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cmyk · December 19th, 2007

i think the title sais everything.

as i am new in this business, i reaaly ned to know what can be done in those circumstances.
i did some reading, i know that Oracal car decals are not to be applied below 60.8 Fahrenheit degrees (that is 16 Celsius degrees), and now we are at 35.6 degrees here.

but i have two new inpacient customers.
one needs 100 cars to be done, and the other has a large truck with a missing logo.
so, i really want to be able to deliver the job, but i don't want to do some cheap work and have them coming with sour faces after a week, demandind their money back and making a bad name for myself right from the beginning.

i also don't have an indoor area with temperature control.
i spoke to some experienced people, from wich i buy the supllies, and they told me to wait for the spring to come.
if possible, i wouldn't do that.
i've heard that thre is a special spray for this situation, but i don't know more.
and buying it from the USA will take 2 weeks.
so, what can i do?

thank you in advance!

jberte · December 19th, 2007

if your customer has 100 vehicles that need to be done - it's entirely likely that THEY may have an indoor facility suitable for getting them out of the elements - at least a couple at a time, enough to knock the frost off! optimal temps for vinyl application are 60+ degrees, but i live in iowa and have had to do outdoor applications in the 35-40 degree range. it depends on the size and location of your graphics, but warming the surface LIGHTLY with a heat gun is also an option. and i DO mean lightly - you don't want to melt the paint!!!!

on the other hand, if the graphics are going on glass, don't even think about using a heat gun - if it's going on the windshield, start the vehicle and let the defroster run on high for 10-15 minutes and it should be sufficiently warmed for windshield application, or if it's body glass, then run the heater on full blast.

cmyk · December 19th, 2007

that's excellent, thank you so much!
the car decals will go on the body glass, i'll give it a try on my car first.

i did some more research waiting for someone to chime in, and i found that this Rapid Tac stuff may be useful. does anyone here use it?

OR Shirts · December 19th, 2007

Try a aplication fluid made for use in the cold. There are many available for different temps. Like window juice etc. Dont have the info in front of me right now. Next time I walk out to the shop I will look it up and report back. Next best thing is do it inside. Listen to Jan on the heat gun. It will turn a big piece of glass into many pieces if not carefull. I have used one of those big Mr. Heater propane heaters inside of a portable carport before. Anyhow, good luck.
Sean

OR Shirts · December 19th, 2007

DANG! I should have read your last post

Yes Rapid Tac will help the vinyl stick in the cold. They make a few types for different temps.
Sean

mystysue · December 19th, 2007

The Man that owns rapid tac will many times send out a sample pack free for sign makers..
His name is Rodger.. and you should be able to get a email contact from his web site..
I know a couple years ago.. He send me a free sample pack with 4 of his differant products.

ino · December 20th, 2007

Hi CMYK,
If you are planning to buy anything in liquid form from USA first check with the carriers. They might refuse to carry because of security reasons.

BRC · December 20th, 2007

If it's going onto the glass, park with the glass facing the sun. It will usually warm up enough to do the job. If not just ask them if they can't wait for you to do the job right, how are they ever going to wait for you to do the job over?

cmyk · December 20th, 2007

thank you everyone for your help!
i'll see how it goes and let you know

hammered · January 24th, 2008

Rapid Tac 2

cmyk · January 26th, 2008

just did two cars...when i got home, 1 hour ago, i saw the temperature was 32 degrees.
the job was done outside, it was windy, dry method.
what helped a lot was that for this job i used printed vinyl, instead of layering the colors.
it took 4,5 hours

for 8 large decals.

everithing you told me here was very useful.
i used a domestic hair drier to soften the alredy rigid vinyl and to warm up the metal while aplling the vinyl and i also asked the car owned to turn on the defrosting system for the rear window.

4,5 hours is unthinkable for most of you.
for me, it was almost unacceptable, but the customer insisted to do the work.

8 more vehicles to go.
but he will provide an indoor heated facility.

cmyk · January 26th, 2008

so, no rapid tac, just a domestic hair drier, dry method and my purple-green frosted fingers.
and my fiancee helping me.
i hope the vinyl will hold, otherwise i sell every equipment i bought and move to sunny Somalia.

BRC · January 26th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmyk


	i hope the vinyl will hold, otherwise i sell every equipment i bought and move to sunny Somalia.

I just cut a job for another sign guy whose customer went out and found his window lettering lying on the ground, it was 9 degrees and it fell off. He wanted to try a different brand to replace it with.

By the way if you don't like doing vinyl in the cold, try doing it at 100 degrees when it will weld itself back together when you try to weed it and the once you get past that it will stretch beyond your wildest imagination.

bobabuee · February 3rd, 2008

a heat gun is your friend,in cold temps

along with rapid tack II in glass installs

SewDarnHot · September 14th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRC


	I just cut a job for another sign guy whose customer went out and found his window lettering lying on the ground, it was 9 degrees and it fell off. He wanted to try a different brand to replace it with. By the way if you don't like doing vinyl in the cold, try doing it at 100 degrees when it will weld itself back together when you try to weed it and the once you get past that it will stretch beyond your wildest imagination.