A Digital Printing Network
How do YOU wrap?
I've never done any wrapping of any type so I thought I might pull out my motorcycle and play with the gastank and plastics on it.
My question to you who do wrap is..how you you start your layout? Do you use special software, do you have images of the specific vehicle parts(fenders, doors,hoods, etc), do you simpley measure the parts to find the total surface area?
Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Gary Gilbert on -
Great Question I'm shocked no one else has jumped on it. There is many ways to go about doing it . well the first step is to do many profile pictures of your project atleast 15 ft away if you camera has a grid function i would use it cause you can center it off all the way around one you get your photos in PS change the op to where you can barley see it and take measurements off the object and mark them on the paper so you can have a ref points of where stuff will fall. I will upload a thing from my 3m certs class that will make it super simple to follow and easy to understand. now for your personal bike with the fenders and such it might sound like a waste but it has been working for me in the past for the best way to get a job done cause no matter what people say you can work the extra cost in to the finaly price for a customer . take a rough size of the fender. Lets say it 21"x10" go in photoshop and and make a grid that is 23"x12" cause you will want the 2" over hang for stretch and working room.. Once your in ps turn on the grid view and then sellect the custom shape tool and you will fine a 6x6 grid . stretch it to fit the 1" marks and once you have it fit perfect copy and make a new layer and do it straight across the page working left to right. once you have it done group all layers and make one out of them copy that and work down from the top makign new layers till you have it all filled in don't worry if some of the boxes fall off your page. Once you have it all said and done go on your background layer and and do a crl click on the thumb nail image and it will sellect everything .Now go up to the select tool bar and sellect inverse now everythign will sellected that falls off the page just highlight your grid and hit del and bam all clean. all there is left to do is print it out on you favorite material and find center and work you way out from there. I will post a pic so it will make sence. http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/bouoy/heli%20wraps/DSC_0056... I hope this helps if not let me know I work somthign up for you since I'm workign on stuff for my teaching classes.
Gary - Attachments:
-
-
vehicle measuring_09.pdf, 1.1 MB
-
-
Permalink Reply by Dennis Dunning on -
Thanks guys, I've been thinking about this since I took Steve's hands-on class where people were wrapping a motorcyle helmet and a laptop. Gary, what is your favorite material? I assume that you laminate it before applying it?
-
Permalink Reply by Gary Gilbert on
-
Dennis,
I like to use 3m 180v for most runs. when I went to take my 3m certs tests we had to use both 180 and 380 on the same car. when doing some hard curves on fenders and such the 380 will out do most brands in the long run. I have heard some people talk about brands and what does what. I have done some testing to see where some will fail. I like to use the 3m 8519 lam over the stuff. This pic is from one of my Intor classes I took we use both films on it. If you want to see what type of skill level your at wrap a HHR . I was able to pass but the test is was so hard. http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/bouoy/30008dca.jpg
-
Permalink Reply by Dennis Dunning on
-
As you can see from my photo, I own a bike (a 1999 Victory V92C that I bought at Gateway Motors, which was in your neck of the woods before it folded). I am interested in wrapping it and have a lot to learn. Excuse me for asking, but can you explain what 3m 180v and 380 are? I assume that 3m 8519 is a laminate that you apply before wrapping, am I correct? Who is your source for these products? How do you prep the bike surfaces before wrapping? How did you learn to wrap bikes?
Dennis
-
Permalink Reply by Gary Gilbert on
-
Hey Dennis ,
No problem with asking questions. That is what this place is for. you are correct about the laminate has to go on before the you can install any wrap material. I like to use Fellers for some of my supplies as far as materials go. recently I've been going threw Lowen for some of the tools and such cause i know the crew alot better. as far as prep goes allways do a once over with soap and water. to kill most of the crude i like to use Xylene and once it all done with i'll finsh up with 70% isp alcohol as a final wipe down. I will post some 3m information about the 2 differnt products. As far as how i got started wrapping that would be Steven's fault lol when i went to his first class he got me with the football helmit, and since I don't like to lose at somthing i ordered a buch of materail and just started wrapping anything i could get my hands on i started with lil curve stuff like mailboxes and computer cases working my way to more complex stuff like rc related stuff jets, helis i think the hardest so far besides the HHR was a toliet for a tattoo studio I did on a dare. I'd love to post a pic of it but I would rather not due to it's graphic nature and theme all i will say it looked like it's never been cleaned and make you think twice before you bother to go near it. but back to you bike the take will almost have to be done in 2 peices even if you wrap the top solid you will have to make a filler for the bottom. what size printer do you have? that will depend on how you lay stuff out trust me i have found this out the hard way.I stop posting pics of alot of the work i do because some people like to take credit for somthing that i've done.I will say no matter what you do or who you do it for allways work in your logo or company name in the design some where. I did that on the computer case i posted in here but unless you know where to look you will never find it. the most recent stuff i've been doing is alot of design work for a large company in NY so i don't have to bother with the installs or with the public. I started doing tshirts and got burned out doing them and refuse to make one even for my self when i can just design a wrap for a company and make x amount over the trouble of dealing with extra materails or picky people. If you still have questions let me know i will send you my number so i can fill you in with what you need. - Attachments:
-
-
ij180cV3 promo.pdf, 80 KB
-
ij380cV3 promo.pdf, 100 KB
-
instructions for vehicle applications.pdf, 399 KB
-
-
Permalink Reply by Dennis Dunning on
-
First, thanks for sharing the information and providing the attachments. I would probably enjoy seeing the toilet for the tattoo studio; I'm hard to offend. Perhaps you can send it to me in an email. I have a 54-inch VersaCAMM which Steven installed for us in April. I went to Steven's hands-on training on May 28 and 29. While everyone was trying the football helmet, I was trying more simple shapes and thinking about how to wrap motorcycle fenders, tanks, and side covers. I saw the photo that you posed earlier of the fuel tank; I like your pipe stand. The tank in your photo appears to have relatively simple curves. What do you do when the tank is more bulbous, like the tank on a Harley Fatboy? Also, do you have to cut the wrap when doing a side cover if it has sharp bends? When you wrap a fender, where do you end the wrap? By that I mean do you stretch the wrap material over the end of the fender so that it covers part of the underside? Have you ever done a video of a motorcycle wrap? I could probably learn a lot just watching.
