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  • David Hammond – Recent work

    Posted by David Hammond on May 20, 2023 at 6:53 am

    Been a while since I’ve shared some of the work I’ve been doing.

    Primarily concentrating on vehicle signage, and trying to offer something more than just slapping a logo on the sides.

    Here’s a couple of ‘fleets’ that have been keeping me amused.

    Norwood with the front ends wrapped in dark blue, with about 5 vans completed.

    Diamond Decorators, with bottom half wraps (plus we ended up wrapping the bumpers and trims on two vans in Matt Black to match the previous ones that didn’t have colour coded bumpers) I think this week I’ve completed the 5th or 6th for them.

    HEH UK are a long standing customer, a few years ago we changed their design from panel fills to partial wraps across their fleet. I’ve lost count, I just emails telling me they’ve got another and when to expect it.

    One of the largest we’ve done, and ‘in one go’ was 23 yaris wraps we completed for an existing customer. Digitally printed onto clear wrap film, with the logo’s all printed onto MD5 to match the corporate colours.

    RobertLambie replied 4 months, 1 week ago 9 Members · 29 Replies
  • 29 Replies
  • David Hammond

    Member
    May 20, 2023 at 7:06 am

    It’s no all fleet and bigger company work though, here’s some of the work we’ve done for ‘smaller’ businesses.

    Indian Food Carriage was installed the past weekend, using Oracal 970 for the front logos (I thought the arches were more pronounced on the sprinter, but the air escape helped) the rest using 551 which is an almost identical match.

    Copy print services, these guys found us via social media, liked our work, and we got the brief “do something different” and “I quite like the idea of it looking like there’s a copier in the van” think we hit the nail on the head there.

    Imperial Decor, they’d had a cheaper quote elsewhere, and a free design, but it was a bit “meh”, we were ~£100 more expensive, but gave them the roller logos to catch the eye.

    NW Fire Training, they knew exactly what they wanted regarding the image in the background, and I’ve tweaked some of the wording. Quality was also important.

    Fantastic Services, part of a franchise I believe, so the bare bones of the artwork was supplied.

    Kye Buzz, a mix of contra vision and vinyl, colour matched, initially the customer baulked at the quote, but returned to go ahead.

    KJJ, I just got carried away when I saw the logo.

    Serious laughter was a referral from another sign company, where they install vehicle signage, but this customers business was a bit niche, the owner of the sign company advised the customer contact me as they didn’t think their offering would work. A chat on the phone, understand their business, a plan was hatched. Rather than list the multitude of services they offered, we’ve pushed the advantages their services offer to businesses, with a dynamic QR code.

  • David Hammond

    Member
    May 20, 2023 at 7:16 am

    I’m not exclusively a van signage person, in between those I find time to get in some other bits.

    A rebrand for a gym on a business park, with wall coverings, window vinyl, and cut vinyl on mirrors (there’s a video on our youtube channel)
    Signage for the local Portuguese shop (their design not mine)
    Produced some CNC templates for a customer who then used them to make logos in artificial grass.
    Internal wall graphics for a local company – Despite being known for vehicle signage, this customer contact us, we did the job, I asked where they heard of us as
    it’s mainly vans we do “I know, I’ve seen your social media, we contacted a few local companies and you were the only one who replied”
    I produce a number of signs for Aggregate Industries depots around the country too, the ones pictured are 8x4ft panels.
    I even do the more mundane stuff, like producing and installing safety signs!

  • Leslie Anderson

    Member
    May 20, 2023 at 3:41 pm

    WOW! where do i start? ❤👍😎
    very impressive David.

    • David Hammond

      Member
      May 21, 2023 at 6:08 am

      It certainly keeps me amused. I really enjoy working on vehicles, but nice to mix it up occasionally.

  • Peter Cassidy

    Member
    May 20, 2023 at 9:21 pm

    @DavidHammonda

    a great mixture of work there David. 👍👍

    I’m struggling to work out what you are doing, or or should i say how it works in the Astro turf one? 🤔

    thanks for sharing mate.

    • David Hammond

      Member
      May 21, 2023 at 5:57 am

      That our customer in the photo, it took me a while to work out what he was planning.

