Die-Cut Vinyl Graphics
Published by Trails Less Traveled on April 9th, 2004
INTRODUCTION
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Sway-A-Way invited Trails Less Traveled to debut our Tacoma in their booth at the 2003 SEMA convention in Las Vegas. The SEMA show is held in Las Vegas every fall, and is the largest gathering of companies and performance aftermarket products in the automotive industry. We knew our truck had to look good in order to make the right impression, but our project Tacoma is not as much of a show vehicle as it is a purpose built showcase vehicle. An expensive show-quality paint job just wouldnt have made sense. Especially considering that we plan to test the limits of the long travel suspension setup. Our $375 Maaco special looks about as good as it needs to. SEMA is a great opportunity for exposure, and we wanted to promote all of the manufacturers of the products that we have used. We decided to reprint all of the companies logos on die-cut vinyl in a single color, to give the vehicle a more subtle and uniform look.
PRODUCTION
We drove the Tacoma to Stokes Signs in Santa Cruz, CA to have the graphics printed and applied. Stokes Signs can use existing artwork to custom make die-cut vinyl graphics, or help to design an appropriate logo for your business, race team, club, etc.
Die-cut vinyl decals can be custom made to just about any specification and there are almost an infinite number of colors available, as well as different types of vinyl that are better suited to specific applications. Stokes recommended an automotive/outdoor vinyl, which has a less permanent adhesive to prevent paint damage and a higher level of UV protection to prevent decals from fading.
For large layouts, like an entire vehicle, it can be very helpful to use a digital image of the vehicle to determine the placement of graphics. Once a design is finalized, Stokes can produce decals in any quantity and ship them out. In this article we will run through the process of making die-cut decals, and then demonstrate how to correctly apply them to a vehicle.
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This is where it all happens; from the computer that is used to layout custom designs, to the machine that plots and then cuts the vinyl. On the right is a sampling of some of the many colors of vinyl material Stokes has in stock. If Stokes hasnt got the exact color vinyl you need in stock, they can special order just about anything.
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When the printed Vinyl comes out of the cutter there is only a faint outline of the final decal. The manual process of removing excess material from the vinyl sheet is called weeding, and it can be VERY time consuming. Although complicated designs can often be simplified to make die-cuts less expensive to produce. Another option for intricate patterns or small text is to have color graphics printed onto clear vinyl material. One-piece decals are less expensive to produce, but there are a few considerations. It can be hard to apply large one-piece decals to contoured surfaces, and although the background is clear, the vinyl does change the appearance of the underlying paint color slightly.
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Once the weeding has started, you can really begin to see the decal taking shape. After all of the excess vinyl is removed, a wide layer of transfer material is laid over the top of the decal. Now the decal is finished and ready for application, with a layer of vinyl sandwiched between the transfer material on the front and the glossy backing material on the back.
INSTALLATION
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Once you have received your decals from Stokes Signs and decided on the final placement, clean and dry that area completely. Apply a piece of masking tape along an edge of the decal to secure it in place (double-check the placement before moving on
to the next step). Note: If vinyl graphics are being applied symmetrically to each side of a vehicle, take measurements from common reference points to aid in placement.
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Flip the decal over along the masking tape line and slowly remove the backing material. Then carefully begin to apply the decal to the mounting surface using a decal squeegee or something like a credit card that is smooth and flexible. Start from the center and apply smooth pressure across the surface of the decal, being very careful not to trap any air bubbles or create wrinkles by stretching the material.
For larger custom graphics, sign makers will sometimes lightly mist the mounting surface with a spray bottle containing a mixture of dish-soap and water. Once the area is moistened, they float the decal into position and work out any air pockets that might have been trapped during initial application. The soap & water solution will not damage the adhesive property of the vinyl and once it has dried, the decal is as secure as if it had been applied dry. Other tools like heat guns can be used to stretch the vinyl over contoured areas. Custom sign makers have all kinds of tricks to make and apply vinyl graphics, but our vehicle could have easily been laid out in a driveway.
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Continue smoothing over the transfer layer until you achieve a semi-transparent appearance, as shown in the picture on the right. You should be able to see the decal clearly through the outer layer at this point. Once you are sure the decal is firmly secured to the mounting surface, you can move on to the next step.
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Begin removing the transfer material from one corner. Pay close attention to insure that none of the decal is peeling away with the transfer tape. Try to pull the layer away at a 45? angle to any straight lines in the vinyl decal as shown in order to help prevent tearing or separation of the decal.
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This is what our decals looked like once the transfer material was removed. If there are any small air bubbles in the decal, they can be eliminated using a sharp pin to poke a tiny hole in each bubble. It took about three hours to layout and apply all of the graphics on Project Tacoma. The final result is a well balanced but understated, race inspired graphics scheme that we couldnt be happier with.
This Article was originally published on Off-Road.com April 2004
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