View Full Version : Why I don't recommend vinyl wrapping fish scale trim
ignus99
05-01-2014, 07:55 PM
At least not with brushed aluminum 3M 1080 vinyl. Maybe the black brushed would have a better result but I doubt it, and Carbon fiber DOES seems to have enough of a pattern to look better.
Back story:
I wanted brushed aluminum trim.
I don't recommend just throwing the vinyl wrap over top of the existing trim without significant prep, as the scale trim shows through and looks TERRIBLE.
I told myself for a solid YEAR that it was OK and it didn't look THAT bad... Until I pulled the trigger on doing the brushed aluminum DIY. As you can see, a thousand times better.
Suck it up, sand it off, deal with life.
Below is the trim with the vinyl, a comparison of the brushed aluminum (NO vinyl) compared with the vinyl over the fish scale, and another nice shot of the trim post brushing (no vinyl)
http://i.imgur.com/PeLGnXal.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/eZEZDkxl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/zkzX3nHl.jpg
xander3zero
05-01-2014, 08:00 PM
yeah looks great with the brushed, not so nice when its wrapped over the fish scale haha
Obsidian
05-01-2014, 08:40 PM
http://i.imgur.com/PeLGnXal.jpg
So that is fish scale with brushed aluminum vinyl? [>_>]
That's depressing....I was planning on doing exactly that. Back to the drawing board.
ignus99
05-01-2014, 08:42 PM
So that is fish scale with brushed aluminum vinyl? [>_>]
That's depressing....I was planning on doing exactly that. Back to the drawing board.
Just do the brushed aluminum DIY. Takes a long time, but well worth it and actually cheaper than buying vinyl.
Obsidian
05-01-2014, 08:47 PM
Just do the brushed aluminum DIY. Takes a long time, but well worth it and actually cheaper than buying vinyl.
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/197228-lil-weekend-DIY-brush-aluminum-start
Is that the DIY you used?
Just give it a name and spin it off as a new product! What do you think marketing majors do?
Such wow, that brushed fish scale alumnium trim looks phenom! so totes.
ignus99
05-01-2014, 09:00 PM
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/197228-lil-weekend-DIY-brush-aluminum-start
Is that the DIY you used?
Similar.
1. I just put a gel paint stripper on it, let is sit, and wiped it off.
2. Then I went to town with sandpaper that had a soft foam back. I only used 180 grit from start to finish, I didn't want to risk using a lower grit causing too deep of a scratch before going to 180.
3. After sanding all the scale off, I washed the parts, it seems that when you get oil from a finger print or something the aluminum doesn't sand properly.
4. Streaked carefully with the same 180 grit sandpaper.
5. Finally, just hit it with a clear coat with a wet sand between coats. all in all took a day.
Just give it a name and spin it off as a new product! What do you think marketing majors do?
Such wow, that brushed fish scale alumnium trim looks phenom! so totes.
Can't tell if sarcasm... hah
Similar.
1. I just put a gel paint stripper on it, let is sit, and wiped it off.
2. Then I went to town with sandpaper that had a soft foam back. I only used 180 grit from start to finish, I didn't want to risk using a lower grit causing too deep of a scratch before going to 180.
3. After sanding all the scale off, I washed the parts, it seems that when you get oil from a finger print or something the aluminum doesn't sand properly.
4. Streaked carefully with the same 180 grit sandpaper.
5. Finally, just hit it with a clear coat with a wet sand between coats. all in all took a day.
Can't tell if sarcasm... hah
I was saying, hype it up! Tell people it's awesome and give it a new name, that's how you sell. Maybe make some horsepower graphs. People love graphs. Even if they don't make sense, it can be totally unrelated but as long as you have charts you're set.
ignus99
05-02-2014, 01:50 PM
I was saying, hype it up! Tell people it's awesome and give it a new name, that's how you sell. Maybe make some horsepower graphs. People love graphs. Even if they don't make sense, it can be totally unrelated but as long as you have charts you're set.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present the Ignus mod (rebranded as per mec's request)
Just got back from the tuner. Got some baseline numbers for you to work with off a friends A4, which was bone stock at the time of the modifications!
