Hand cutting patterns

[Gary_tintington]

Hello all, I've done lots of PPF installs with precut kits and have hand cut many patterns on cars as well. I'm leaning towards hand cutting more and more as customers want to cover areas that are not cost affective to pay for precuts or they want protection for something that doesn't have a pattern (bicycles). Any advice for hand cutting techniques (grease pen or other) what is your method?

[alberts316]

transfer tape and pencils

[Gary_tintington]

Appreciated, can you elaborate?

[Toronto Guy]

Clear shelf liner applied to area. Trace shape desired. Remove shelf liner. Apply to rear of ppf liner. Using back light, cut film. Remove shelf liner. Apply to ppf. Cut film through shelf liner. Now you have two of the same pieces.

FIN

[timinoz]

My business has 4 libraries at our disposal. We also make our own patterns when required & digitise them for repeat use. So the first car takes us longer....big deal. I've done 3 Merc A45s this month. Try finding the 2016 full car kit for that. If you think you can make a smoother, repeatable, more cost effective cut than a plotter you're smoking some good stuff.

[PPFdistributing]

I get where you are coming from as far as wanting to get more coverage than what the pattern is designed to do. With that being said, us the pattern to your advantage and understanding the dimensions. Delete and extend parts of the pattern so you aren't wasting too much time with hand cutting and only cutting in the areas where you need to trim. It also allows for you to utilize gaps in the pattern to put other pieces as well instead of risking those areas getting contaminated or just tossing them in the trash. You'll find that your time isn't slowed down as much as just taking a bulk piece and trying to free hand the whole thing. Just my two cents!

[Tint Yoda]

I get where you are coming from as far as wanting to get more coverage than what the pattern is designed to do. With that being said, us the pattern to your advantage and understanding the dimensions. Delete and extend parts of the pattern so you aren't wasting too much time with hand cutting and only cutting in the areas where you need to trim. It also allows for you to utilize gaps in the pattern to put other pieces as well instead of risking those areas getting contaminated or just tossing them in the trash. You'll find that your time isn't slowed down as much as just taking a bulk piece and trying to free hand the whole thing. Just my two cents!

 

 Exactly how I do it!

[Sh0wtime]

Hey all, can you recommend a decent paper transfer tape suitable for tracing and cutting some patterns? There are so many different products out there I'm not sure which way to go - low or medium tack etc...

 

I'd like to get some ordered and would hate to waste time or money on the wrong type of tape. Thanks a bunch!

[Toronto Guy]

Hey all, can you recommend a decent paper transfer tape suitable for tracing and cutting some patterns? There are so many different products out there I'm not sure which way to go - low or medium tack etc...

I'd like to get some ordered and would hate to waste time or money on the wrong type of tape. Thanks a bunch!

Con Tact brand shelf liner is available at the home depot and wal mart.

Also signwork premask tape works too.

[Sh0wtime]

Great, thanks for the suggestions!