WRAPPING & DIPPING

We ran an extensive guide to vinyl wrapping in the November 2013 issue of CM. If you’re keen to have a go, but have no experience, then start with small items, such as a headlight surround or a door mirror cover. You’ll need a craft knife to cut through the vinyl, a felt-edged piece of flat plastic to smooth down the vinyl and a heat gun or hairdryer to warm and mould it into position. Vinyl wrapping is not as easy as it looks, so it pays to buy a well-known brand. The surfaces to be wrapped need to be scrupulously clean and any noticeable marks or dents will not be covered by the vinyl, so they will need to be repaired first if you don’t want to see them.

Hydrographics (also known as immersion printing, water transfer printing, hydro dipping and cubic printing) has become increasingly popular for customising the finish of small items on a vehicle. The process involves transferring a printed graphic onto an object by dipping it in a tank containing a layer of floating ink. It provides a better finish than vinyl, especially over uneven objects that are difficult to wrap. As Jon Sykes of York based Hydrographics (www.hydro-graphics.co.uk) explains: “For the most part, if the item can be dipped in water and can be painted using traditional techniques, then the hydrographic printing process can be used.”