Help with my first van wrap

[Peter Normington]

Soyeb, with all due respect, if you are asking so much information, you are starting from scratch, and you should not really be attempting a job of this complexity, its not something to do as a first job.
The design looks good but that is not everything. materials and application sklils also are a factor with something like this.
You are keen though I will give you that, but attempting something like this without quite a bit of experience could lead to tears.
good luck though

Peter

[Soyeb Ravat]

Hi Peter

I have done quite a few vehicle’s but just havn’t done any wraps. I have got MD7 which I am hoping to use and have got a good 9 days which i think will be ample time to complete.

Got to start somewhere
😀

[John Harding]

whilst Peter is absolutely right we shouldnt discourage people wanting to push themselves if they want to have a go, just be prepared you may need time and help to get this correct.

I havent done any full wraps so looking at it from a novice viewpoint I would if I were you

1. Hinges have a go why not but I see plenty of vans where hinges are not done
2. Leave bumpers and mouldings – notoriously harder
3 use regular vinyls if not going over major indentations in the bodywork
4 have you not got the option to import outlines full scale?
5 I would apply this strip seperately
6 I would leave plenty of overlap to hold and pull then trim as required so an inch far too little.

But as said you will get more expert answers

Post a reply to let us know how you faired once completed

John

[Peter Normington]

quote Soyeb Ravat:

Hi Peter

I have done quite a few vehicle’s but just havn’t done any wraps. I have got MD7 which I am hoping to use and have got a good 9 days which i think will be ample time to complete.

Got to start somewhere
😀

Yes we all have to start somwhere, but we do need to walk before we run.
If you pull this job off and the customer is happy, and you get paid a proper price without having hours of grief, then it will be a job well done.
I have said before, you get full marks for enthusiasm, but you do need to stand back and decide if you can confidently do this job and not have any comebacks to spoil your reputation.

Have you used md7 before? have you done a wrapping course?

Peter

[Paul Humble]

Very good luck with this one mate, ive done the Roland course using MD7 but I wouldnt attempt this one yet.

Make sure to post up pics if you pull it off.

[Phill Fenton]

I’m certainly no expert at wrapping, I’ve never been on a wrapping course, but I have done a few part wraps successfully so don’t be put off.

For what it’s worth, my answers to your questions are as follows (though as with many things these are just personal preferences – there is no absolute rights or wrongs….apart from Q4 which is x20 any other answer is wrong 😕 )

1/ I wouldn’t bother to wrap the hinges though some people might
2/ Likewise – probably best not too wrap the plastic bump strips as the vinyl will only come off in time anyway
3/ If the panel is flat then there is no need to use a more expensive wrap vinyl.
4/ Times 20
5/ Apply seperately
6/ I would aim for a good few inches top and bottom to be on the safe side – but when overlapping a join you only need to allow 5mm or so.

[Peter Normington]

Phill has applied vinyl for many years before attempting a wrap, or part wrap, so has a bit of experience. this is not really a job I would attempt as a novice. and I disagree with Phill that you should not be put off.
If you dont get it right you will feel very frustrated..

If you cant do it properly and confidently first, then you will not gain customer respect.
I have seen many jobs that have been badly applied, popping out of recesses, and with joins etc.

go for it if you feel you can do it professionally, but if not get a bit of practice in first,

btw 1/20 scale =x2000

Peter

[Phill Fenton]

quote Peter Normington:

btw 1/20 scale =x2000
Peter

:shake: x20

[Peter Normington]

quote Phill:

quote Peter Normington:

btw 1/20 scale =x2000
Peter

:shake: x20

phill if the scale is 1/20th you need to increase it by 2000%

to get the actual size, confirm it with your impact outlines in signlab

Peter

[Phill Fenton]

Increasing it by 2000% is the same thing as multiplying by 20…but not the same as multiplying by 2000 *hair*

[Michael Szwacki]

That’s what Peter means Phil. Just put 2000% instead of 100%.

If he using Illustrator he can’t put outlines in scale. SignLab and Corel can do that.

I agree with Peter, design it’s too complex for first wrapping job, especially that green strip.

