wrapping sprinter sides?

[biggmann]

we just did a full wrap on a sprinter van and on the sides where the deep pockets are we just went over them as any indent and afterwards went over with a bit of heat and pushed the center of the vinyl in and then the edges but that is a far distance to stretch the vinyl and of course the color changed from stretching. what is the proper technique to dealing with these?

 

[WrapWorks]

Use ij380. It's really the only thing that stretches far enough and sticks well enough to get into the channels. You also have two other options you can try to feed the material in rather than stretching it, but it will still have problems in the corners and with pop-ups in the future. Another option is to tape off the channels so that you are not wrapping into them. Hope that helps.

 

[ProWraps]

cut and drop. 380 will not stay down and it will pull color. cut and drop is the only safe method. works everytime.

 

[biggmann]

In this situation we had to wrap them, it was a orange sprinter and the graphics were black so no choice there, we use the avery 1005 but maybe i will try the 3m next time if possible

 

[biggmann]

what do you mean cut and drop? cutting the film out and laying it in the channel? if so what do you do for the sides of the channels

 

[ProWraps]

nothing unless you want to. we dont do anything. educating your customer goes a long way.

 

[biggmann]

that would make it a lot easier thats for sure and no pulling up later, im sure this sprinter is coming back for that some time. like i said this was the ugliest color of orange and the graphics were black so im sure you would have seen the sides but its either that or have stretched vinyl with lifting edges. thanks for the tips ill definitely be suggesting this next time

 

[ProWraps]

it really is the only safe way. black or white sprinters are really not that bad as its a neutral color. you can always strip them if it bothers the customer but again, educating them as to why your doing it usually is all you need to do.

 

[jkdbjj]

I learned from Justin Pate how to do them. According to him, as long as you leave the top of the channel open, or the other option would be to pop a whole in one of the top inner corners of the channel, and then with proper heat, and a wet glove, begin to work the material towards the whole at the top.
He claims it is a solid way to do it, and doesn't lift back off. He also says it has to be done with Avery Supercast Vinyl with 1460 lam, or the equiv 3M. He says Arlon or Oracal simply won't work.

Whether or not this is true, I dunno, but I have a video of him doing it, and it looks sick.

 

[JoshLoring]

He says Arlon or Oracal simply won't work.

He's a media hater.
Oracal stays down fine..

 

[HulkSmash]

wet glove.. lol..
Oracal will stick better than 3m all day in channels.

 

[WrapWorks]

cut and drop. 380 will not stay down and it will pull color. cut and drop is the only safe method. works everytime.

Cut & drop looks REALLY ugly IMO and you won't see it done at my shop. Ij380 stays down and looks great.

 

[WrapWorks]

He's a media hater.
Oracal stays down fine..

Nice work. Just out of curiosity...How was it working for those guys?

 

[ProWraps]

Cut & drop looks REALLY ugly IMO and you won't see it done at my shop. Ij380 stays down and looks great.

its also 3M approved and specified in their tech bulletin.

regardless if 380 stays for you it will still pull color on most if not all eco sol and or latex printers.

 

[JoshLoring]

Just to clarify--

ProWraps cut and drop is the right way to do it. We've done this for years. You need to be up front with your client on this. It's advertising and a little strip the color of the van is no biggie.



I've had clients throw hissy fits about not having those channels wrapped. In the case of a hissy fit.. We charge more for the labor to properly feed the channels.

Now.. Justin may be a pro installer- but I've been installing Oracal for years and it will not discolor or fail when done right. It will take extra time and post heating. Get your wet glove and temp gun ready*.

 

[zymogenesyst]

Copy and paste from the 3M bulletin "Pro Tips for Wrapping Vehicles
with 3MTM ControltacTM Wrap Film with ComplyTM v3 Adhesive IJ380Cv3":

As you come to concave areas and channels, bridge film IJ380Cv3 over them, but don't conform them just yet.

Heat film IJ380Cv3 again to 120-130oF (50-55oC) and use the 3MTM Roller L, Roller S, or Vehicle Channel Applicator Tool VCAT-2 to conform the film into these areas.

Once film IJ380Cv3 is applied, post-heat in the concave areas and channels, this time to 200oF (94oC) —too hot to touch—and immediately re-roll the areas with Roller L or Roller S to secure these areas.

 

[HulkSmash]

Copy and paste from the 3M bulletin "Pro Tips for Wrapping Vehicles
with 3MTM ControltacTM Wrap Film with ComplyTM v3 Adhesive IJ380Cv3":

As you come to concave areas and channels, bridge film IJ380Cv3 over them, but don't conform them just yet.

Heat film IJ380Cv3 again to 120-130oF (50-55oC) and use the 3MTM Roller L, Roller S, or Vehicle Channel Applicator Tool VCAT-2 to conform the film into these areas.

Once film IJ380Cv3 is applied, post-heat in the concave areas and channels, this time to 200oF (94oC) —too hot to touch—and immediately re-roll the areas with Roller L or Roller S to secure these areas.

lol...
3m's bulletins are a joke, no they're garbage. Complete nonsense.

Bridge and heat is not the right was to do this. The way prowraps explained to do it is the best way. No installer in my shop will stretch the vinyl.

 

[GAC05]

Colorado, or any of the other wrapping big dogs,
how do you guys handle the deep recessed areas in the front bumpers around the lower lights and grill openings & stuff. Cut and inlay pieces? The cutouts for the fog/driving lights in this Sienna are really deep.
We just did one in a single piece heating and slowly working it in but it seemed like way too much stretch and the wrong way to go about it.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[zymogenesyst]

lol...
3m's bulletins are a joke, no they're garbage. Complete nonsense.

Bridge and heat is not the right was to do this. The way prowraps explained to do it is the best way. No installer in my shop will stretch the vinyl.

What exactly is nonsense? They provide tons of information about the product and how to use it, and you think it's garbage? Would you prefer the manufacturers to say nothing and let you figure it out?

I have never had an issue with sprinter window channels following they're joke garbage nonsense. And hey, it looks nice! No cool paint colored "pin stripes" in the channels!

 

[HulkSmash]

What exactly is nonsense? They provide tons of information about the product and how to use it, and you think it's garbage? Would you prefer the manufacturers to say nothing and let you figure it out?

I have never had an issue with sprinter window channels following they're joke garbage nonsense. And hey, it looks nice! No cool paint colored "pin stripes" in the channels!

well enjoy their literature. Bridging and heating is not the way to do it. So much so that they're in the process of changing it.

 

[WrapWorks]

Bridging and heating a sprinter panel with ij380 is actually one of the hands on tests if you go to get 3M certified. If you cut and drop it, it's an immediate fail. They do tell you that cutting and dropping is an acceptable method for certain installations, but Sprinter channels is not one of them. I know to some what the manufacturers say is garbage, but they are the ones that make the products and warranty it.