Car Vinyl and supplies

[gstk]

Hi GSTK,
If its app tape: Basically this is placed onto the lettering after weeding - its a way of transferring the weeded lettering, from the backing sheet, onto the van sides without the letters moving.
Cut your vinyl, weed it, apply app tape, squeegie for good hold, align onto van, put a length of masking tape along the longest edge to form a hinge, peel off backing sheet keeping app tape taught and away from the van, to leave letters on app tape, then work away from your hinge with a squeegie. The only time your lettering touches the van is when it's squeegied on, don't let it touch by itself as you'll get air bubbles or creases.

Once all the app tape, with lettering, is on the van, take your masking tape hinge off then peel your app tape off carefully. Once app tape is off place the backing sheet back on the lettering, matt side out and re- squeegie just to make sure of good adhesion.

You want: Perfectear Maintape app - which I think is low to medium tack. For vinyl you want Mactac 9800 pro series which is a 7/8 year vinyl. Don't be tempted to put crap 3/5 year stuff on, and don't undervalue your time and the job itself. Someone came in the other day with a quote and asked if I could beat it - £72 for a transit, 2 colour lettering 4 sides inc vat - even though I really need the money at the moment he got a mouthful and escorted off the premises.

Always clean the van before you start - hope this helps

Cheers John

There are many ways to skin a cat - this is the easiest I think!

Thanks John
I wasnt meaning that way. We have been doing stickers for resale (Let them stick their own!!) I have been using car vinyl for a while but I struggle understanding the grades of app tape. I want something that sticks to the vinyl for posting, I bought some whihc must be low tack I guess and it curled up and looked crap. Then I bought some clear app tape but cant find the invoice anywhere as to who I bought it from.

I signed my old van up a couple of years back and its really a skill for a patient man - " a man's got to know his limitations"

[John G]

I love applying vehicle livery - got a trailer to do this weekend, full colour prints - should be fun.
I think all app tape will curl, its the nature of it - but your right, if peeps send things in post they normally use clear app tape.

Cheers John

[Renniwano]

£72 for a transit - bloody hell what planet is that on ?? and double colour at that !!

[John G]

£72 for a transit - bloody hell what planet is that on ?? and double colour at that !!

This is what we're all competing against - people doing a full days graft for a few pints

[Complete Mug]

I use starvinyls.com......Alex is great for info and help

[John G]

I use starvinyls.com......Alex is great for info and help

Looking at their vinyls they are all short term - I wouldn't want to be putting that on a sign or vehicle!

[RogerC]

Grafityp recommend R-Tape conform from their range for an app tape that can be left overnight or storing decals without the edges curling up. It would be worth you giving them a call. They are very helpful people ....even for very very low volume people like me.

[Complete Mug]

Looking at their vinyls they are all short term - I wouldn't want to be putting that on a sign or vehicle!

I thought we was talking about application tape??

[Complete Mug]

What I meant was Alex @ star vinyls is really helpful and full of advice and info and will spend alot of time explaining things

[John G]

sorry mate - just clocked the company name (starvinyl) and thought you bought vinyl off them too!
My mistake