Vehicle Wrapping
Discussion
I've spotted a few 'top end' cars in the classifieds recently, such as M6s/GT2s that have been wrapped in vinyl - usually in white. So what is the deal with this process? A quick search reveals the cost to be around £1500 plus VAT and it lasts for up to 5 years. I do think the Cerb looks great in white......
I saw a guy putting this stuff on at the Earls Court motor show this year.
All he was using was pretty much a heat gun/hair dryer and a spatula to put the stuff on. Fascinating to watch.
I remember at the time thinking its a cheap alternative to a colour change respray. But you have the luxury of changing back to the original colour with the aid of a hair dryer and some peeling when you get bored of it
All he was using was pretty much a heat gun/hair dryer and a spatula to put the stuff on. Fascinating to watch.
I remember at the time thinking its a cheap alternative to a colour change respray. But you have the luxury of changing back to the original colour with the aid of a hair dryer and some peeling when you get bored of it
I just happen to be the editor of Screen Process and Digital Imaging magazine which covers vehicle wrapping.
A vehicle wrap comprises a wide-format sheet of printable self adhesive film. The film has several special attributes such as the ability to form around tight curves when heated and some have tiny 'strips' of adhesive to allow air to escape when being applied. It can be screen or digitally printed.
There are various training courses around the UK, run by the material/printer suppliers.
For materials try: http://www.grafityp.co.uk/GrafiPrint/grafiprint-gr...
For services try: http://www.raccoon.co.uk/homepage.php
For courses try: http://www.walsallcollege.ac.uk/courses/roland-sig...
I have thought about doing a LeMans wrap.
A vehicle wrap comprises a wide-format sheet of printable self adhesive film. The film has several special attributes such as the ability to form around tight curves when heated and some have tiny 'strips' of adhesive to allow air to escape when being applied. It can be screen or digitally printed.
There are various training courses around the UK, run by the material/printer suppliers.
For materials try: http://www.grafityp.co.uk/GrafiPrint/grafiprint-gr...
For services try: http://www.raccoon.co.uk/homepage.php
For courses try: http://www.walsallcollege.ac.uk/courses/roland-sig...
I have thought about doing a LeMans wrap.
jonbarrett said:
I just happen to be the editor of Screen Process and Digital Imaging magazine which covers vehicle wrapping.
That's interesting Jon, I didn't know there was a mag' publishers in Maidstone - got any vacancies for a designer with 20 yrs experience of DTP?Tim
Edited by TT Tim on Thursday 28th May 09:39
TT Tim said:
jonbarrett said:
I just happen to be the editor of Screen Process and Digital Imaging magazine which covers vehicle wrapping.
That's interesting Jon, I didn't know there was a mag' publishers in Maidstone - got any vacancies for a designer with 20 yrs experience of DTP?Tim
Edited by TT Tim on Thursday 28th May 09:39
SPDI is owned by a company called Datateam a major B2B publisher with 30 or so titles. Their page makeup is handled by Design and Media Solutions in Tovil. Speak to Kevin and mention my name.
I've been publishing magazines in Kent for 20-years or so and invented the Intelligent Flatplan (www.intelligentflatplan.com) the world's first web-based magazine planning and workflow solution.
I've got a database of thousands of magazine publishers if you are looking to find local publishers to promoite to. Happy to let you take a look: fnar, fnar!
Have you got examples of work?
jonbarrett said:
TT Tim said:
jonbarrett said:
I just happen to be the editor of Screen Process and Digital Imaging magazine which covers vehicle wrapping.
That's interesting Jon, I didn't know there was a mag' publishers in Maidstone - got any vacancies for a designer with 20 yrs experience of DTP?Tim
Edited by TT Tim on Thursday 28th May 09:39
SPDI is owned by a company called Datateam a major B2B publisher with 30 or so titles. Their page makeup is handled by Design and Media Solutions in Tovil. Speak to Kevin and mention my name.
I've been publishing magazines in Kent for 20-years or so and invented the Intelligent Flatplan (www.intelligentflatplan.com) the world's first web-based magazine planning and workflow solution.
I've got a database of thousands of magazine publishers if you are looking to find local publishers to promoite to. Happy to let you take a look: fnar, fnar!
Have you got examples of work?
I'll shoot you an email, I've been a book designer for 20 years, probably have over 500 titles under my belt, I've lost count.
Tim
Edited by TT Tim on Thursday 28th May 10:28
Matt black is a bit 'chav' I know, but I do think a cerbera would look immense in it.I have got a plastic wrap on my windscreen posts from the top of the door to the wings, in mock carbon fibre with TVR embossed on them. Put on by a previous owner presumably to hide white marks or cover leaks. The have got a little old now and have bibbled and cracked.
So to get them off I would simpy heat and peel eh? If I uncover some nasties do you think a replacement set would be easy peasy to sort out?
