The plan was simple, fool proof, and, best of all, idiot proof. But, alas, not Dave proof. The goal, attach my new ‘ewillys’ stickers to plates and attach them to the sides of Biscuit.
Step One: Have stickers made — CHECK.
Step Two: Cut and shape Ovals out of a street sign (note: not snagged from the subdivision down the street, but from a metal yard) — CHECK.
Step Three: Drill plates for mounting holes — CHECK.
Step Four: Attach stickers — FAIL … well, they are ‘stuck on’, but they have bubbles. That’s $50 down the drain — do over time.
See, had I made step Four “Check the internet on mounting vinyl stickers”, I would have been ok. But nooooooo, instead, I cleaned the plates with a degreaser (should have used soap and water), wiped them dry, and then stuck the stickers (should have sprayed some water and a little soap onto the plate and then squeegeed the sticker onto the plate).
Ok, lesson learned. So, I bolted the stickered plates onto Biscuit, just for kicks. I stepped back and took one look and knew I had screwed up, again — twice in one day! See, I thought that hiding the allen bolts, which are black, along the black lines of the ewillys’ script would hide them. But this didn’t happen. Instead, they disrupt the eye as you read the logo, both close up and from up to 20ft away. So, now I’m really ticked. So I mounted the plates to teach myself a lesson — don’t presume to know what you don’t, check the interet first!
When I cool down, I’ll get some new stickers printed, properly attach the stickers, and widen the bolts left and right.
Below is a blurry pic of the attached sticker. I’ll replace it with a better one tomorrow …. Hopefully, I’ll keep someone from making the same mistake 🙂
Dave,
Why don’t you have the print shop cut you a stencil based on your artwork? Then, apply the stencil to the metal sign, spray paint with black, let it dry, and then peel it off?
Dexter
Dave try a blow dryer,the heat mighy help smooth the sticker out
Dexter: Cuz I wanted a sticker — that’s the look that is in my head and it seems stuck in there 🙂
Dave: I tried that (after hitting the internet and searching for ‘help, I messed up, now what do I do” (or something like that 🙂 ) and it did help with some bigger bumps, but the smaller bubbles wouldn’t go away.
Thx!
Silly question, but why the plates? Why not just an oval sticker applied right to the jeep?
If you really want the plates for removeability, painting them white and just applying your logo in black would be a lot more foolproof and bubble free.
hey, I’m a sign guy and I have days like that too.. Don’t feel bad.
Also pricking the bubbles at one side of the bubble with a small pin and smoothing the air out with your finger will help, as will laying the signs out flat facing the sky and the hot sun for a week or two. Bubbles usually disappear,as long as there is not dirt in them. Go to youtube and check out some of the vinyl application videos…
Why not attach the plates to the Jeep before you put the stickers on? That way you won’t see the allen bolts. As for putting on the stickers; don’t remove all of the backing at once, start at one end and peel the backing as you squeegee the top.I learned this from doing this with stickers on my company vehicle. Hope it helps. Also, be patient.
No doubt I should have started with patience 🙂 thanks for all the ideas guys!
One reason to use the plates is so that when I repaint, I can just pull the plates off. What I will do in round two is JB weld some studs to the back of the plates and attach them that way.
For reasons, that defy logic, reason or sanity, I also pulled the back off of the sticker before pulling the sticker cover off of the front. Seriously, I had a complete brain fade throughout the whole process.
I expect round deux to go much more smoothly!
You skid the whole metal plate thing and just go to a sign shop have the them put it on magnetic sign backing and you could remove anytime you want without drilling holes in you rig.
Norm, that’ a great idea, except the body is fiberglass 🙂
I was just outside staring at it. I’ve decided I really don’t like the plate edge. The Aluminum edge is too shiny. So, screw the plate idea;, I’m gonna put the stickers right on the body and print them again when I repaint.
Oh no! Not another learning experience. Why is it a person always finds out what they should have done AFTER they have to do it again??? Been there, done that again and again and again.