-
advice on rivets..
hey all, I have a bit of a pig of a job to do, a gardeners transit truck has galvanised sides (3090 x 960) which are riveted on, I’ve done a few rivets before but never ‘dozens’, the biggest issue I see id the rivets on the outside edge are only 10mm from the edge at best, I can see it just being a nightmare… customer wants prints to go the edge of the sheeting….
options I can see…
1) My initial solution was to remove the outer rivets, apply and then re-rivet, but I’m concerned that with this being an open backed truck, that water / contaminants will get in through the back of the rivets and cause a failure of some kind.
2) another option would be to fit the prints to some composite, remove the outer rivets and fix through the galv sheet, it’ll add about £125 to the cost but should make installation 10x easier?
3) remove all the rivets and whole panel, apply print and replace..
which would be the best way or, does anyone have any other economic suggestions??
TIA,
Hugh -
14 Replies
-
ps, I do own a rivet brush but there must be 30 a side!
-
For the best advice, speak to Kermit the frog – all he does is talk about rivets all day.
Rivet..Rivet.. 😕 🙄
-
Would printing on cast or wrapping vinyl work better with the rivets?
Sometimes we sacrifice a little profit and do the job another way to fit the job quicker and easier.
Use hoarding panel and rivet it on in 10 mins, or take 1 hrs per side fitting the prints.
We’d opt for the first option.
-
If the rivets are removed and put back they will create an obvious "line" and/or lines down the sides of the vehicle; it tends to make the nicest designs look shoddy…. rivets are enough of a distraction as it is; as well as time consuming and frustrating…..HOWEVER, when they are covered nicely it’s as if they aren’t there and it makes the design and your hard work even more impressive.
It IS worth the extra time to cover them; For your customer and for your business.NOW, doing them nicely is another story! I’ve done THOUSANDS of those horrible little buttons!!!! For me, THE ONLY WAY to get vinyl to lay nicely over rivets, without cutting the vinyl and with out wrinkles: is a pointed weeding tool, the SUN and PATIENCE!
And it is seriously that simple!
1) On Shady side of truck: Mount the graphics as you would normally, squeegee only the flat areas leaving a "tent" over the rivets. Poke a very small hole on BOTTOM side of rivets that are completely covered.
2) Turn truck around: apply graphics to warm side the same way.
3) Now….GO AWAY!! do something else while the application fluid is evaporating, (which takes MUCH longer around rivets), and the vinyl is shrinking around the rivets from the sun……..
4) Periodically, gently squeegee the vinyl (it will be soft from sun)TOWARD the rivets.
5) GO AWAY!! ….they only look like buttons from the sun; they’re still damp underneath and will not stick yet…..no matter how many times you push them flat and pretty!!!! (rotten bumps!!!)
Seriously, my best results were when I left them for hours cause I was too busy with other jobs. I wasn’t out there driving myself crazy, moving rivet to rivet to rivet rubbing and rubbing (and no doubt ripping a few of them) trying to get them to stay down wrinkle free and smooth as quickly as possible so I could get it done. LOL!!
The SUN and PATIENCE saves a lot of time, aggravation and flaws. AND The truck looks awesome!!
I tried cutting out all the rivets one time, and did it perfectly…..it looked awful!!! The guy didn’t care but I redid it anyway. Thank GOD it wasn’t a wrap and just covered with a lot of lettering!! hee heee
Trial and error. Whatever works for ya!
Julie
😀
-
OH!!!! And by the way, it took many tantrums, every tool they came out with, a lot of disappointment, and lots of crappy looking rivets before I could bring myself to accept that I had to WALK away from "making" them nice so they would be nice!.
-
Me again……I just re read your post. Not what I was thinking. If they are that close to the edge the best you can do is try to wrap around the side, and even that is iffy. Maybe when you explain to him that it will look terrible in a year from the elements getting behind the rivets and forcing them up he’ll change his mind,,,,,,,,,
-
Julie this will never work
quote :On Shady side of truckquote :Turn truck around: apply graphics to warm side the same wayreality here is you turn truck around still in the shade youve missed that 5 minute sunshine window
John
Hugh – option 2 😀
-
Thanks for taking the time to reply Julie,
if this was a box truck I would probably cover them all and spend the time to work them down, the issue I’m really concerned about is that the truch is open topped and will constantly be filled with wet & dirty foliage from tree / gardening jobs, several of my peers have expressed concern about moisture getting in through the rear of the rivet and contaminating the glue etc.. once that starts i’m concerned that there’ll be no stopping it once the usual temperature changes get started on the vinyl – last thing I want is that amount of print coming back to be done again.
The other issue is climate.. I prefer to do dry application anyway but, at this time of year it’s cooler and if I did it wet I doubt it’d ever dry enough to do the job in a day.
Have discussed with the customer and we’re going to remove the sides, fully degrease, wrap the whole panel with a 2" overlap foled around the edge all around, then rivet it back on. I’m currently looking for colour coded rivets but otherwise, I’ll touch them up with a paint pen if needed, the majority of the design is white anyway so I don’t think it’ll look too bad.
thanks again.
Hugh -
Hugh, you could do it Julie’s way with a couple of amendments.
I. Check time of day to see which side of the truck the sun should be on. Apply graphics to other side.
2. Turn truck around & apply graphics to other side.
3. Walk away & return to truck in approx 6 months time & check to see if sun has been out, if not go away again & return in another 6 months.
-
lol Martin!! I do actually get some sun but not reliable enough, how you poor Scots manage I’ll never know!
-
Hugh
This might be of some help. Cookie’s tips: "working with rivets"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq8ylkM6zjY
Simon
-
quote Hugh Potter:lol Martin!! I do actually get some sun but not reliable enough, how you poor Scots manage I’ll never know!
I only live here Hugh, I was born in Southfields (Putney) & went to school in Epsom Surrey. Suppose it’s my own fault really for not moving back down when I left the Royal Navy lol.
-
quote Martin:quote Hugh Potter:lol Martin!! I do actually get some sun but not reliable enough, how you poor Scots manage I’ll never know!
I only live here Hugh, I was born in Southfields (Putney) & went to school in Epsom Surrey. Suppose it’s my own fault really for not moving back down when I left the Royal Navy lol.
true enough Martin but, living up there did encourage you to grow a beard of epic proportions, a thing to which many can only aspire to!
-
quote Simon Worrall:Hugh
This might be of some help. Cookie’s tips: “working with rivets”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq8ylkM6zjY
Simon
thank you Simon.
Log in to reply.