Best method for installing side art ?

mike boss

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Have to get around to installing the side art on my Donkey Kong Jr project, as well as a few other projects. The DK JR art is pristine, the other art was damaged in shipping.
I'm concerned the creases and folds might not get smoothed out.
With that possible I'd like to be able to easily remove the art should that happen.

Prior I was told a little dishsoap with some water sprayed all over the cabinet.
Anyone try this ? Anyone have a ratio ? Really any tips would be great.

Thanks
 
Don't use dish soap. It makes the glue less effective. First get the cabinet as smooth as a baby's butt. Any blemish will be visible through the decal. Use putty or Bondo to fill any holes and sand them smooth. Don't apply to bare wood. Paint with semi gloss if needed. Don't apply directly to primer either. Obviously take out any carriage bolts (LOL).

Preferably lay the machine on its side so the area the decal will be applied to is pointing straight up. Make sure you have at least one helper. Use Rapid Tac or window tint install spray to get the cabinet and decal good and wet (follow instructions on bottle). Wet your hand with the spray too in case you touch the glue side of the decal. Apply the decal wet so it can be repositioned as needed. Then use a squeegee and rag to work out the air bubbles for a few minutes. Then just let it be while it dries.

Rapid Tac is what pros use to install decals. Unlike dish soap it allows you to reposition the decal and get it perfect, but it actually makes the glue adhere better once dry:
http://www.rapidtac.com/

Or you can go to an auto parts store or home depot and find something like this:
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...ooglebase-_-D59X-_-100354787&locStoreNum=6367

Good luck!

John
 
Have to get around to installing the side art on my Donkey Kong Jr project, as well as a few other projects. The DK JR art is pristine, the other art was damaged in shipping.
I'm concerned the creases and folds might not get smoothed out.
With that possible I'd like to be able to easily remove the art should that happen.

Prior I was told a little dishsoap with some water sprayed all over the cabinet.
Anyone try this ? Anyone have a ratio ? Really any tips would be great.

Thanks

The crease in the one. If it is a control tac. You can take a hair dryer to the crease and it should come out just don't over heat the material. And you should be fine.

Hope this helps
 
Don't do this:

CrystalCastlesMoppet.jpg
 
Cool !
I see my local home depot (Canada) has this :

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/complete-window-film-application-kit/909236

So I'll get that this week, the hair dryer I'm nervous about.


Cool the Gila works well. I did a Monster Bash pinball cabinet with a set of decals that had a crease in it using Gila. One of the problems with the crease was that the decal had been separated from the backing for a long time (years) along the crease. This allowed the glue to dry along the line where the crease was. It seemed like the Gila reactivated the glue in that area. After applying the decal I used the squeegee to work the decal outward away from the crease in both directions and a damp rag to constantly run along the crease and push it down. I kept working it to keep the crease area from lifting away from the cabinet. In the end it stuck fine and looked great. The crease had done a little damage to the decal that you could see if you looked at just the right angle in the light. You had to know it was there and look for it specifically to see it though.

I never tried the hair dryer. That would scare me too.

I would also lay the decal on a flat surface for a while to flatten it. Not sure how bad the crease is, but you might be able to put something flat on top of it to try to flatten it out before you do the installation.

LOL at that Crystal Castle cab!

John


.
 
GREAT TIP!! I have been around for a while and I did't know about this stuff. Anyone have a link for that CC Cabinet..haha

Don't use dish soap. It makes the glue less effective. First get the cabinet as smooth as a baby's butt. Any blemish will be visible through the decal. Use putty or Bondo to fill any holes and sand them smooth. Don't apply to bare wood. Paint with semi gloss if needed. Don't apply directly to primer either. Obviously take out any carriage bolts (LOL).

Preferably lay the machine on its side so the area the decal will be applied to is pointing straight up. Make sure you have at least one helper. Use Rapid Tac or window tint install spray to get the cabinet and decal good and wet (follow instructions on bottle). Wet your hand with the spray too in case you touch the glue side of the decal. Apply the decal wet so it can be repositioned as needed. Then use a squeegee and rag to work out the air bubbles for a few minutes. Then just let it be while it dries.

Rapid Tac is what pros use to install decals. Unlike dish soap it allows you to reposition the decal and get it perfect, but it actually makes the glue adhere better once dry:
http://www.rapidtac.com/

Or you can go to an auto parts store or home depot and find something like this:
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...ooglebase-_-D59X-_-100354787&locStoreNum=6367

Good luck!

John
 
+1 on the Rapid Tac, this stuff is beautiful for large and small applications. I've laid alot of vinyl with this stuff and it's never failed me.
 
I'm in Canada, but I will try to see if I can find rapid tac.
If not I'll go with the Gila stuff as I can easily find it.

Thanks all !

I'll be sure to post results Sunday...............that's do or die time !
 
Funny, I wanted to install this art on Sunday.
The Gila solution is only available online.....
That sucks as I wouldnt have it come Sunday.
Rapid Tac is only available on the west end of town, about a 40 min drive from me.
(I swear I can't win!)

So I decided I would call some local shops in the Durham area, I have about six options, hoping some mighth have Rapid Tac. Anyway the 1st two I called told me liquid dish soap and water ! I told them what I wanted to to, and they said that is what they use.

Thought I would share that.
 
Try auto parts stores. That's where I bought Gila. There is another product called Sticker-On that motorcycle shops have. It comes in tiny bottles though.

If you do use dish soap, just 4 or 5 drops of Dawn in a gallon of water is enough.

John


.
 
Use the hinge method (look it up on youtube)

Peel back the top half of the backing and cut off.
Relay backing on sticker.
Use two pieces of masking tape on the lower half of the sticker to position where you wan the sticker.
Remove the top half of the backing.
Work from the center, left, then right, then up.
Remove the positioning tape.
Remove the bottom masking (or just peel back a bit at a time if you have no one to help.
Work from the center, left, right and down.
Stand back and admire work.
 
I always go on dry now, but if you really must, here's a recipe for rapid tac

Quart:
4 drops dish soap (less is better than more, any brand works except the "eco" friendly stuff)
1/2 cup isopropal alcohol (MUST be isopropal)
3 1/2 cups water
To really be like Rapid Tac, add 3-5 drops of vanilla flavoring for scent.
 
That's what the recipe says. I've tried it. I don't remember what brand of soap i used but it worked okay. It's such a small amount of soap. I also used the wintergreen isopropal alcohol as i've seen other places mention. Anyway, i've got a bunch mixed up, but after i learned to hinge stickers on, i no longer use the wet method.
 
Doing a small, straight piece of art like DK Jr. really doesn't need to be applied wet. You can have the art installed before you even drive to the store to get that other stuff. It's one thing if you're installing full vinyl or have weird angles or something, but this is a pretty flat and small piece. Go watch a YouTube video and you'll be done in a half an hour.
 
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