Where to put seams in transit?

[SIGNTIME]

I will be wrapping a 2015 Ford Transit next week and was just trying to figure out how to go about it. I am thinking of doing a horizontal seem right at the bottom of the the "window" channels. I know most would do this with vertical seams but I think the horizontal will look better as I can do it with only a seam where the red lines are. I only do a handfull of wraps a year and have never done one of these. Please give me your opinions and tips.

Edit: 54" printer

 

[heyskull]

I agree that is probably how I would be laying this wrap.

It is typical of a lot of commercial vehicles that really their are no level straights on the vehicle and no line is parralel to the previous!

SC

 

[GAC05]

Most of the pros will tell you to go vertical but I don't see anything wrong with horizontal - especially if you can gang the left & right lower panel sections into a single run through the printer.


wayne k
guam usa

 

[SIGNTIME]

I am not worried about what line to work off of ( which would be the plastic piece going between the wheels) just wondering how everyone else would set up and install. Would you just do verticle panels or do it in a way to have the least amount of visible seams?

 

[qmr55]

Verticle

 

[jfiscus]

Put the panels vertical. Your RIP should show you which material will work best for you based upon the overall vehicle length. (48" material versus 54")
Be careful on the hood layout, Those hood vents are a lot lower than you think, we almost had to reprint the hood panel on a transit wrap last week.

Whenever possible do vertical panels.

 

[Kwiksigns]

if you go horizontal, I would do it under the red line so your seem is not on the curve so you have a flat, unstretched seam to lineup.. I also try not to wrap the plastic parts, we do sometimes, but I try to avoid it as it makes for a faster install but depends on the design, or if I design it.. I do them vertical because it uses less material and is easier to do by myself.

 

[heyskull]

I haven't looked on my vehicle outline but I reckon the rear panel is probably too wide for your average printer to print as one piece vertically.
I only print horizontally vehicle wraps if it leaves unsightly joins mid panel.
This is a pet hate of mine and maybe I am being picky but I have seen some horrific joins in wraps and they seem to stand out more on the vertical.

SC

 

[Nuagedesigns]

After seeing this video a little over a year ago we have began doing all wraps where allowable as this. You may need a few extra hands at first to get it laid out and aligned but with 2 installers tackling it with squeeges we have reduced our install times drastically on vans, trailers, and box trucks. It was scary the first time out with a large panel but the seams are near invisble now. Best of luck. Plan ahead and we have taken pictures of such vehicles as transits and blown up image on paper so we can see what we are squeegeing or rolling into such as channels and grooves. We made our own cherry weights (i.e. large bean/sand bag weights) Take your time paneling on your table and you will be amazed at the outcome.

[video=youtube;TI1nszjoRkI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI1nszjoRkI[/video]

 

[Signed Out]

After seeing this video a little over a year ago we have began doing all wraps where allowable as this. You may need a few extra hands at first to get it laid out and aligned but with 2 installers tackling it with squeeges we have reduced our install times drastically on vans, trailers, and box trucks. It was scary the first time out with a large panel but the seams are near invisble now. Best of luck. Plan ahead and we have taken pictures of such vehicles as transits and blown up image on paper so we can see what we are squeegeing or rolling into such as channels and grooves. We made our own cherry weights (i.e. large bean/sand bag weights) Take your time paneling on your table and you will be amazed at the outcome.

[video=youtube;TI1nszjoRkI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI1nszjoRkI[/video]

Wow this looks awesome. Save a ton of time and headaches trying to align panels, especially on a van where things can stretch and contour. Now if I can just convince my installer to give it a shot...

Any others out there wrapping like this?

 

[Signed Out]

So for the transit wrap, would you lay it out so you have 1 horizontal seam near the top, or 2 vertical seams. Since we'd put the seams together on a table and wrap in 1 piece, the seams will have perfect alignment. But in all of your opinions which will look better? 1 horizontal seam or 2 vertical? I think 1 horizontal. Curious what others think.

 

[jtinker]

learned something new today

 

[cooltouch]

That looks like more of a headache putting all that together than to just hang it 4 off top 4 off the side..mow and go.

 

[Kwiksigns]

I like vertical seams. NOBODY cares about seams. and if they give a fit about them, you need to properly educate your customer. I pre-seam and put down in one piece for alot of stuff

 

[CSOCSO]

Just do vertical seams. I have worked with vertical panels and horizontal panels for years. It doesn't matter on a sprinter or transit. The only thing you can do to make it look better is to print the door one piece and the fender another piece. No seams on front door or fender. We do horizontal panels or ford econoline vans or gmc vans. We print a "53 material for the top half of the cargo and a smaller 20some inch for the bottom. So the seam is on the bottom (there is a ridge across the car there) So its virtually seamless. You cannot see the seam unless I point it out to you. But on these bigger transits that take two 45 inch panels.....
You know what is the worst? If you do what they did in that geek wraps video. install the top 5-6 inches. You will have wavy edges all across. Seen that on soooo many installs.

 

[drhhgraphics]

If I was going to be installing this wrap I would like it to be horizontal with the seem at the top of the plastic break. Making it faster and easier than vertical panels.

 

[SIGNTIME]

Ended up doing verticle seams on one side we put the 4 panels together befor install and on the other side we did it one panel at a time. While the seems came out better on the one side it took almost twice as long when you figure in for 2 people. I think this technique would be just as fast if we did it a few more times and got comfortable with it.

 

[CSOCSO]

4 vertical panells + door panel + fender panel shouldn't take more than 2 hours for 1 guy. Me and someone else can knock out one of these in 4 maybe 5 hours.