      We victorised the logo, and cut it from ACM, the customer then used the template we made to cut the crest out of artificial grass. I think he glued it all together on a carrier, and When he laid the new AstroTurf at the club, cut the circle out and laid in the crest.

      We also did some Home, away and a sponsors name.

  • RobertLambie

    Administrator
    May 21, 2023 at 6:43 pm

    A nice mix of work there, David.
    You also have a nice balance of part wrap and cut vinyl work on your vehicles, which is what I see as being the best way to sell vehicle graphics with the best profit. 🙂
    Obviously what you charge, how it is fitted and the materials used, all come into play, but I am sure you are on top of that too. 😉

    Looks like you have been busy, nice one mate. 👍

  • David Hammond

    Member
    May 21, 2023 at 7:14 pm

    Cheers Rob, I’ve come a long way from they wrap training all those years ago.

    I need to push the digital wraps a bit more. I still don’t believe wraps are as profitable as cut vinyl types.

  • RobertLambie

    Administrator
    May 21, 2023 at 8:15 pm

    A nicely designed, combination of full-colour digital print and cut vinyl graphics on a vehicle can be manufactured and installed quickly and easily, allowing you to move on to the next job. This is the type of work you need to aim for because you are better geared up to deal with it and turn it around fast and maximise profit, on the volley.

    We obviously offer full-colour wrapped vans of any shape and size and have done for many years. Truck wraps and box truck wraps are great to turn around fast and easily. But when it comes to Joe blogs wanting a full-colour wrapped transit or similar. I actually “sigh” when I see the enquiries. Not that I do not want the work, just that if I am going to get the money I want for the time to do it, I know I have a customer education process to go through, a chat about pricing and more often than not, I sell them… “a part wrap and cut vinyl” which is the initial point I am making.
    Everyone loves the look of a well-designed wrap, but the cost-effective solution for the customer is the part wrap and cut vinyl, it is also the better solution for you… Well, not if the customer has the artwork on a USB ready to print and a fat wallet. 😉

  • Karen White

    Member
    May 22, 2023 at 3:22 pm

    some really nice vans there David. you have been busy for sure!
    i like the matt vinyl against the gloss black van and also the doctors cars and love the Astroturf. i would never have thought that was how it was done.

  • David Hammond

    Member
    May 22, 2023 at 5:40 pm

    Cheers, I do like the matt vinyl on gloss vans, always adds a bit of something.

    It took me a whilst to grasp what the customer was going to do with the stencils, from memory the crest is about 2.5m in diameter.

  • Mark Johnston

    Member
    May 25, 2023 at 9:59 am

    some really nice jobs there david. 😎

    did you do the grass wrapped car also?

    • David Hammond

      Member
      May 25, 2023 at 2:16 pm

      I didn’t do the grass wrap, I left that up to the customer, we just installed the graphics once he’d done the wrap.

  • David Hammond

    Member
    September 7, 2023 at 2:20 pm

    Van wrap we completed today.

    I’m back in love with the job 😍 After the issues we had with the Roland, a customer trying to evade paying for a wrap we installed, I’ve got my crap together.

    Orange is Arlon PPC – What a nice material, different to Avery or 3M, but I can’t explain why, and the gloss levels 😍

    The print was done on Alron SLX… boy what a different material that was, having printed it on the Latex.

    Absolutely no issued with vibrancy or quality of the prints compared to the solvent, even though that had Orange spot inks.

  • Peter Cassidy

    Member
    September 7, 2023 at 9:30 pm

    i love the impact of the orange. nice one David!

    do you try and push customers towards wraps or do you just let the customer tell you what they want?

    • David Hammond

      Member
      September 8, 2023 at 4:55 am

      I don’t push customers in any direction to be fair, I do get a little bit excited with the right customer, who has the budget and lets me get a bit more creative.

      My suggestion at the start was to wrap the side door, the opposite side where the door would be, and one rear door – simply because it’s the opposite to what we usually do, and with the orange would stand out.

      The customer (or their wife) suggested wrapping the back orange, and then that changed to adding the images.

      I try to pitch myself as step up from they typical signwriter, and do get attract customer who want something different and happy to pay for it.

