how can i apply a long vinyl band to van?

[Hugh Potter]

hi dude,

i think i’d still do it dry, i do 99% of my work on my own, on a long strip like this, tape it all into position, then make a hinge (tape across the strip) about 2ft / 600mm from the end (either end), then peel back, remove the backing, and squeegee the vinyl down at that end, as you usually would, then i remove the securing tape along the length, and place it at the top of the decal (this is as a guide, serves no other purpose), then starting where the hinge was, peel away the backing and work in small sections along the length of the strip,

hope that makes sense.

works for me !

[Clive Darbon]

Thanks Hugh, that sounds good, though I’m having a bit of trouble picturing it! Do you tape the whole strip on top or bottom or just in bits along the length? And the strip of tape (hinge) then goes right across the strip? Would it then be necessary to slit the backing sheet and peel the last 600mm of backing sheet off as you squeegee that section down? I guess once that front piece is down it’s basically in position, then it’s just a case of going along the strip and peeling it off as you go along following the line of tape? I hope I’ve got that right or am I missing something? It’s the position of the hinge and which way or how you peel the backing paper off that I think I’m missing?

Spooky

[Hugh Potter]

hi mate you’re pretty much on the money with your description, as you say, hinge right across the strip, do the same every 18" or so, keeping it taught so as it’s kept in line, then the first section, which at 2ft long is quite manageable, should be folded back, peel away the backing and slit it off near the hinge, lay that as you usually would,

then, as you say, so long as it’s all kept taught, when you apply the rest of the strip, it should be kept in position along it’s length,

when i said about removing the tape and putting it above the strip as a quide, i mean to start near the hinge, and when you remove the tape, simply stick it along the top edge of the vinyl (on the van) so it acts as a guide and tells you if you’re going out of line,

cheers.
Hugh

ps, if you have no recesses etc, and feel you really need to do it wet, then don’t be pressured into doing it dry, do what you feel comfortable with, it took me a while to get used to doing dry, in fact, i still do the odd job wet !

are you able to view the design help section ? if so, i could post a pic or two that might help you.

[Clive Darbon]

That’s great Hugh, I can see it now and it makes sense. Thanks mate.

Spooky

[Martin Pearson]

If you try applying it wet you are going to have problems if there are any recesses on the van at all, the water will collect in the recesses and cause a lot of problems when you try to heat it.

Like Hugh has said tape it in place and run a masking tape line along either the top or bottom edge to use as a guide and then use a centre hinge method for application. If you are a bit unsure of applying it all as one piece you can sometimes reduce the length you have to apply in one go by cutting at the doors once it is taped in place.

[Clive Darbon]

Thanks Martin I think I understand what you are saying. Am I right in thinking that with a centre hinge I would start in the middle and work out towards the ends?

[Hugh Potter]

a center hinge is exactly as you say, but due to the length, i would suggest starting toward one end, a couple of feet is more manageable than a 6ft length !

[Peter Normington]

I would do the same as Hugh, only one thing slightly different, instead of hinging verticaly, with the masking tape, I would tape top and bottom for a few feet, this prevents the first bit from moving, and helps to keep everything square to start with.

Peter

[Martin Pearson]

Hugh, it’s actually not difficult to do on your own, just roll up the long piece to be applied and remove the backing paper from the first couple of feet, you can easily hold the rolled up piece in one hand and then you can then just keep removing a couple of feet of backing paper as you go following your masking tape guide line

[Clive Darbon]

Thanks everyone all good suggestions. Martin, it’s funny that you said about rolling up the vinyl and working my way along the vehicle as that was probably what I would have done. Mind you I should use hinges more really I just got into bad habits like applying vinyl in sections or wetting the back. Small stuff I’ve always put on dry in one go.

Peter, your idea of taping top and bottom seems fine, but how do you then get hold of the backing paper if it’s all taped down onto the vehicle? Surely it would have to be taped either top or bottom?

