Date:         Fri, 17 Jun 2011 08:29:14 -0700
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Subject:      applying vinyl lettering
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

Yesterday I stuck on some decals on my luggage rack, and I used a
technique for the westy lettering on the front that I read on the
interwebnettubes that was new to me (but I am guessing not new to a
lot of folk).

The lettering comes sandwiched between backing paper and a front
paper. Normally I'd peel off the backing paper and try to lay down the
lettering. When I did that with the 4WD logos on the front doors, I
found it hard not to make mistakes and have the letters not quite
where I wanted.

The new to me trick is to mist the surface where you want the letters
to go with water. Peel off the backing paper from the letters,
exposing the adhesive, and mist them with water too. Then position the
letters on the surface, the water lets you move the letters around a
little. Then squeegee the letters (the still have the front paper on)
from middle out.

Leave it alone for a few hours or overnight to dry, then peel off the
front paper. Worked for me, some pics here:

http://shufti.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/vanagon-luggage-rack-refurb-finished/

alistair