Failed partial wrapping attempt – What went wrong?

[Robert Lambie]

hi mate, nothing worse than getting a live job and it going wrong, all i can say is practice will make perfect. lots of it at that!
if you attempted this wet, then ide say there is your problem no1.
although i haven’t done any mini roofs myself, i don’t think they look the hardest but then again i wouldn’t know. if you did the Union jack, was it an image of a flag or just bog standard flat logo? if so, ide have used cut vinyl, not prints. it would make application much easier too.. also, i think the flag stops short of the roof guttering by about 5 inches? so no real need to go right over. even if over, a decent cast vinyl would cope no probs on that shape of roof.

here’s a mini i watched getting wrapped at signuk this year, the vinyl is grafiwrap with laminate. very nice vinyl to work with i think…
if you look at the image you will see you need plety excess vinyl to play with while stretching into place. maybe not just as much as that but better safe than sorry…

[Bryan Cabrera]

Hi Doyle,

Never attempted a wrap but would like to in the very near future. Would love to hear how you make out on your second attempt.

Not sure if you have seen Oracal’s instructional videoon their site http://www.oracal.com/global/CF_video.jsp but it may be of some help.

[drogers4]

Rob, did it dry, as I never use wet method. And it is just a flat logo, no need to print but didn’t have any red or blue cast on hand so I thought it would be easier to print it.

As for the flag going all the way to the edge, I noticed in an accessory book that my customer had that the one advertised shows the flag applied to a white roof (I assume), and the roof of her mini is black and she wanted to cover the whole roof.

I am definately going to re-attempt this one. I hate to turn a customer away especially after I have already invested time and money on the job. I will try covering the roof with white first, then apply the red and blue in cut vinyl. I am planning on doing a wrap on my van soon so I need to figure this one out. Thanks for the advice and when the job is done I will post pics in the portfolio forum (will probably be next mon. or tues.)

Bryan, yes I watched the video, but that guy makes it look so easy. I have had lots of experience applying vinyl, but I have a feeling doing a wrap will be like learning all over again. Thanks!

Doyle

[Phil Halling]

Were you doing it alone or did you have a helper?
When you are trying to wrap a curve such as a mini roof it is always advisable to have two people one to apply the other to stretch, as rob says always give yourself plenty of excess to hold and stretch.
We have also found that if you need to do it in two pieces you are better off splitting it across the roof rather than down the roof.
Hope this helps
Phil

[Martin Pearson]

Doyle, as Robert has already said a cast vinyl should have done this without any problems, don’t want to be to negative but from what you say I would guess that you need to practice a bit more before atempting this job again. As Phil has said when doing a wrap it is always easier with two people, if you work on your own try asking a freind if they can help you.
Bit hard to explain but you really need someone pulling the vinyl in the direction you are squeegeeing if that makes sense.

[drogers4]

Yes, I was doing it alone, my helper is out for a couple weeks. I know it would be easier to go across the roof, but wanted to minimize the number of panels needed. When I re-attempt this one I will have some help and will be practicing in the meantime. I will also do the panels across the roof instead of front to back.

Thanks for the advice and hopefully I will be posting some pics of the finished job soon.

Doyle

[allsigns]

Well I think you are pretty brave.
9 out of 10 of us wouldn’t try, but it looks like you will have a go until you succeed.
Good luck
Grant

[Steve Maple]

ist the 05 models have a different rar aerial-you cant remove it

-the upto 04 you can
-the rear middle eye brake light is removeable
torx tho t35

all the rain gutter trim just un clips

-these cars are coventry motors -ie they are shite-the clips break

-anyway the roof
-you have to stretch the sticky so much into the corners-ie at least 5 inches – so a straigth line -like that of a flag, would look crap

you WILL have to either completely wrap the roof in white – YOU WILL need 5 ft 1525mm sticky

pulling the corners in and hiding the trimming under the side plastic gutters and under the windsheild rubber

-or the BEST way of doing it, is to have it painted white

-then, it is a lickie stickie job

-get it painted, cos you may still balls the wrap

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