Applying decals - tutorial please

[haynes]

Just after some help with sticking on a bonnet number plate and some big miglia door squares.

I know your suppossed to use soapy water and a hair drier but need some more detail. I guess you wet the surface down so that the decal can slide.

Whats the best way to mark it out? What about the backing do you peel it away slowly? How do go about warming it with the hairdrier, do you apply it first then warm it up etc etc?

[fwdracer]

Make up a really good soapy solution that isn't so runny that it immeadiatly ends up on the garage floor. Apply liberally all over the door. Peel back about two inches of your door square (you can fold the bit of the backing paper - makes things easier) and line the top up with your prefered point on the door (Use masking tape marks or the Mig door squares basically line out on the door crease styling line). The soapy bubbles will allow plenty of slip so you can slide/re-position if you c*ck it up.

When you've got the best position, hang the whole door square off this top strip, squeeze out any bubbles and adhere well. Gently peel or role the rest of the backing off. Then get a squeegee (the thing for getting the water/frost off your car) and using the rubber edge, use the squeegee to gently push the water/soap solution out from under the door square, working downwards, from the middle out to the edges. If you've got the knack, all the air is pushed out and you get a bubble free surface. The soap allows for lift/re positioning and also seems to help getting the thing off in the future (the thing doesn't stick to your door skin like sh*t to a bed blanket).

The hair dryer is a bit of red herring (point heat source causes the decal to stretch) - just allow it to dry out overnight before putting numbers on (unless you are the impatient type )

Use the same technique with the bonnet number plate and you should be 'cookin on gas! Have a go and good luck.

G.

Edited by fwdracer on Tuesday 19th September 08:28

Edited by fwdracer on Tuesday 19th September 09:42

Edited by fwdracer on Tuesday 19th September 14:49

[rougeleo]

Yes soapy solution and peel all the backing off and slide into place . I never mark it before because it's so easy to line it up this way . I always use an old credit card to expel all the soapy water, keep going over it from the centre to the outside pushing all the bubbles along with the card . You would think it would destroy all the stickiness but I can assure you it doesn't . Carefull with the leading edges don't get the sticky side dirty or it will not adhere to the doors .

Hairdryer with care is the best way to remove them with out taking off all the paint .

[haynes]

thanks for that, ive heard about the soapy water thing for years but never actually tried it, i did wonder about whether they would still stick. Ive got some plain vinyl so i must try out the technique first on an old door before the real thing.

[rasterracer17]

Gareth,

When you bringing your door squares out to play next?

[fwdracer]

Rockingham. 7/8th October....

[haynes]

Decals went on fine, quite easy really with the soap and water.

Only problem is that i wanted a square number plate, and it looked really odd if its lined up with the top of the grille (mk 3) so we stuck on kind of following the curve of the bonnet, on the p1ss basically. But i'll probably take it off and put a more conventional long one across the front of the bonnet.

Hopefully if i warm it up itll come off?