1. leave the hinges.
2. leave bumpers (if it’s not coming off soon, it will be lifting at the ends)
3. If it’s not going even 10mm over any curve use standard vinyl (I wouldn’t even print that – just use vinyl)
4. x20 or 2000% 🙂
5. Separately (If it’s really first job I would use paper tack or clear tack)
6. Few inches at the top and bottom and back side.

What you mean by overlap?

Design on the back doors it’s wrong. You gonna have corners from the sides so back design should be only on the doors. Also I don’t really like the back – what about the top bit?

Anyway – Good luck and dont forget to put some pictures when you finish.

[Peter Normington]

Soyab
you also need to consider where any joins will be, depending on the size
of your printer,

plus qute a few other things, like I said originally, not a good first project.

good luck though,

Peter

[Phill Fenton]

quote Peter Normington:

good luck though,

Peter

Yeah – like you really mean it :poke:

[Soyeb Ravat]

Got some really good advice and help there from everyone!! So first of all thanx for that. Will definitely post the pictures on here once it is done. Yes I haven’t done any wrapping before but will give it a shot. I still have the md7 roll which came with my printer so if it does go pear shaped then I haven’t really lost much. I can sub out the work in a worse case scenario.

I’ve been meaning to get in to vehicle wrapping for a while so it would be nice to give it a bash and see what happens. I have done quite a few livery jobs and this is definitely different but lets just see!!

Thanks again for all your answers and much appreciated!!! 😀 😀 😀

[Jason Xuereb]

1. Don’t wrap. Make clean cuts. They are so small and tedious to do.
2. High energy plastic can’t be wrapped. Wrap over and trim out.
3. I’d use wrap media to keep the colours consistent.
4. 2000% like phil said you want to increase it twenty times by one hundred.
5. I’d make that part of the wrap and the white gap between the green and the image the actual white vinyl you are printing on.
6. I’d leave 10cm top and bottom and more to the right and left.

It if you can do more without wasting media use it.

[Peter Normington]

quote Phill:

quote Peter Normington:

good luck though,

Peter

Yeah – like you really mean it :poke:

Yes I do :tongue:
I have every respect for someone who will give it a go.
Peter

[Steve Morgan]

If I might just make a small point – I think you should look at the telephone numbers and add some gaps.

Steve

[Martin Pearson]

I would also take note of what Michael has said about the design, as it stands the back doesn’t really work. You will have a design coming round from the sides which doesn’t tie in with anything on the back as it is at the moment.

I am surprised that you haven’t taken the time to get yourself on a wrapping course though if you have been wanting to do this sort of work for some time and I would also be interested in the vehicle livery work you have done so far. How many vans are quite a few and how many of them involved some sort of work with recesses rather than just flat panels.

[Russell Huffer]

Agree with Peter, I use Impact to design in Illistrator and when i cut i set the cutter to 2000% to get the correct size.

Regards

Russell.

[Soyeb Ravat]

thanks again guys! Will definitely add gaps between the telephone numbers and i completely see your point on how the sides wont tie in with the back. The reason i did it like this was at the customers request to leave the top so gonna persuade him now to have it done. 😀 😀 😀
cheers again!!

[Martin Pearson]

Soyeb, no disrespect intended here but I read on the forum all the time that a job was done a certain way because that’s what the customer wanted. Most customers don’t really have any idea how their van will look once it has livery on it. As a signmaker you should be pointing out things that you know won’t work or look right to the customer right from the start. The back of this van was never going to look right and if you had explained that at the outset you wouldn’t now have to go back to the customer to explain this to him, it also makes the customer wonder if you really know what you are doing.

If you did explain this to him to start with and he still want’s it done that way then fair enough, no need to go back and try again, just do it as he requested even though you know it won’t look right. There will always be customers who won’t listen and want things done their way and when that happens just get on and do the job as they want it rather than lose the work but at least you will have tried to keep them right.

[Soyeb Ravat]

As this is my first wrap job Martin, I myself didn’t realize it until it was pointed out to me. Its not much of an issue anyway as the design is just the first draft. I have mentioned to the customer that there will be changes. Get to learn alot the first time you do summat!!! 😀