Vinyl Stickers....anyone have lessons learned?

[MnkyBiz]

Hey all,

Another item to do this weekend is to apply my nice Vinyl FORD letters to the front & rear of the Monkey Mobile!

Anyone have any lessons learned to help keep me from SCREWING THIS UP!!!!!

Not that I usually screw things up, but if I mess these letters up on the nice fresh paint, I'll be very upset.

I already have the instructions from Lyons Designs, soooo, something else from there.

Thanks all!

Bill

 

[kaisermusic]

I just lined mine up and put every letter on seperatley, but you can use a soap and water mix to help position them, and protect your paint.

 

[MnkyBiz]

What exactly does the soap & water mix do? Keep the sticky from sticking right away?

 

[TJK74]

What exactly does the soap & water mix do? Keep the sticky from sticking right away?

Yep exactly! and lets you work out any accidental air bubbles or creases.

 

[Flash69]

I would pay a body shop a few bucks to do it. They have plenty of experience doing it and you wont have to worry about it.

 

[kaisermusic]

or even better, a sign shop. they are the experts! ;D

 

[cracker]

First, did you get a plastic squeegy to apply the decals with? Use a very diluted soap/water mix, to allow positioning of the decal before removal of backing. Apply the decal when it is hot outside, do no do it in the cold. If it is cold, then it will take forever for the water to evap. enough to pull the backing off. Use the plastic squeegy to force as much of the air out as possible. It doesn't have to be perfect, as the smaller bubbles will evap in hotter weather. After wiping out the excess water and air, allow the decal to sit a few minutes to setup, then slowly peel off the backing. If the decal comes off with the backing, wait longer. applying decals is pretty easy and straight forward. I have done quite a few of then, the worst one being the latest one on the hood of the EB, alot of small pieces in the design.

 

[DoubleC]

Windex also works just as well as the soapy water.

 

[Jeepster]

I was one of the testers for Jeff and applied several sets of his stickers. You can apply them dry but you only get 1 chance to get it right. I found the best method for me was to spray both surfaces with some sort of mildly soapy water. Dish detergent is fine, just a little will do. Clean the surface to recieve the sticker. Any little bumps will show behind the sticker. The spray allows you to move the letter around some to position better. Once applied and before the release paper is removed, squeege as much of the water out from behind the sticker then slowly remove the release paper. I have found warmer temps are better to work in but, I would advoid direct sun as it might dry the wetting agent to fast. Them your screwed . I applied mine in a cold garage in the middle of winter, not the best enviroment. I had problems with the wetting agent being "too" wet and not drying fast enought so that I could release the paper without lifting the letter off the tailgate. A hairdrier helped speed the process up some. If you find that the letter is lifting with the release paper give it some time to dry then try again. If your real good you can do the placement dry. Its faster but like I mentioned you only get 1 chance. Jeff is using clear release paper now so placement is much easier and doable dry.

My best advice is to take your time and above all dont rush it.

 

[brian72]

once applied and if an air bubble or two use a credit card edge to push the bubble out. It also helps the press the sticker down. If doing the front grill letters just find something with a small edge to push the air bubbles out.

 

[brixter]

I have always used Windex or some sort of window cleaner when applying decals , it dries faster then soap and water and dosent affect the adheisive at all .

 

[dezertchase]

use the soap and water or windex instead of a credit card go get a plastic bondo aplicator at anny auto parts store and use it if it is cold out a hair dryer works very well to soften sticker up i have used this method for the stickers on the race truck manny times

 

[71 BRNCO]

Many great suggestions...I just did mine dry and came out perfect. Just took alot of patience to be honest.
kyle

 

[MnkyBiz]

Bragger!!!!!

 

[mtkawboy]

Never did any myself but the guys at work who put all the graphics on the trucks used a few drops of dish soap in a spray bottle and a sqeegee to smooth them out. An occasional bubble they couldnt get out they stuck a pin in it and squeegeed it flat.