No issues with fuel spills on it?
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No issues with fuel spills on it?
Have you seen the tail on my bike? It is evidence that you should either have an experienced person help or do sufficient internet research before attempting for the first time. I watched a few youtube videos and then winged it, and it came out, well, awful. I also had a few gaping holes the size of tennis balls that spanned a few contours and creases, that made it a lot harder.
I've seen your tail. :teehee: You are a few coats of bondo away from being good to go. Maybe another patch or two of fiberglass from the back to keep it solid.
None. I also clean all of the crud attached to my belly pan with acetone every race weekend. The stuff is pretty chemically resistant.
I am sorry, but this is wrong. If there are imperfections under the vinyl, they will show through. If your plastics are not smooth, you will need to do filling/sanding if you would like the finished result to look decent.
Guessing this was on previously not too badly blemished plastics. As stated before, if there are imperfections in the surface you are applying the vinyl to they will show through the vinyl once applied.
Apparently Mike and I were typing the same thing at the same time.
I did not do any prep besides removing stickers and I'm very happy with the finish on my race bikes. :)
Ok, pretty sure those that are thinking about doing this are getting what painfullyslow and I are saying.
When you "just removed stickers" and applied a vinyl wrap to your bike, was the condition of the existing bodywork such that it did not have a significant amount of blemishes of a size that would bother you if they were visible once the wrap was applied? Or did your bodywork have blemishes that are visible through the vinyl that just don't bother you that they can be seen?
Bottom line is that whatever blemishes that are in the bodywork the wrap is being applied over will be visible once the wrap is installed. Whether or not those blemishes being visible through the wrap bothers you or not is a subjective thing.
Chris put his on over new bodywork, so no prep needed. I've done some pretty fugly glass work that I'm sure would need a lot of sanding to make it look right
1 bike was spray paint base and the other was new body work out of the box.
Both look great, it's that simple.
The entire human race knows that more preparation equals better finish. :)
Covered well enough already, but to add another POV: my race bike is wrapped. I spent way more time than was necessary to wrap a race bike, wanting as few seams as possible...when in reality, you can't see the seams from 5 feet anyway.
- heat gun and vinyl squeege (basically a thick credit card with felt on one edge)
- patience
- good vinyl (as 'Slow mentioned)
- knifeless tape
- whenever possible, don't cut your vinyl right at the edge. Wrap it around the backside of the panel. And/or, if applying in pieces from a giant sheet, always cut off more than you think you need. Once you start stretching and getting the vinyl to conform to contours, you'll be amazed at how quickly that "huge piece" is now "crap, I needed 2 more inches." That's what she said
A metallic color hides seams awesomely. My tail is metallic black, and I have to be within 2 feet to see the seams.
i know people dip body work for designs. i can only assume it can be done in solid colors as well.
Would you add "edge sealer" to that list of required items? Especially if someone was planning on doing stripes, etc. on their bike?
Amazon.com: 3M Edge Sealer 3950 1/2 Pint 8oz For Vinyl Graphics: Health & Personal Care
For the ends (ex. pieces that wrap behind the bodywork),yes.
Speaking of wrapping....
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_...2135429159.jpg
Nice. How hard was that to do?
About 3.5 hours for the tank (including putting on a fuel pump, tank pads, carbon tank extender and carbon crash guards). The Aprilia tank has all kinds of complicated surfaces and contours, so I'd say about 2-3 hours for a tank, in general. I did have a helper who worked the heat gun while I stretched/wrapped the vinyl.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-G...2135451159.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-r...2135500585.jpg
Thats gonna look killer on the bike!!!
And as an update....Ive decided to paint the racebike instead of wrapping. Ive got some fiberglassing and sanding to do, and Ive already purchased the paint. In the next week or 2 Im heading up to GingahNinja's place to paint it. (maybe Ill just drink beer while he does the work)
Let me guess... red?
Attachment 42035
It may or may not look exactly or slightly like this Pete....you'll see soon enough :)
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Is sanding easier with beer, Brian?