  • Martyn

    Member
    September 8, 2023 at 4:58 am

    i like that. Good work. Nice crisp clean design and the colours work really well with the artwork

  • RobertLambie

    Administrator
    September 10, 2023 at 6:56 pm

    Nice one David, good to see more of what you have been up to these days mate. 👍

    I am not sure if it was your intention to cut short the graphics over the front end of the van or the customer’s choice, but steering clear of the front end of the van during the design process has lots of advantages for you and the customer. At least that’s how I look at it…

    When you stop short of the windows, door etc. and stay on the main sections, it is still being wrapped and gives the same impact, but door handle removal, keyholes, window frame rubber etc. all have to be removed or worked around and the time involved in doing all this goes through the roof. With this, and the added vinyl coverage, the customer’s bill just keeps climbing and there are no real benefits for them.
    If wraps are designed with key money-saving points kept in mind, everyone benefits and allows you to remain a bit more competitive whilst making more money.

    An example of me doing this was the Blue Ford van part wrap that I recently posted with the Chevron Arrow shape finishing the wrap before hitting the front door.

    Anyway, I am waffling on again, so I will shut up. 😳

    Thanks for taking the time to share your work mate. 👍

    • David Hammond

      Member
      September 11, 2023 at 3:00 pm

      The original design was to just wrap the side door, one rear door, but the customer wanted to add the images.

      Skipping the front doors did make life easier, but I don’t think it would have been too much hassle, the Arlon was a pleasure to work with and the bulk of the wrap was done on the first day. It helped that the rear bumper is black plastic, and the side trims and handles were too, so that helped speed up fitting.

  • RobertLambie

    Administrator
    September 11, 2023 at 8:36 pm

    I see every obstacle as time and possible cost due to damage.
    E.G. When you remove the rubber around windows, it is easily kinked and may not re-seat correctly. Simple things, but all relevant.
    I want vehicles in and back out as quickly as possible. I don’t mean rush them, nor do I mean charge less because it’s turned around fast. I just mean provide great products and services at an acceptable price and keep them rolling in and back out. 🙂

  • David McDonald

    Member
    September 13, 2023 at 6:45 pm

    Hi David

    All look excellent.

    Cheers

    Dave

    • David Hammond

      Member
      September 14, 2023 at 5:00 pm

      Cheers Dave, appreciate the feedback hope you’re keeping well.

  • David Hammond

    Member
    June 26, 2024 at 6:42 pm

    A few more recent jobs, since brushing up on my wrap skills with Spandex on their 2 day multi brand course I’m enjoying the wrapping side of things, handling it with a bit more confidence.

    Done a bit of signage (unusual for me) and a couple of interior jobs, even done a bit of sunny work for a mate who was on holiday.

    Still knocking out plenty of bread and butter vans, and the regular fleet work too.

  • Jeff

    Member
    July 1, 2024 at 10:05 pm

    Looks like you have been busy mate. are you starting to do more sign work or have you always done it? some really nice stuff there 👍

    • David Hammond

      Member
      July 2, 2024 at 4:44 am

      Yes a few more signage jobs, I need to be selective about what I take on. Small jobs I can pop out and install myself, or they need to be large enough that it’s worth bringing a subbie in. Vehicles are still the mainstay for me

  • RobertLambie

    Administrator
    July 2, 2024 at 12:10 am

    More nice work, David.
    I like the matt/gloss van, it looks smart mate.
    Your recent internal sign work looks great also. I always like the combination of flat wall graphics and some raised dimensional signs. It almost brings the brand to life, so to speak.

    Thanks for taking the time to load more of your work mate. 👍

  • Mark Johnston

    Member
    July 2, 2024 at 12:49 pm

    cracking jobs david. 👍😎

    who do you use for the cluckin hot stuff?

  • David Hammond

    Member
    July 30, 2024 at 3:55 pm

    Another partial wrap from a couple of weeks ago, found the 1105 EA RS a bit grabby again in the heat, but got the job done, came out better than I thought with the grass pattern changing direction around the curves, and aligning the pattern (1 horizontal join)

  • RobertLambie

    Administrator
    August 4, 2024 at 7:55 pm

    That looks great David, well done mate.
    You have the grass scaled up about right. 👍 I have seen some grass and astroturf on vans that have been scaled up way too big and it just looks naff.
    You are correct, where they come together from the side and the front looks seamless. 👌

    Thanks for taking the time to post your work, David.

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