Wrapping a Truck Hood

[daenterpri]

I just purchased a 55" RS Laminator. It's on the truck and headed this way. My salesman told me that everyone is using 54" media for doing wraps so I thought nothing of purchasing the 55" laminator. However, I just noticed that on my 2002 Dodge 2500, the depth of my hood on the edges pushes 57" and the width edge to edge is probably about 80". I think the new pickup truck hoods are even bigger.... so, are you guys using 55" media for pickup trucks? Or are you using 60"?

If you still use 54" media on big pickup trucks, how do you go about wrapping the hood if it's bigger than your media?

Thanks!

 

[SIGNTIME]

you would have to seam it somewhere ... when done right it isn't noticeable to most from 5ft away

 

[daenterpri]

The same way as anything else that is bigger than 54".....with a seam!

Is that kosher? Where do you put the seam? Or should I tell the truck to turnaround and ship me a 65" laminator instead?

 

[daenterpri]

Bigger IS always better for a laminator (or anyting else I suppose).... which makes me wonder why you would order a laminator that is smaller than your printer?

As for the seam, I'm no expert but as far as I'm concerned yes it's kosher.

Ya, I wasn't thinking. I had it in my brain that the only thing I would be printing at 60" would be things that I wouldn't be laminating

But now I'm actually curious if a 60" media would cover some of these new hoods... I should go to a dealer and do some measurements. If a 60" laminator won't even allow me to completely wrap some of these hoods than a seam might as well be my standard on all of them.

...not that I have a whole lot of choice... the truck is on it's way. I also don't expect I'll be doing a TON of truck wraps anyways...I dunno.

 

[Hicalibersigns]

When we opted to buy the HP 25500, we also upped the size of our laminator to 65" and the size of our plotter to 64". We haven't been sorry.

 

[CSOCSO]

have you checked if there is any media existing for car wrap with more than 54" width??

answer is: no.

 

[SightLine]

Don't know where you are getting your infor from CSOCSO but most all media for wraps is available in 60" rolls. Also - 60" is often just enough to do "most" hoods in 1 piece. That being said we do not run all wraps on 60" materials. We evaluate how one will panel out with the least waste so it might get run on 60" and it might get run on 54" and might even get run on 48". You end up having to keep more material in stock for the different sizes but it can make a difference in the costs of jobs when you run a lot.

 

[HulkSmash]

there is a 60"...

 

[WB]

I don't think I'd bother buying larger equipment just so I could wrap some hood in 1 piece. There will always be something that's just abit larger them what your capable of. You going to have seams on the body of your truck so 1 more on the hood isn't a big deal.
I have a 60" printer and laminator and I still us 54" material.

 

[mudmedia]

I don't think I'd bother buying larger equipment just so I could wrap some hood in 1 piece. There will always be something that's just abit larger them what your capable of. You going to have seams on the body of your truck so 1 more on the hood isn't a big deal.
I have a 60" printer and laminator and I still us 54" material.

If you are referring to the wrap having seams..Pick up trucks are about the easiest vehicle to do seamless so not sure why you would have seams other than not using big enough material?

We stock 36" for tailgate
48" for bed sides
60" for hoods (and new Toyota doors which are beast)
and 54" for fenders and doors and anything else.

 

[the graphics co]

If you are referring to the wrap having seams..Pick up trucks are about the easiest vehicle to do seamless so not sure why you would have seams other than not using big enough material?

We stock 36" for tailgate
48" for bed sides
60" for hoods (and new Toyota doors which are beast)
and 54" for fenders and doors and anything else.

That looks like 4 opportunities for there to be color shift from roll to roll, and a whole lot of lamination changes.

 

[mudmedia]

That looks like 4 opportunities for there to be color shift from roll to roll, and a whole lot of lamination changes.

Knock on wood have not had color shift but have heard it being common in others cases. Correct on switching laminate out but it really isn't a big deal. It is really only a fix for people who HATE seeing waste. Otherwise put in your 54 or 60 and let it rip.

 

[xxaxx]

If we switch from 54" to 30" on the 3m material there is a definite but very slight color shift and for some reason a slight gloss change on the laminate between the two. The 30" is just a touch more matte.

It is not noticeable though if you are wrapping up to a seam in the vehicle, only if you actually overlay the materials.

 

[WB]

If you are referring to the wrap having seams..Pick up trucks are about the easiest vehicle to do seamless so not sure why you would have seams other than not using big enough material?

We stock 36" for tailgate
48" for bed sides
60" for hoods (and new Toyota doors which are beast)
and 54" for fenders and doors and anything else.

I agree that no seams are the best but Your stocking 4 rolls of material and laminate to wrap 1 vehicle. No thanks I'll stick with my 54". When I wrap a truck I'll go up from the bottom as far as I can with my 54" and leave the seam go though the door pillars so my overlap is only 4-5" long.

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

Just stretch it to the edges

 

[Bly]

Just stretch it to the edges

just use that new 3M film.

it's supposed to stretch 150%

 

[ProWraps]

Knock on wood have not had color shift but have heard it being common in others cases. Correct on switching laminate out but it really isn't a big deal. It is really only a fix for people who HATE seeing waste. Otherwise put in your 54 or 60 and let it rip.

waste doesnt always accumulate on the ground. it also makes the clock go round.....

keep that in mind when changing out your lam 6 times.

 

[mopar691]

waste doesnt always accumulate on the ground. it also makes the clock go round.....

keep that in mind when changing out your lam 6 times.

I agree, I would hate changing rolls on printer and re-webbing the laminater 4 times for 1 job.

I would think time is more valuable then a little material and I am sure with setting up the lam 4 times in a day I would end up reprinting a few.

 

[tyzero]

When you run 60" material you charge for all 60" that come off the machine. Your only talking about $100 more on the very high side to run everything on 60" when doing large wraps.

You guys crack me up when you try to cut corners.

Lets see, you load the printer 3 different times, you load the laminator 3 different times. Sounds like a lot of labor costs that are not being accounted for.

My .02

 

[SightLine]

I'll clarify our position. We do stock 3 sizes but we only use the size for whatever panels out the best for the job. To load and web the laminator takes time and wastes a good 6" of laminate by itself. In other words the entire job will be on one size roll. Except once in a while we will run just the hood on a larger roll if that will make the hood seamless. Don't always though, if we do seam a hood I always run it so the 2 corners by the windshield are where it gets seamed.

 

[CSOCSO]

does 3M ij180 comes in 60"? Where?

 

[SightLine]

does 3M ij180 comes in 60"? Where?

Any 3M vendor can get it. Whether they stock it is a different story. Grimco carries and stocks both 180C and 180CV3 in 60", so does Fellers, so does N. Glantz. I'm sure others do as well. 60" is a common and readily available size.