new squeegee

[Peter Shaw]

Replace them when they don’t work but before that cut a slice off to square the edge up again. We use a hand guillotine.

Peter

[Nicola McIntosh]

quote pshaw:

Replace them when they don’t work but before that cut a slice off to square the edge up again. We use a hand guillotine.
Peter

nice one peter….i didnt think of doing that, im a bit hasty in just throwing them in the bin cheers 😀

nik

[Robert Lambie]

good tip peter…

Hugh, if you can get a full week out a felt squeegee that is “often” used then you are doing good. our guys will use them until i tell them to stop 👿 common sense tells you things aren’t going down right… so change em! 😉
anyway… £3 a week spread over all the jobs you will use them on is pretty good going, all considered. that said, i know fine we want these things to last far longer…

[Hugh Potter]

lol, i reckon my old one, which although no longer so stiff, and has slightly rounded corners, probably only owed me about 10p a week ! had it ages but it seems ok still,

will use the new one now though !

[Steve-Smith]

i found the felt squegges from metamark are pretty good and seem to last for ages

[Hugh Potter]

i’ve not tried those, to be honest i jsut went with the recognised brand named item when i first ordered, so have stuck with them. the softer one is still good for doing the curved areas on bonnets etc !

[Robert Lambie]

a tip in “freezing” weather is to try using a nylon squeegee on very cold metal of vehicles. the cold blocks the adhesions and makes the vinyl very brittle. nylon squeegees will generate more pressure and stimulate the adhesive with a little friction heat.
that said, the felt ones are still fine but you may find at times the vinyl isnt tight on the surface, almost floating.

now for all those out there that slag me off for preaching dry dry dry….

how are you all coping with wet applications in this weather? 😉

i rest my case 😀

[Shane Drew]

quote Robert Lambie:

how are you all coping with wet applications in this weather? 😉

i rest my case 😀

… couldn’t help ya self could you mate :lol1:

[Brian Fendt]

…nice to see some one else dry fitting Rob 😉
i was given 2 samples of a felt squeege a long while before i saw them being sold in trade mags, i have no idea wear they came from, although after 8yrs im still using them, one got drenched in fairy liquid and when it dried worked great, bit greasy but flew over the api-tape no friction (luuvly).

[valegraphics]

I bought a felt squeegie from vinyl logistics about 6months ago, use it most days and its almost indestructable, its about half inch thick tho!!!
Matt

[Richard Urquhart]

rob re wet application
in the summer i really struggled doing it DRY all the time so did go the wet root
but now however I’m doing it dry most of the time and having no problems ,no air bubbles due to vinyl and metal being colder i would guess

so may be next summer this would have given me the experience to go fry all the time !!!

so why is it easier to apply dry in the cold ????

[Robert Lambie]

quote Shane Drew:

… couldn’t help ya self could you mate :lol1:

nop… sorry mate 😳 :lol1:

rich, your probably right mate, by the time the warm weather comes back you will be well in tune with applying dry always! 😉
why is it easier to apply dry in the cold?
basically the heat stimulates the adhesive mate. that’s why when you want to remove vinyl, you heat it up again… the heat also makes the vinyl soft/supple and as you pick it off you are able to pull it and it stretches away without snapping.
the cold has opposite reaction. the vinyl gets very brittle and snaps easy, the glue has very little adhesion on the cold metal of a vehicle or sign. so it makes it much easier to lift and relay it should you not get it down first time, if the surface is cold.
using a felt squeegee is fine, but as the freezing weather comes in ide suggest trying to apply with a nylon squeegee as it helps with “friction heat & pressure” to improve the bond.
regardless to the tool or method you use applying vinyl in the cold. always heat the vinyl “after” application with a heat gun.
i dont know how many times over the years some of our guys have NOT done this. only for the annoyed customer to come back in with half the letters on his van missing! the reason for this is… obvious, the vinyl hasnt been heated after application. but… because of the dirt and slush on the roads in winter, the van gets dirty very fast. the customer is chuffed with his new sign writing and wants it seen. so 2 days after you apply the vinyls, the customer in right into the nearest car wash and attacks these (not so well stuck) letters with a pressure washer!!! 😮 off they come…..

[Richard Urquhart]

thanks rob
i have found i have gained the most confidence using mactac felt applicator and also note what you said regarding heating after application

rich