So to get them off I would simpy heat and peel eh? If I uncover some nasties do you think a replacement set would be easy peasy to sort out?
My firm does vehicle wrapping (I am the technical Manager)
http://www.xtremegraphics.co.uk/vehicle-and-fleet-...
Typically wraps are printed for promotional purposes in either a short term or long term quality, depending upon customer requirements. It is also possible to do a simple colour change wrap, but it is quite difficult to cover every bit of paint in deep recesses so, on a Cerb, it would be tricky to get into the area between the boot lid and the rear windscreen, and, if you have a headlight conversion, the light recesses would be a challenge. Typically, a colour change wrap may be used by a lease company. For example, they buy white vans, wrap them, say, orange for a large client, then at the end of the lease they strip the wrap leaving factory fresh paint, plus a higher residual value as the van is not an odd colour- it also protects the end user’s brand as there are not second hand vans running about in their corporate colours. These wraps work on the “all right from a distance” principal, in the context of a working van. Do not believe anyone who tells you that it a “paint replacement” A close inspection will always give the game away.
One thing I would be very nervous of if wrapping a Cerbera would be paint removal. A lot of Cerberas have had paint done after leaving the factory, and I would not be that convinced that even the factory paint would be brilliant…Basically, the vinyl sticks to the paint, the paint sticks to the body. Upon removal, the weakest link gives way first! As an example, we recently wrapped a small fleet of new Fiat 500s for a 1 week promotion, using a product specifically designed for this purpose, with clean removability for up to 3 years claimed by the manufacturers. All 3 cars suffered from damage to the lacquer upon removal (carried out by the client, who is experienced in the process) In a nutshell, the paint was poor, and in some cases the cars had had repair work done to a poor standard (they were from a rental fleet). We always explain this possibility to customers and get them to sign that they understand the risks. One of the companies who are very well respected in the field were demonstrating wrapping techniques at the UK Sign and Digital show a couple of years back. They had an Ultima kit car on the stand which they were wrapping. On the rear, a large section of paint was missing! I assume they stripped it each day and started again the next day for the duration of the show, so the vinyl would have been on for only a day, and thus the full strength of the adhesive bond would not have been reached…
So in a nutshell: It can be done, but it will never truly replace paint, and be prepared for the possibility that you may have to carry out remedial work on your paintwork after it is removed. Oh, and you get what you pay for- the bottom has fallen out of the market for jobbing wraps with every sign shop under the sun thinking they can do it for sod all- save now, pay later!
Jon
http://www.xtremegraphics.co.uk/vehicle-and-fleet-...
Typically wraps are printed for promotional purposes in either a short term or long term quality, depending upon customer requirements. It is also possible to do a simple colour change wrap, but it is quite difficult to cover every bit of paint in deep recesses so, on a Cerb, it would be tricky to get into the area between the boot lid and the rear windscreen, and, if you have a headlight conversion, the light recesses would be a challenge. Typically, a colour change wrap may be used by a lease company. For example, they buy white vans, wrap them, say, orange for a large client, then at the end of the lease they strip the wrap leaving factory fresh paint, plus a higher residual value as the van is not an odd colour- it also protects the end user’s brand as there are not second hand vans running about in their corporate colours. These wraps work on the “all right from a distance” principal, in the context of a working van. Do not believe anyone who tells you that it a “paint replacement” A close inspection will always give the game away.
One thing I would be very nervous of if wrapping a Cerbera would be paint removal. A lot of Cerberas have had paint done after leaving the factory, and I would not be that convinced that even the factory paint would be brilliant…Basically, the vinyl sticks to the paint, the paint sticks to the body. Upon removal, the weakest link gives way first! As an example, we recently wrapped a small fleet of new Fiat 500s for a 1 week promotion, using a product specifically designed for this purpose, with clean removability for up to 3 years claimed by the manufacturers. All 3 cars suffered from damage to the lacquer upon removal (carried out by the client, who is experienced in the process) In a nutshell, the paint was poor, and in some cases the cars had had repair work done to a poor standard (they were from a rental fleet). We always explain this possibility to customers and get them to sign that they understand the risks. One of the companies who are very well respected in the field were demonstrating wrapping techniques at the UK Sign and Digital show a couple of years back. They had an Ultima kit car on the stand which they were wrapping. On the rear, a large section of paint was missing! I assume they stripped it each day and started again the next day for the duration of the show, so the vinyl would have been on for only a day, and thus the full strength of the adhesive bond would not have been reached…
So in a nutshell: It can be done, but it will never truly replace paint, and be prepared for the possibility that you may have to carry out remedial work on your paintwork after it is removed. Oh, and you get what you pay for- the bottom has fallen out of the market for jobbing wraps with every sign shop under the sun thinking they can do it for sod all- save now, pay later!
Jon
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