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Vinyl wrap seams?

GEM930

Well Known Member
Friend
For those who have wrapped their own planes how did you handle the joints? Particularly the joints where one aluminum panel over laps another and creates a small step. I looked pretty close at a wrapped plane at Reno this year and noticed the vinyl spanned the step in some places rather than sticking tightly to the surface. I did not like the way this looked particularly because it was not consistent.

I've decided to wrap my own aircraft and have contacted a local vehicle wrapper for assistance. I'm using solid colors so I'm not worried about having to align graphics. The wrap guy is worried about the panels flexing individually and causing the vinyl to split at the seam. He wanted to use two pieces and cut them at the seam. I told him I wanted the seam sealed for corrosion reasons and he suggested compromising and butting one piece against the step and overlapping the other piece 1/4" or so. It would still cover the step, but the hight would be reduced and he thinks it would be less likely to split. This sounds ok to me, but I'm not super excited about turning one seam into two seams 1/4" apart. What have others done? How has it worked out?
 
I have a Body shop and while I have never wrapped a vehicle , I do repair work for my local FedEx maintaince facility . This involves removing and installing the Large and small Logos on Alu. Body trucks with rivets and seams . These areas (seams and rivet heads ) of the trucks always become detached over time , it seams like the Heat of the Sun loosens up and then shrinks the Vinal pulling it off the painted surface , then dust and such gets under it and collects further loosing it more till it weathers and peals. I have watched this for the last 15 years and it starts on the trucks after two or so . The Vinal that is Not over the seams and rivets but on smooth surfaces lasts 6 but is starting to fade in the Sun. My observation . ;)
 
trouble brewing....

Gregg, no doubt our wrap expert will chime in soon...anyhow.....tell your wrap friend that the vinyl does not know it's on a plane. The exact same overlapping aluminum seams are on millions of truck bodies and semi's....they are typically riveted together, and panel flexing AT THE SEAM is almost nil.
It is NOT the cause of failure of the vinyl. Unsupported vinyl ( hanging in the air between one panel and the next, lower one) is very weak. It expands and contracts independently of the body, and invariably splits and then lets in moisture and dirt, increasingly so until the job is pretty ratty, as our body shop friend MR. Ross keenly observes.
Standard recommended procedure by all the vinyl manufacturers( why nobody bothers to read this is beyond me) is to apply the vinyl over lap seams, do NOT force into the gap ( thus stretching it unnecessarily). It should be carefully slit, then firmly squeegeed to both panels.
Post heating will help conform to rivets or other irregular forms. Adhesion at the seam can be enhanced with extremely thorough cleaning, drying and degreasing, and use of an adhesion promoter if needed.
 
What he said...

Perry, in my personal experience, has nailed all points. I wrapped straight over many seams, like fuel tanks, overlapped wing and fuse skins and even aluminum to fiberglass wing tip seams. The 3M product bulletin recommends a cut any time you would have an air gap, or any flex. I can see some thought in the wrappers recommendation to lessen the step some with a butt up to the higher skin. But I have 200 flight hours on my wrap now with no fail at skin joints you mention. The use of the primer to promote adhesive I recommend at these skin seams, think of it as a concave curve, which needes the added tack.
 
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Not to change the thread too much but I'm curious about this vinyl wrap my question is, what is done if the fuel tank leaks and needs to be removed? The screws are covered I'm guessing and then the seam around tank. What is done to repair that when tank is re installed?
 
Also, those spans are more aerodynamic than a sharp step! Less work, more speed. :D

My fuel tank has to eventually come off. I could take everything off and rewrap it. I could cut the seam and take everything off. Then just re-wrap the seam. Lots of options depending on how much effort you want to put into it.
 
Just to add.

The plane at Reno had the gaps "spanned" after arriving in Reno. It was speed taped, however our speed tape was color-matched. Normally the plane can not be distinguished from a painted aircraft.

After racing the speed-tape was removed.
 
I think I'm going to RTV a couple inches of a seam and wrap it and see how it looks. I'll report back.
 
Fuel tank sealant is used to seal gaps around access panels and fair-in covers and other structural elements in lots of aircraft. Paint also adheres well to fuel tank sealant. Maybe you could seal the gaps with some PR1440 and wrap over them?
 
I meant no disrespect about the spanned gaps and intentionally left out any specific information about any specific aircraft. I do, however, know the difference between speed tape and vinyl and this was definitely a case of the vinyl spanning the step. Perhaps it just popped out because it was new and just needed to be re-squeeged.

Thanks for the RTV info. It was just a thought. Maybe I'll explore the fuel tank sealant.... Or just put it over the step and takes my chances!
 
No, it was the seam where the top panel just aft of the cowling (in front of the wind screen) overlaps the side panel.
 
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A painter friend suggestion some 3M bare metal seem sealer. He says it's paintable and you can put it down like you we're caulking a bathtub.
 
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