whats the best way to deal with wrapping & rivets?

[Marekdlux]

If you can Steve, take out the rivits then apply the vinyl.
That’s about all I can help you with.
-Marek

[steve geary]

No can do Marek… Too many!
I do that on Trailers with screws in them.
Then I cover the screws with a dot of corosponding vinyl and heat and wrap, then reapply them.
works a Treat…. as you mates Say….

[Simon Clayton]

you just go over them with the vinyl.. use a rivet brush
Simon

[steve geary]

Thanks Simon…
That’s what I’m suspecting…. Should I heat it as well?
What should I tell my customer about it. I know What the appearance will be, but Will it hold up as I’m using cast Vinyl?

[Simon Clayton]

Just got to make sure all the area is totally clean, (that’s around every rivet)
Not sure if you would need heat, as they are not that raised… but must be clean..

Simon

[steve geary]

Thanks again….
So now another question…
Any idea how long this may take to apply? It’d be two sides and the rear of a truck Box.
Sides appx. 14ft. x 7ft. – Rear 7ft x 7ft..
I know it takes me twice as long to apply regular vinyl over rivets… I keep messin with them.
I may hire out to some fitters for this one, if they let me watch.

[Robert Lambie]

rivets are a major pain in backside to be honest. over here we hardly get them on our vehicles, were i have seen millions on the panels on trucks in the states. with that in mind, i haven’t had the greatest experience or tips on dealing with them, even after 15 years applying. 😕
that said, 3m controltac is a good vinyl. it should cope no problem at all…
“don’t” apply wet over them, as the rivet will hold a little pocket of water/moisture. this wont dry out faster than the vinyl getting brittle which it will start doing as soon as the sunsets. next day heat, next night cold and so on till that little pocket gets brittle & cracks with the bouncing about of the panels. not movement as we no it but movement. the head of the rivet will be stuck and so will surrounding area. but the little bridge of vinyl from truck panel to rivet head will be brittle, crack and hold dirt.
(not much by the way) but you did ask what to avoid 😀 😉
if you can, try applying with a felt squeegee. apply over the rivets as if they weren’t there. keeping the vinyl a little taught to one side as you apply.
once all on. work the squeegee round the rivet a few inches back till the vinyl tightens as you get closer.
remove application tape…
now do same again, work round rivet getting closer.
oh. almost forgot.. the rivet head has a hole. pop a pin in it first to allow the air to escape to prevent a blister appearing, worse still, stretching of the vinyl by creating a large blister.
once you have the rivet snug under the vinyl. go round the rivet with a nylon squeegee making it tight while applying some heat from a heat gun.
last thing, give it a little bake with the heat… pressing round/on it with your thumb.

that sounds long winded but easier done than said 😀

if its a big job, do some little test applications with scrap bits of vinyl.
it will let you see how the vinyl will react/perform on this surface.

best of luck…

oh, as Simon says, rivet brush seems another popular method.

[Peter Normington]

it will take time.
https://www.uksignboards.com/viewtopic.p … highlight=
I sometimes think it would be quicker to drill the flippin things out and replace, but then they would stick out even more.
Peter

[steve geary]

Thanks Robert,
That’s Pretty much how I treat Rivets with regualr vinyl, though You pointed out a few things I wasn’t thinking of.
I’m supecting it will add quite a bit of time to the application.

[steve geary]

Thanks for the link Peter… I read that post, but forgot about it.
I’ll keep it fresh when I’m estimating the job.

[drogers4]

Steve, I’ve done a number of box trucks/trailers etc with rivets and they certainly do suck. But what Robert said about them is what I do, except when I go back to the rivets after the initial application, I pop 2 or 3 holes in the vinyl around the rivet to allow the air to escape. This allows it to lay down quite nicely but in order for it to stay there applying heat is a good idea. With the prints, I have yet to install any prints over rivets but imagine it is just the same. I see tons of trucks with prints over rivets and many of them look quite crappy with the vinyl not adhering around the rivet well leaving a huge pocket of air, and that is where the heat would help.

The 3m Controltac should be fine, but I would never try this with a calendered vinyl (I learned the hard way and ended up cutting the vinyl around each and every rivet). Good luck!

Doyle

[Peter Cox]

I agree with Robert, I’ve done loads of trucks with rivets and it’ the only way to go.
This topic has brought to mind some thing that I have been looking for for ages and seems to be an American thing RIVET BRUSHES where can I buy them from?

Peter

[Robert Lambie]

i could be wrong, but “i think” ive seen rivete brushes in the grafityp catalogue near the back with adhesive fluids etc. sorry dont have the mag near me to check.

[Simon Kay]

Over here Spandex sell them so I would assume that they would be in their catalogue back in the UK.?

[Peter Cox]

Rob,
Thanks for the link to Grafityp but I think that the brushes that you are talking about are just application brushes. I always thought that rivet brushes have short stiff bristles (STEADY!!!!!)
Peter

[steve geary]

thanks for the additional info and reassurance….

quote coxy:

This topic has brought to mind some thing that I have been looking for for ages and seems to be an American thing RIVET BRUSHES where can I buy them from?Peter

I bought a Rivet Brush, but honestly don’t use it. The bristles are Very hard & coarse and damage cast vinyl.
What I use instead is a paint brush – Round and square, and cut the bristles real short. (like the rivet brush) It works better, less chance of tearing the vinyl.
You can get both and try them.
rivit brush – http://www.beacongraphics.com/rivet-brush.html

[Peter Cox]

Thanks Steve what a great idea
Peter

[Stephen Morriss]

Seem to remember Doro tape do rivet brushes as well but as Steve said the bristles are hard so I’ve never used mine.

Steve