[Peter Normington]

Spooky, not taped all the way but like this, it just helps to hold more firmly.

Peter

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[Clive Darbon]

Thanks Peter, nice photo. Is that one of those giant cutting mats or your shower wall! 😉

[Peter Normington]

its a glass top, 8×4 work table with a printed grid underneath.

Peter

[Steve Sandy]

Peter, Sorry to jump in on this thread. Great idea the grid on your table. I am just ripping my inside of my shed to bits to put an 8′ x 4′ table in. Could I ask you what type of glass you are using and can you recommend a good thickness for it. Did you do the grid from vinyl as well??
Thanks in advance.

Regards
Steve

[Peter Normington]

Its 6mm toughened, glass Steve.
The grid came with a cutting mat I bought before I used the glass.
Its been in place about 18 months now, used dailly for cutting on and laying up. Hardly a mark on it, It was recommended to me by other board members.

Some people even illuminate the glass from below to facilitate easy layering of vinyl.

Peter

[Martin Pearson]

Steve, most signmakers with glass top tables will use 6mm toughened normally with polished edges. It shouldn’t be difficult to make up a grid either, if you printed it then it could just lay under the glass or if you did it in vinyl you could apply it to the underside.

[Steve Sandy]

Thankyou very much for your advice Peter and Martin, I will get some after i get my vinyl rack finished. It is so much better with the big table now and not lots of narrow benches around. I keep thinking its a snooker table though, must not practise with my steel ruler when the glass goes on though.

Best Regards
Steve

[Hugh Potter]

theres a few thread posted around the site about table tops, i too use 6mm toughened glass, the best advice i can give, is make sure you protect the edges, as that’s where the only real weakness lies, i flooded mine with white translucent underneath and have lights under it for aligning different layers, it’s taken my weight when i’ve sat on it, and even survived a 1lb hammer head falling on it when i was knocking some nails into a roof joist above !

[Steve Sandy]

Hi Hugh,
Thanks for your advice on my posts of late it really has been helpfull to me. At the moment I have an mdf base and was looking for a top to go on. Now I know glass to be the one for me. How have you got the lights to show through, have you got sections cut out say 2 foot square on the base where you would do your alignment work. I mean that I couldnt have an oblong frame and the glass sat over that could I. Is the glass that strong. Does that make sense.
I just had a bottle and a half of red wine whilst watching the apprentice, He should fire all of them not 1 good singmaker among them.

Cheers Hugh

[Bill Hughes]

Glass must be the way to go Does it make a shrill noise I can not imagine what the feeling would be to run my knife blade along glass its seems too weird and which is sharper? the glass I presume ,does this blunt the blade quicker
I will have to cover my table soon and was going to buy one of them expensive healing mats but I might have a go with glass

[Lynn Normington]

Hi Bill the glass makes no noise at all but does blunt blades quickly 🙄
it is also very easy to keep clean.

Lynn

[Hugh Potter]

quote Steve Sandy:

How have you got the lights to show through, have you got sections cut out say 2 foot square on the base where you would do your alignment work.

hi mate, sorry i missed this !

yes, the glass is that strong!!

to make it a light bench, rather than make a ‘bench’ with a solid top, i made a 12ftx2’6 ‘frame’ to support the glass,

essentially it’s a large rectangle with a three cross braces from front to rear, made from 4×2 timber in landscape (ie widest side supports glass). this sits upon the main 4×2 timber built frame, and actually hinges the bench upwards at the rear should i wish (though i’ve got too much junk on there to use the feature now !)#

i think that might help ! 😮

[Martin Pearson]

Bill I am not sure that glass is that much cheaper than a self healing mat. Don’t forget you can’t use any old piece of glass as it needs toughened glass and the edges really need to be polished.
As Lynn has said you don’t get any noise but it will take the edge off your scalpel blades a lot quicker. I tend to have extra scalpels so I can keep some for bench work and some for fitting, that way if I am just using a scalpel to trim graphics on the bench I can use it for longer before I change the blade.