PUBLICATION CENTER

The rolling six-pack in question, DeCrescente’s Six-Pack Truck that travels to various special events and dispenses beer from kegs hidden in the super-huge cans, required some trial-and-error to get it right since the unusual application was round and multiplied by six.

“I’ve done trailers before, but they’re flat. This has a rounded surface so I wasn’t used to the application,” says Lane. “I was trying to lay the vinyl on the surface like you would on a board, and what finally worked for me was to wet it down as much as possible using a spray bottle filled with soap and water. You wet it down completely and it works.”

Lane says an unscented dishwashing liquid, like Ivory, works best for a wet vinyl application. All it takes is a drop or two of soap in a bottle of water, and the solution should be just right. Rapid Tac is another wetting solution developed specifically for vinyl application (www.rapidtac.com). Rapid Tac also carries other products for vinyl work, including preparation and removal fluids.

Lane used FLEXcon BUSart™ V 400 F White A-69 Vinyl for Bus & Train Wraps for the project, printed on a low-solvent Mutoh printer. Usually, vehicle graphics require lamination, even if they’re printed with more-durable and lightfast solvent inks, because of the extra wear and tear they endure on the road. However, Lane didn’t laminate since the Six-Pack Truck is only on the road for special events, where it sits in a parking lot dispensing beer.

Each “beer can” graphic was printed on panels about 76 in. tall by 64 in. wide. Each can required one and a half panels with a quarter-inch of overlap.

“It’s been out twice since we installed the graphics. It always draws attention and boosts beer sales, which is why they do it,” says Lane.