Thanks
-
Permalink Reply by Gary Gilbert on
-
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/bouoy/heli%20wraps/IMGP0305...
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/bouoy/heli%20wraps/DSC_0051...
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/bouoy/heli%20wraps/100_2432...
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/bouoy/heli%20wraps/100_2434...
Well first off that is not a fender as you can tell by the pictures i posted. do you have to cut the wrap when doing a side cover if it has sharp bends? you would have to show me a picture of what you are talking about or a example.When you wrap a fender, where do you end the wrap? By that I mean do you stretch the wrap material over the end of the fender so that it covers part of the underside? Yes you want atleast a 1" or more over hang on the ends to wrap over . I have a neat little primer pen i use i like to leave a 1/8" if not a lil more on the bottom and trim it up clean so dirt won't have a way under it. just make sure you do what's called a post heat on the wrap it will make it wanna stay to it's final shape with out wanting to retract back. as far as the what the toliet job looked like just think about what you would find in a squaters nest after 2 years. the pipe stand was easy and cheap to build if i was going to wrap a simple fender i would just put a jack stand on a set on high and tie it down from the bottom with duck tape like when i did paint work or you can use some heavy earth magnets. Sorry i have not done any wrap videos as of yet but I think with a class I'm being asked to teach I'm sure somethign will be made,But my end of the deal is all design and workflow and how to sell it.My buddy will teach the wrap part of it. We were talkign about doign some local classes in NY but I will see if the company will allow it.If need be bounce your idea's you have for your bike and i will see if i can help you in anyway I can. best thing to do is make a template of it so you can just fit stuff and and get a feel for what you wanna do. think out side of the box just cause you might have a huge set of premade graphics don't just use them as stock. Remember this is your own product as a selling tool. How well do you know PS shop and the use of all the tools ? cause plug in are great trust me i have about 500 of them but I don't use them cause i found that in most cases that the program can do it all. I think the only one i use a lot of is a simple white to transparent.. As i'm sitting here typing this i'm workign on a wrap to match my computer case for my desk and a back drop for my office.and putting the finshing touches on somthing for one of my trucks. Just let me know if you need anything i don't visit the forum often due to work and other stuff.
-
Permalink Reply by Dennis Dunning on
-
Thanks for the wealth of information. We are planning purchase a laminator for our shop in the near future, which allow me to try some the things you shared. Regarding your question about PS shop, I use CorelDRAW. Until recently, we did embroidery only, including motorcycle seats and sissy bar pads. So, I'm getting much proficient CorelDRAW.
-
Permalink Reply by Gary Gilbert on
-
well sorry I'm not a corel person anymore i tried I didn't like it.We here have been talking about some different equipment in the house.I got to use a mutoh and a large HP.there is nothign wrong with the versacamm but I noticed some things i liked with the other brands since I'm not pushing for shirts or needing the cut aspect.I did get to go to PA to check out the new Roland. I'm looking for a 62",72" or even the "unicorn" 82" monster for a sideline i got working out tour buses are fun. untill you have to wrap it. but i will have to wait till tax season before i make any calls. we also talked about me going back into retirement since were ok. just with my design work I'm pulling 80 hour weeks not fun when you have a baby on the way. But like i said if you need any help let me know. I think I might still have my corel school stuff if you need it let me know.
-
-
Permalink Reply by Candy Mattingly on -
OMG This is a great post. I would am still confused on how to get the design laidout for print on a helmet. Gary could you post your printed design for the helicopter? I would love a class on how to do the small wrap stuff!
-
Permalink Reply by Gary Gilbert on
-
Thanks for the kind words Candy. A helmet is a different beast.It can be done in a single peice with overlappign relief cuts I got to do one when I was at lowen as a bordom "lets mess with Gary " thing. I've wrapped some pretty small stuff . I was told i'm different cause i can work a small project vs a tour bus. as far as my Heli cano wraps what are looking for ideas on what i've done or what can be done. As far as getting a layout on a 3d surface you have to picture it flat and think will this mold to a curve surface meaning words, graphics and if you have to over lap you don't want do have 2 different designs overlap then it will look like garbage. most of the time i will for heli is either a super bust background like a candy marble effect so you can notice the seam or your eye won't be drawn to it. I not a fan of a wrap being a single color with just a logo in it. I will post some pics of the cano's i've done for some people and one's i still working on. I'm not teaching a wraping class I was asked about a teaching photoshop fx and how to thikn outside the box. We have talked about making a light scale wraping class. but the one at lowen is the best to boot cause of what you will be working on. I know it sounds like i work for lowen or a rep for 3m i'm neither. http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/bouoy/heli%20wraps/IMGP0305...
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/bouoy/heli%20wraps/waterfla...
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/bouoy/heli%20wraps/100_2432...
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/bouoy/heli%20wraps/100_2341...
And the second to smallest thing i've wrapped look at the bottle next to for size
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/bouoy/heli%20wraps/100_2247...
-
Permalink Reply by Gary Gilbert on
-
The water flames i made using a cheap stock flame that i'm sure everyone owns
© 2013 Created by Steven Jackson - Admin.
