Wrap material alternatives (the saga continues July 2022)

[Notarealsignguy]

There used to be, and maybe still is, a 3951 that is neither Rapid Air not ProSlide - that might be the one you used years ago. We have used both 3751RA and 3951RA and can tell no difference between those. Neither is what we use to actually wrap a vehicle - for that we would use Arlon SLX plus. I would be willing to use 3951 ProSlide, but haven't done a full wrap in a while so fully in stock with the Arlon. We use 290 and like it much better than 3Ms 8418 and better than 8518 too.

Just curious, why do you prefer 290 over 8518?

 

[Stacey K]

Do you think its a faster install than 1180 or the equivalent? Do you wrap a lot of vehicles?

I'm not really a wrapper, mostly just flat trailers and partial vehicle wraps - nothing with complicated curves. We had a wind advisory yesterday and I had panels 8' x 4' and one corner got out of control and sticky side to sticky side, came apart with no stretching or issues. It was also quite removeable when it was applied but stuck well when I went to check on it later in the day. I might not be the right person to ask about the wrap end of it.

 

[signheremd]

Just curious, why do you prefer 290 over 8518?

We cold laminate, and it is much easier to handle. Plus 290 is a top notch UV laminate with 4 year UV / 8 year durability guarantee. It is a wrap laminate and can stretch up to120%. Just excellent all around.

 

[SightLine]

We cold laminate, and it is much easier to handle. Plus 290 is a top notch UV laminate with 4 year UV / 8 year durability guarantee. It is a wrap laminate and can stretch up to120%. Just excellent all around.

Plus the 290 does not tint everything yellow like the 8518 does....

Aside from that like everyone else we are really starting to look at our options. 3M availability has been spotty at best, Avery availability is also somewhat hit and miss. Just reluctant to try others but might have to give the Arlon a try. One of my worries though is that probably 95% of the wraps we do eventually come back 3-7 years later for us to remove. 3M is hands down the cleanest and easiest to remove (except where primer was used which is not usually needed with other brands). Avery also removes clean (sometimes with a bit more heat needed). I've had other brands be a total nightmare to remove leaving 100% of the adhesive. So while saving up front you could be doing your customer a disservice if you save them a hundred bucks up front but you have to charge them three hundred more down the road because the removal is so much more difficult. Of course any can be a nightmare if left on until it is cooked into faded brown cracked garbage but better products do help there.

 

[Patentagosse]

Just curious, why do you prefer 290 over 8518?

Yeah... really curious. As a long time Oracal user, the 290G (even GF) cannot compete with 3M's 8518 in term of clarity and gloss level. I still print on 3751GPS but cover it with 8518. This is my secret receipe here. 'Use it for many years, no comeback.

 

[Patentagosse]

Plus the 290 does not tint everything yellow like the 8518 does....

Aside from that like everyone else we are really starting to look at our options. 3M availability has been spotty at best, Avery availability is also somewhat hit and miss. Just reluctant to try others but might have to give the Arlon a try. One of my worries though is that probably 95% of the wraps we do eventually come back 3-7 years later for us to remove. 3M is hands down the cleanest and easiest to remove (except where primer was used which is not usually needed with other brands). Avery also removes clean (sometimes with a bit more heat needed). I've had other brands be a total nightmare to remove leaving 100% of the adhesive. So while saving up front you could be doing your customer a disservice if you save them a hundred bucks up front but you have to charge them three hundred more down the road because the removal is so much more difficult. Of course any can be a nightmare if left on until it is cooked into faded brown cracked garbage but better products do help there.

I print a lot of stuff for another shop of the neighborhood. 'Guy's file are spot on for color but after running out of 8518 last year I laminate 1 of 2 pickup kits with 290G. The difference in clarity, gloss and how 3M preserved printed colors were second to none. The guy complained 'bout the 2nd kit I had to use 290G but things had to move and we couldn't wait 2 weeks for the next shipment of laminates so we ended up doing it that way but 'got said clearly: "please make sure to never run out of that 3M stuff because it's the shit man... the other one is dulling my bright colors" Never noticed the yellow even on unprinted parts of white

 

[gnubler]

I'm not really a wrapper

So your company fleet doesn't look like this? Oh yeah, I think you said you have a minivan.

 

[Boudica]

So your company fleet doesn't look like this? Oh yeah, I think you said you have a minivan.

Wow, these are F'ugly

 

[Stacey K]

This is more my style...LOL

 

[gnubler]

Nevermind the rigs, check out the guy's face! Plastered with ink and metal.

 

[Stacey K]

Nevermind the rigs, check out the guy's face! Plastered with ink and metal.

Eminem is much better looking...even on this camper van LOL

 

[rvolkers]

I think in the past year we've tried it all!

We've used -

Grimco brightline - used 1 roll... Wasn't bad. Did a few flat kiosks as well as a vehicle... The vehicle hasn't come back so I'm guessing it works ok.

Arlon slx - 2 rolls. It went on ok... But the super low tack of it made doing certain wraps hard. Our installers hated it, and we were scared stuff would fall off or lift... But it also hasnt came back, so I'm guessing it went ok too!

Avery - you known/ have this one.

180 - we mainly use this. Hundreds of rolls, it's not bad... But as you said, issues getting it sometimes.

Orajet 3751 - used 2-3 rolls of this, but it was all mainly flat stuff

We've also mix and matched with overland with no issues.

Funny enough... The only fixes we've ever had was with 180... But we try to use 180 on the complex.curves / projects, so that may be why.

99% of the time any of the vehicle wrap casts will work - every company goes through bad batches and has their own pitfalls. It may take your installer a bit to get used to how the new vinyl lays, but I'd take anything you can get your hands on so long as it's reputable.

3751 is going away - that is what we use and have had little if no problems - we ordered 3759 and i am doing a run today and it seems to be just as good!

 

[AnnLewis]

So your company fleet doesn't look like this? Oh yeah, I think you said you have a minivan.

I like Audi. Thanks for sharing it with us. I really love your designs. I am college student and I want to complete my essay assignment. So, I was searching for this https://write-my-essay.online/write-my-research-paper/ website online because over there I found essay writer who will write my research paper and while searching for it online, I found your post.

I like Audi.

 

[rjssigns]

Another vote for Arlon SLX+. Finished a beer trailer a couple weeks ago. Went to talk to the installer. He showed several problem areas that he would fight when using 6000xrp that the SLX+ solved.
Trailer was 38' with roll up doors, full wrap and took roughly a day and a half. Amazing to watch a skilled person work their magic.