Adding squiggles and swirly stuff to a bus

[cody]

One of the things I brought back from Elkhart was a great big pile of squggly kind of decal stuff I want to plant here and there on the side of the bus, I got stuff from endeavor coaches, stuff from Simba coaches, enough stuff that johnny cash could write another song lol, does anyone have the magic words on how to add it, I've never done graphics so this is kinda new to me, it says it's made by 3M and it is a decal sandwiched between 2 sheets of paper, the hard part is that some of the decals are huge, borderline really long, I even can mess up libby's golf cart with some of the extra, I even got a mural of mount rushmore for the back of the bus and some squiggles to frame it, still the usual presidents on it, no recent additions lol.  Any suggestions from anyone that has done graphics would be appreciated.

[Dreamscape]

Take it LA and get it done for free, no decals needed!

Seriously, I would like to see the results, after you figure out how that is!

Good Luck,

Paul

[edroelle]

Cody,

The approach you want is to identify/mark where you will put the graphic.

Mix dish soap and water in a spray bottle  and spray the area where you will install the graphic. 

Remove the paper on the sticky side and apply the graphic to your bus.  The soap solution allows you to move the graphic on the surface.

Squeegee the water/soap solution from the graphic carefully so you don't rip it.

Remove top paper.

Ed Roelle
Flint, MI

[Chopper Scott]

And to add to what Ed just stated spray the soap mixture on the sticky side as you pull the inner liner off. It will keep the sticky side from sticking to the sticky side!! I put some vinyl graphics on my boat and was really disappointed that I couldn't seem to get all the bubbles out. The instructions recommended poking the little bubbles with a needle and rubbing them out but I still had issues. After sitting overnight they were basically all gone and now they have all disappeared. Extra hands will help when your doing it. Later

[cody]

I'm thinking a lot of extra hands would be an idea worth checking into, some of the sheets are huge, like 3x20 or bigger.

[Dreamscape]

Come on down to TBR and we'll have DYI clinic! Lots of hand will be there! 

[Hobie]

Use lots of the soap solution, there must not be a dry area.  Once in position start squeegeeing from the center out. 

Most important -- use a solid rubber squeegee.

It is the same one used for wet sanding.  Buy them at an auto body supply house,  3M makes a good one.  They are about the size of a business card and will do any size decal.   Be sure all water and air pockets are removed and you will have a great job. 

Note:  It will get tricky around the rivets.  Use a soft rag and work the water away from the raised bump of the rivet.  Pin prick the bubble as a last resort.

You'll do fine !   

[bevans6]

I had large graphics applied to my race car trailer.  Warm, not sunny, inside is best, lots of soapy water, high quality squeegee's, take your time.  Pull half the backing paper (or less) off to get each piece started, all the water lets you move it around, get most of the work done before you pull off the outer paper, lots of water and keep working out the bubbles.  Look at it a lot, it gets really hard to see what you are doing.  Your eyes  stop seeing what you are trying to focus on.

Brian