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Hi There, I have a friend who bought some pre-made decals from Harley Davidson. He has alredy messed up a set, and sent for another. This time he wants me to give it a go since I'm "supposedly" the vinyl expert. I've explained that this particular job is one I've not tried before, and he understands that I claim no expertise. He's OK with that.
Are there any tricks to installing on the rounded surface? Wet or dry application?
Thanks for the Help!
Jennifer
-------------------- Jennifer Craig Bright Morning Signs 3908-190th Pl. SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036 brightmorning1@msn.com Posts: 72 | From: Lynnwood, WA, USA | Registered: Nov 2002
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-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
trace the shape, lay the trace on your own vinyl, cut through the trace to produce practice "blanks" to play with. See if the flexability & strechability of your material & the curve of their tank make this possible or not. Just because you're the "expert" doesn't make this task possible, so hopefully the decals arn't too big, or the tank too irregular in the area decal is required. If so, some slits may be required & could be hidden in predetermined spots to achieve the "impossible".
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I do a few Sprint car tail tanks each year, and try to cover as much area as possible with vinyl. They have lotsa compound curves, like a bike tank. I do them very wet, and using a hair dryer (NOT heat gun) lets me slowly run wrinkles and creases off an edge. An OE Harley tank decal shouldn't be nearly as hard as one of these (due to their comparitively smaller size), so that method should work fine, IMO.
Working the vinyl slowly from center outward is key...
-------------------- Pete Sharkins MotoArts Decals and Signs New Kensington, PA motoarts@yahoo.com * All vinyl, all the time * Posts: 138 | From: New Kensington, PA | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
I agree with Pete...mostly. Except I'm not sure why you would want to use the wet method/hair dryer combo.
On compound curves on an object as small as a gas tank, I'd personally do it dry and with a hair dryer...doing as Pete suggested - squeegeeing from the center outward progressing in small increments in an ever increasing circular direction. Good luck.
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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The last Harleys I did were a waterslide transfer, which I stuck down with gold size, then after it was all dry, clear coated with lacquer a few coats, sanded the edge/ridge down, and further clear coated. OK they were vintage 1940 & 42 WLAs. The compound curve is never fun, but you just keep hand-squeegeeing the ripples out till it's all down & stuck. They do disappear, even though you have doubts in the beginning.
Good luck!
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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On my 2000 Softail standard, the gas tank logo is screenprinted right onto the tank, no decal ridge under the clear. Very slick! My Sportster has a regular decal, you can feel the ridge.
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I usually remake them in Avery 900 and use heat gun great stuff
-------------------- Ian Wilson Signmaker Retired 3 Panorama Drive Toowoomba Queensland Australia may all your troubles be little ones. The man that never make a mistake never makes anything. Posts: 656 | From: Toowoomba Queensland Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
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