Vinyl Graphics & Pinstriping

Hand Vs. Vinyl
When vinyl graphics were introduced, Louis thought he would be doomed to dinosaur status. That hasn't been the case, but he does point to their advantages. "Vinyls have become very sophisticated," he admits. "And the line work is always perfect, where with hand-painted work, there's always some slight imperfection."


Aside from the bragging rights of having the work done by hand, hand-painted lines present a smooth paint surface while the vinyls tend to have wax buildups at the edges. Plus, vinyls, by their nature, are squared off, while hand-painted work can begin and end with a distinctive flourish.

Applique-tions
Now, to vinyls: There are a number of web sites with catalogs and instructions to give prospective do-it-yourself stripers a good start. Striping vinyls are available in a range of configurations, from double thin stripes to two-inch solid stripes, in 150-foot roles. As we mentioned earlier, preparation is the same whether you do it or a pro does the job. Here's an example from Custom Auto Trim and Graphics.


After you've used a solvent wax or tar remover, wipe the area with a clean, lint free cloth and rubbing alcohol. The final wipe is with a separate clean cloth dampened with water. The test for "contaminant free" is if your finger drags along the surface. The application fluid is a simple solution of water, a half squirt of liquid hand soap (not dish washing liquid) and one teaspoon of rubbing alcohol combined in a spray bottle.


You can use masking tape as a guide for the striping and/or to hold the stripe in place. The striping tape comes encased in a release liner on the adhesive side and transfer tape on the non-adhesive side. The release liner allows you to expose the adhesive on half the width of the stripe to make it easier to apply.