Dyno: DynoJet 424x
Elevation: 1,084m (3,557ft)
Numers are uncorrected, not SAE "fake" numbers
As you can see, the Vinyl wrapped interior trip actually lost power, around 10.7% across the spectrum!!
Highly recommended mod, with approximately 13% gains over stock for a weekend of work and the price of some sand paper and clear coat? Any day of the week!
Long awaited, the dyno results:
http://i.imgur.com/0HUTMTF.png
LMAO!!!!!! This is a fantastic mod. I just finished doing the Ignus Mod on my mother in law's car, she was one satisfied customer ;)
tycahoon
05-02-2014, 04:56 PM
Brushed much better [up]
papadelogan
05-02-2014, 05:35 PM
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present the Ignus mod (rebranded as per mec's request)
Just got back from the tuner. Got some baseline numbers for you to work with off a friends A4, which was bone stock at the time of the modifications!
Dyno: DynoJet 424x
Elevation: 1,084m (3,557ft)
Numers are uncorrected, not SAE "fake" numbers
As you can see, the Vinyl wrapped interior trip actually lost power, around 10.7% across the spectrum!!
Highly recommended mod, with approximately 13% gains over stock for a weekend of work and the price of some sand paper and clear coat? Any day of the week!
Long awaited, the dyno results:
http://i.imgur.com/0HUTMTF.png
HOLYFKUCK I was choking I laughed so hard at this!! TOTAL WIN!! Gonna make a screenshot and print it out at work, hang it in the cube. Well done!! Now I need to do this mod for real!!
I just ordered some real carbon fiber, resin, hardner and all the good stuff to see if I can wrap my interior like a boss! Hopefully it comes out nicely.
mferro
05-02-2014, 06:41 PM
Quick question in regards to sanding the aluminum. Mine has some seriously deep nicks in it from the PO. I've sanded it down pretty far but still not enough to get those nicks out for a nice brushed look. If I continue to sand will they eventually disappear or is it not worth it and I should just vinyl wrap it?
ignus99
05-02-2014, 11:21 PM
HOLYFKUCK I was choking I laughed so hard at this!! TOTAL WIN!! Gonna make a screenshot and print it out at work, hang it in the cube. Well done!! Now I need to do this mod for real!!
Whao whao whao. Do you think this is some kind of a game? Do I amuse you?
Well good. You're welcome.
btw - yes, do the mod.
Quick question in regards to sanding the aluminum. Mine has some seriously deep nicks in it from the PO. I've sanded it down pretty far but still not enough to get those nicks out for a nice brushed look. If I continue to sand will they eventually disappear or is it not worth it and I should just vinyl wrap it?
Good question... I only had small scratches which seemed like they took forever to sand out... I cant see you going THROUGH the metal, but if you're worried you can vinyl wrap them after sanding them as smooth as possible...
This may sound like shitty advice, but I would just keep sanding until they look good.
Worst case scenario is if you sand through to the plastic underneath, I figure you could just put a skim coat of bondo over top and vinyl wrap it then... or just buy another set of trim.
matt@oCarbon
05-04-2014, 01:48 AM
I just ordered some real carbon fiber, resin, hardner and all the good stuff to see if I can wrap my interior like a boss! Hopefully it comes out nicely.
As long as it's high quality materials (no cheap eBay resins), you take your time (start with one piece, the rear ashtray, learn from your mistakes, and go from there. Don't try and do the full set at once), and you aren't a total idiot, you should be able to do a decent job.
Hope you like sanding... [:D]
4rings5stars
05-04-2014, 07:15 AM
Another FUN thread brought to us by mec!
The 3M CF trim doesn't show the scale since it is much darker.
Love the work OP!
As long as it's high quality materials (no cheap eBay resins), you take your time (start with one piece, the rear ashtray, learn from your mistakes, and go from there. Don't try and do the full set at once), and you aren't a total idiot, you should be able to do a decent job.
Hope you like sanding... [:D]
Yeah it doesn't look extremely difficult it just seems like hours of drying and days worth of sanding.
I actually wanted to wrap my pillars, I bought red and black carbon, west 105 resin, hoping it all turns out nicely.