Decal Advice. Tips and Tricks.

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jafo
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Decal Advice. Tips and Tricks.

Post by jafo »

I've been puting a few decals on my bike and have some advice to help with adhearing and fit. Use a good hair dryer. I put my radiator shroud graphics on and had some trouble with them wanting to back off the plastic. I got my wifes hair dryer and heated the trouble areas prety good to where they were actually flexable and pushed them down and held them in place until it cooled, worked great. It was especialy helpful in the ares where the graphics had to adhear to curves in the plastic. I've used the blow dryer ever since with all my decal installs. Makes things much easier to fit the contours of the plastic. The main thing also is to have good clean plastic, I have been using a reducer to clean the areas up before trying to put on the decals, which works good also.

Most of you probably already know this stuff but thought I'd share my recent experiences with decals I've been puting on. If anyone has other tips or tricks to this, post'm. I'd like to hear them too.

Jon.
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Indawoods
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Post by Indawoods »

Yeah... my brother is a sign man and I have went on a few jobs with him.... Use a light soapy water mixture for large graphics so you can position them before they stick (that's a big one)

Another one is... If you get a air bubble you can't work out... poke a hole in it and excavate the air pocket and stick down.

Work from side to side... don't just plop the sticker down and expect it to be perfectly positioned. On larger graphics, position with backing on, Tape all the way across the center, bend sticker back and peel half the backing off.... stick down... now your graphics is positioned you can remove the tape and backing from the other side and stick it down. It is best to use a squeegee starting on one side back and forth over the same area working your way to the other side while holding one side slightly up off the plastic and slowly letting it down as you work the squeegee toward the end. It is best to apply graphics with a squeegee because it reduces you chance for bubbles.

Just a few I could think of.... :razz:
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fuzzy
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Post by fuzzy »

Tip: WD-40 soaked on old graphics for a few days is an excellent removal tool.
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cicone
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Post by cicone »

Hey Fuzzy---That sounds like a good idea. I've got a big #10 on the left sidecover. Been there since I bought it and then some--probably over 5 years. Do you have to poke a bunch of holes in it or just spray it on? Haven't been able to put a dent in getting that mofo off!
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Indawoods
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Post by Indawoods »

I always used a hair dryer to get the vinyl off...
THEN WD-40 to get the adhesive off.
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wanaride
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Post by wanaride »

Man, I wish I had these tips a few months ago before I hacked up my new Factory Effex rad shroud graphics...
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