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help please ive applied vinyl to car and ive got bubbles?
After my seventh try of trying to dry apply my logo to my car I am still getting small bubbles and haven’t a clue why.
Some of the larger bubbles I’ve pricked with a pin but some of the smaller ones I haven’t as they are only just bigger than the pin hole would be, should I be pricking these also or do these bubbles go in a few days.
Is having any bubbles acceptable or should this be 100% bubble free.
I’m cleaning the surface, using a horizontal hinge and squeegeeing from the centre to the left and right and overlapping my strokes.
I don’t really want to start applying wet as I would rather start applying dry from day one but would mastering to apply wet first help me to apply dry.
I now also have a head that feels like a huge bubble from my 7 failed applications, will sticking a pin in it help.
Any help much appreciated.
Thanks
Nathan
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12 Replies
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How big is the logo? and what sort of squeegee are you using.
Is it a print or 2 layers of vinyl? Pins are not that good to use on bubbles unless its a surgical needle, a scalpel is far better if you do get the occassional bub. If you are using a centre hinge and cutting the paper, you can somtimes get ‘paper crumbs’, tiny things that are hardly noticable. again cutting device; scissors or knife need to be raxor sharp.
Peter -
The logo is 280mm x 280mm. The logo is in 2 layers of vinyl, applied using a 3m gold squeegee with a horizontal piece of tape along the top.
Thanks
Nathan -
you will have trouble fitting multi layers wet or dry best fitted one layer at a time – any way you will not get the lurgy from fitting wet
Chris
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Sorry, I might not have explained myself properly. I first layed the layer of white vinyl to the car on it’s own, I then layed the pink vinyl on top.
Thanks
Nathan -
Also make sure you lay your application tape down nicely on your vinyl. A bubble on the tape can cause a bubble when applying.
-Marek -
Having looked at the bubbles again, they do look like there may be particles under them. You can veryfy this by pricking them, if the bubble wont squidge away then its caused by dust or something. .
You could try wrapping your squeegee wiyh a pad of cotton, or get a felt one, they are much better and more forgiving if you are just starting.
If you try a wet app you will probably get the same results, but the bubbles will be liquid instead of air,
peter -
if you have a felt squeegee try using that, not saying it will do the trick but IS far more forgiving when it comes to panels like you have on a smart car. i.e. plastic.
when using a nylon squeegee you tend to press harder and the edge dig in cause the panel to sag slightly. when this happens the middle of the nylon squeegee doesn’t have just as much pressure as the edges so doesn’t expel the air just the same. not saying this is the problem, just a thought?
as for the bubbles… dint beat yourself up about it, they are small.. so your doing good. creases are a different matter 😕
get the graphics on best you can for now, make up some other stuff and in a few days go back to the car. see if you can improve. sometimes frustration can cause you more grief… -
Thanks for the advice guys, I’ll have a go with my felt squeegee over the next couple of days.
Thanks
Nathan -
Maybe you should wait 15 minutes before removing your application tape… It gives the glue more time to attach to the underground. Which makes it far more difficult to “micro”-lift the pink vinyl and to create the tiny bubbles…
(Sorry for my poor English… 😳 )
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i agree with signboy, leave your application tape on for longer to let the vinyl bond to the surface, then before you remove the application tape spray some water on it, this makes the application tape easier to remove if its been sitting a while.
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looks like tar spots under the vinyl, they can be hard to see on darker cars. di you clean it with ipa prior to application?
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Nathan, don’t lose sleep over these bubbles. If it is a cast material, a couple of days in the sun and they will be gone.
Typically, this is usually the result of applying on a warm/hot surface, or even a humid day will cause them (we get really humid days here). Both will cause the vinyl to ‘grab’ when you apply it, leaving bubbles, both small an large. It could also be that your applicator is not angled enogh to the surface. Try and lay the applicator flatter on your next application.
These bubbles would be acceptable in the normal scheme of things. I always tell the client that there may be some small bubbles in the job, but they will come out in a few days in the sun. Don’t make a big deal of them, and the client will not worry. Start apologising for them, and the client will start to think there IS a problem.
I was at an Avery seminar the other day, and the Avery instructor had bigger bubbles than these I promise you.
Don’t give up on the dry method tho. Keep at it, and experience will tell you the best application, in time.
Cheers
Shane
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