to get an idea of how much heat it will take to seal it properly.John

 

[signmeup]

These were practice runs John. I think I got it pretty hot but the trailer was cold. I can't get the trailer or the shop much warmer than 60 degrees. It's the customers shop and they just don't heat these places very well. I suspect it would work a little better in the summer. Not an option unfortunately.

Do you have or know of any close up pictures of the rivets done by a Rollepro? I can't fathom how a company could sell a product for doing rivets and not show a close in shot of the magic tool doing it's magic. Baffling.

Adrian

 

[signmeup]

So does it seal down better for you? Maybe the vinyl makes a difference. This was General Formulations 230 film and 231 lam.

Adrian

 

[Bly]

That stuff is calendared. You're doing well to get it down that far.

 

[Suz]

Glad you posted this, it's helpful for me as I have a "situation" to fix on a vinyl tail number applied to am Airplane.
I do quite a few of these, but this one had a lot of rivets (they were small rivets but lots of them) that I thought may cause issues and told the Customer before I did the job, that I would rather use cast vinyl. Told them it was more expensive, but they chose the cheaper vinyl, calendered. What I'll likely do is re-install it for free, but have the Customer pay the extra cost for the better vinyl. In fact, they will have to just pay the vinyl price, I'd charge them my price and throw in the labor. But lesson learned, I won't do this again in calendered if I feel cast is a better choice.

At first, I did use a heat gun to apply and it looked good. But a couple weeks later, noticed it was lifting.

Let us know what you decide to do. Hope it works out.

 

[signmeup]

I plan to go around each rivet with the squeegee and post heat them. I found it stuck them down tight and I didn't need to poke a hole. The Rollepro makes getting the graphic on pretty quick.

Adrian

 

[gabagoo]

I find the cheap Avery squeegees work best for rivets as unlike the nylon versions, they wear away from pressure instead of resisting it and ripping the vinyl.... just my 2 cents