Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/637632
76 • WRAPS • 2 0 1 6 WRAP TECHNIQUES A bout seven years ago a group of German installers discovered the pre- stretch technique, and it revolutionized how installers wrapped difficult areas such as mirrors and bumpers. The only drawback to the pre-stretch technique is it only works gloss, matte and gloss/matte metallic films. For textured films like brushed metallic/carbon fiber and multi-layered films such as chrome, the film distorts or whitens when the technique is applied. As good as pre-stretch is, it's limited. Then two years ago I was in Tokyo teaching a workshop for a group of advanced installers, and while I was demonstrating how to wrap a hood by starting with a hinge in the middle, an installer named Koji Yamaguchi said in broken English (he doesn't speak English very well and I don't speak Japanese very well), "I start on corner." The interpreter, who was not an installer, didn't know how to properly explain what Koji was saying so I chalked it up to something lost in translation. P R E - S T R E T C H I N G T E X T U R E D F I L M S Hot New 'Cold-Pull Pre-Stretch' Technique Safe and effective way to pre-stretch textured (or any) film B Y J U S T I N P A T E Justin Pate (www.justinpate.net) is an Avery Dennison and 3M certified instructor/installer with more than 18-years experience installing graph- ics primarily on vehicles. In North America, Justin heads the popular Avery Dennison hands-on workshops and certification program that includes the Avery-Mutoh School of Wrap. In 2014, Justin launched e Wrap Institute (www.wrapinstitute.com) which is a streaming video plaorm with more than 580 instructional videos at 80 hours and counting. WRAPS magazine readers can use the coupon code: TWISDMG to get a 1-year membership for $99 (you save $50!). Follow Justin on Instagram at justinpatewrapper. APPLYING THE COLD PRE-STRETCH TECHNIQUE TO CORNERS Standard corner (hood) Stop squeegeeing about five inches from the corner. The dot is the corner and the film should be pulled away from the dot using the triangle technique. By pulling cold, the film stretches about 2 to 4 percent with the dot now slightly behind the corner. Apply a burst of heat to trigger the memory effect. This brings the tension back to 0 percent with glass (no wrinkles) on the edge as proof. 1 2 3 4 5 6