Wrapping a hood - only the center?

[Ink Splash Graphics]

looking to wrap my hood but I want to follow the contour lines on each side of the hood and only wrap the center. What is the best method for trimming to the contours without damaging the vehicle or do you just cut based on the top and bottom measurements and stretch a bit to conform to the contour lines?

Thanks for any input, looking to do this on my new VW Golf.

here's an example that I mocked up on my car:

 

[Seven Sin Design]

I think cutting it beforehand would be a mistake. I'm not an installer by any means, but my advice would be to lay the vinyl first, and use a brand new tip/blade when making those cuts... and hold the blade at a low angle for a cleaner cut and less chance of getting the paint.

Others may have better advice. Good luck!

 

[Ink Splash Graphics]

I've seen articles where people put a special tape along where they will cut so that the blade will stop at the tape... I appreciate the feedback I'll keep researching

 

[iSign]

I would wrap the whole hood & just leave the white area unprinted. You will still want to calculate where to put your angles, but perfection is not required, the job will look better & be more durable!

 

[Team Valhalla]

Agree with iSign. That's a pretty good idea.

SP

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

Plotter

 

[dj_elite]

Put a pen/marker on your plotter and use some paper and trace out a template. You can also use the backing off large enough vinyl for the paper. That is the technique I used when making some custom stripes on a Mustang. The owner already had stripes painted on the car, he wanted them covered up with matte black LG vinyl. It was tough to align properly especially since who painted the first stripes on didn't make them the same size on both sides! But two templates made on my plotter with a pen/marker got them right and saved me alot of vinyl!

 

[iSign]

Plotter

I agree with wraps if it's just a solid black...

if there is some printed carbon fiber or other.. then I agree with me...

 

["Deposit Please"]

Measure across top & bottom of hood w/ flexible magnetic tape measure. Measure center because hood line may curve slightly. Then measure front of hood to windshield. Give your self atleast 6 inches on top & bottom to wrap under. Once you fiddle your square to those dimensions in your program, you will see if those hood lines are curved, then adjust if necessary. Measure twice, cut once.

 

[dj_elite]

Yes as deposit said and if you dont have a flexible magnetic tape use a seamstress tape. DO NOT USE A TAPE MEASURE, it will not be accurate!

 

[drive]

Nice MKVI

 

[formanek]

Use butcher paper and make a template. Hang that template on the wall and take your measurements.

 

[GAC05]

Go with answer in reply #3.
The best place to learn this needed skill is on your own vehicle and not a customer's car.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[Designer Wraps]

Just cut it on the vehicle. Forget all those extra steps.

Wrap it first and go over the contours on both sides. Run a line of masking tape on down the contour (one edge) and cut. If you've never cut vinyl on a car before you may want to test cut on another surface or older vehicle to be sure you know how much pressure to apply.

 

[Ink Splash Graphics]

Nice MKVI

Thanks it's the 2011 TDI... Clean diesel 236 ft lbs of torque from that little 4 cyl but best of all I avg over 40 mpgs even driving it like a sports car...

Thanks for all the input everyone, I do like the idea of wrapping the whole thing as the paint will obviously fade a bit over time where it's left uncovered... I figure if I wrap it with black then perhaps I'll just wrap the edges with white after or have it printed... Prob going to use Hexis 30000 Carbon fiber for the hood and the roof then just wrap the edges with a gloss white to match the existing color

 

[klemgraphics]

Just cut it on the vehicle. Forget all those extra steps.

Wrap it first and go over the contours on both sides. Run a line of masking tape on down the contour (one edge) and cut. If you've never cut vinyl on a car before you may want to test cut on another surface or older vehicle to be sure you know how much pressure to apply.

This is exactly how I handle these types of things. If you wrap the whole hood you will never get the white vinyl to match the paint, at least not to my standards, that may be fine on a commercial vehicle but not something like this.

 

[MikePro]

unless you already have contour files setup with all the measurements you need to cut@, i'd just say do it by hand and save yourself the setup time.

i'd rough trace on the vehicle with fine line tape, apply vinyl, hand-cut (with stencil drawn), peel back/remove fine line, and heatgun edges back down.

 

[Jester1167]

Use fineline tape on the hood before you install the graphic. You can find it at fellers and other places. You'll want to install it in a smooth line centered in the area you want to cut the graphic. Install the vinyl over it. You will be able to see the tape through the vinyl. To cut a nice smooth line, restripe on top of the vinyl with the fineline tape using one edge as a guide for your knife blade. The vinyl won't stick to the fineline tape so it is easy to pull out from under the vinyl, protects the paint and if you can stripe straight your cuts will be straighter.

 

[tintguy31794]

Get the measurements of the area you want to cover and add 1" to either side... then come back with some 1/8" tape and pull a line to where you want to stop the decal.. come back with olfa blade and score vinyl (don't cut to deep because if you cut the paint it can cause rusting) then pull excess vinyl away from cutline. 30 minutes done.(hood only)

This particular one though I think I could just get measurements and cut the decal on the plotter the way that you want it. Run the slight risk of it not being exactly what you want, but you don't run the risk of cutting through the paint if your new at this.

 

[Langford]

lol... after posting my post.. i read the above post which is basically the same thing.. haha

try it on a balloon first

 

[washingtonsignguy]

Take hood off
place hood on your scanner
scan hood in 8.5x11 segments
put back together in program
done