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How do you cut the vinyl on places shown?
So I got the Agila job and have just finshed the first small part.
I have done a lot of studying before starting on this job and this forum has proven to be very eduacational.
But one thing I did not read anywhere … how do you cut the vinyl on places shown at the photo (although it is on the inside, I do want to make it clean)?Thanks a lot!
JJ
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10 Replies
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Either use your finger to guide you just in from the edge, or cut it into the corner so you are following the corner and won’t run off course. Use a new blade and you will hardly need any pressure at all. Don’t forget to cut it inside enough so that you don’t see the cut when the door is shut.
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Thanks for your fast reply!
So you can just cut it straight trough?
I am scared that I will damage the carpaint and that there will be rust arround the cuts. -
Like I said, use a NEW scalpel blade and put hardly any pressure on. The weight of the scalpel alone will be enough.
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I believe you, but when I run my new scalpel over the carpaint without any pressure I can see a very light cut/scratch, so this will always happen when cutting trough the vinyl, so I guess it wont do any harm?
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With a bit of practice you should be able to score the vinyl so it almost tears when you remove it, leaving no marks on the paintwork.
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I always cut on the “door side” of the join (use the edge of the door as a straight edge to run the flat of your blade down). This way you aren’t in any danger of cutting paint and you can wrap the excess vinyl left into the lip of the door frame.
Rust will come through if you cut right through the layers of paint so as Andy says use a very sharp blade and very light pressure when cutting on top of paint
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Thanks for the reply Phill!
I understand your advise and would probably go that way when the rest doesn’t give me a sattisfying result, the only problem I have with this solution is that you can’t cover the complete cap of the door frame, so you will see the metallic.JJ
ps. Robert: are you also using the BIG STANLY for this kind of work?
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I am by no means a vinyl expert.
But when I trim it on the insides of doors, I cover the edges with plain single-stripe ¼” pinstriping tape!
Makes it look nice-n-neat.
(this is usually on striping jobs on emergency vehicles)
Love….Jill
PS
I do cut VERY carefully with a new blade.
I prefer the snap-off ones. -
all replies here are good mate, i basically follow what each has said in different circumstances. regular door joins etc ill trim as phill says as its fast and no real worry of cutting into paint work. when it comes to parts like you have shown though its not just as easy but still not difficult.
basically, if you have vinyl applied from door onto side of van/wheel arch, let it cross them as normal. get it all on and remove app tape. gently heat the vinyl and run your finger round door edge just enough to make the edge of the door more apparent through the vinyl. now right next to the door edge, NOT wheel arch side, run your blade around the door using the edge of your door as a guide so as not to cut onto the paintwork at all… do this everywhere needed till the door is free to open. take particular care were the doors curves are as its easy to wonder off….
once door is open you should be left with a flap of vinyl in the shape of the door sitting proud. now, by running your thumb around this with a rag rapped round it and a gentle heat from an air gun, fold the flap onto the body of the wheel are etc. once done give it a good heat to make sure any stretching is secured in place.on the other hand, and in many cases i use andys method. its not always possible to avoid cutting the motor. places like petrol caps, round indicators that cant be removed easily, key holes… get yourself a bit of painted metal or rynabond. put some vinyl on it and practice cutting on it till you get a feel for how light you must cut to avoid marking paint.
sometimes a very faint line is left but not actually breaking through the paint work that will cause rusting.
i did a van 2 weeks ago, that a local firm had done a few months before. i had to copy it for the companies new van. i looked at it and said to the guy, mate i would ask for my money back on that and demand a paint job too! every were there was vinyl it had been trimmed on the van heavy handed. the vinyl was actually dog earring because rust had already started warping the paintwork around letters etc not good… and I’m not saying this because its my competition. i don’t class them as any sort of competition. 😉 :lol1:
I’m only pointing this out as it does happen so you are doing right to ask how this can be avoided, its common error.
what Jill says about running a line of vinyl… (if i am following her right, i do this on a=occasion with very fussy customers that stand behind me breathing down my neck) run a 3mm stripe of vinyl around the area you must cut on top once vinyl is laid. make it a thin neat line. once on give it a good heat.
now apply your vinyl as normal over the top of it. proceed to cut/trim but on the double layer of vinyl. no heat on second layer “yet” once trimmed remove excess vinyl. you will see a very slight shadowing of the thin double layer when trimmed back but its easy to explain to the customer that doesn’t want you cutting on his motor its the only sure way to avoid cut marks. as any pressure that shouldn’t be applied will barely cut into second layer of vinyl.all this said… ALWAYS just as you are about to trim up, use a fresh blade, never use blunt or even close to blunt for trimming & use virtually no pressure.
as for my big Stanley knife, there isn’t much i don’t use it for mate. seldom will you see me with a scalpel. however, if for doing part wraps, or large graphics on a van i will use a scalpel occasionally for difficult areas that need trimmed. but not often. that said… I’m not recommending others should make this common practice. 😀 -
Jill tanks a lot! That is a great tip, I will give it a try.
Robert: thanks very much for your reply, very helpfull (as always)! Your extra explanation of the two layers vinyl makes it all extra clear to me.
Thanks again folks!
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