Rvinyl Samples & Application Supplies

It's not often that people buy application supplies despite the fact that they obviously make installation easier, faster and more interesting. Add to that the fact that I don't have to do anything except for get up from my chair and stick any of our wonderful application aides in a box and it's a win-win scenario for all concerned. Precisely for this reason, then, I would like to take a moment of your time to extol the virtues of one of our favorite members of The Rvinyl Team!'s Samples and Supplies section: The Squeegee.

The squeegee is perhaps the most often forgotten and maligned (actually, I've never heard of anyone maligning a squeegee) vinyl application tool in world. As such, it's time for spotlight on squeegees.

According to what I stole from Vinylbot 3K squeegees are awesome because:

Avery Graphics Squeegees evenly apply pressure to transfer tape greatly reducing the probability of air bubbles forming after installation. Used in conjunction with Rapid Tac or Rapid Tac II installation time is reduced and results are increased. Rvinyl recommends the use of Squeegees when applying all of its products.

I hope now we all understand the importance of spelling s-q-u-e-e-g-e-e- with four "e"'s. Furthermore, The Rvinyl Team!'s squeegees are only $1.99 USD and much more resilient than your credit card. Yet, what is the etymological and historical provenance of the beloved squeegee?

According to Wikipedia, the "original squeegee was the squilgee, a wooden-bladed tool fishermen used to scrape their boat decks". Makes sense but why "squilgee"? No idea, and the folks submitting to wikipedia don't seem to care either. Luckily, my friends at the Online Etymology Dictionary, do care like I do, and provide this concise but informative definition:

squeegee

"wooden scraping instrument with a rubber blade," 1844, a nautical word, perhaps from squeege "to press" (1782), an alteration of squeeze.

At long last, the mystery of the squeegee has revealed itself to me! Unfortuantely, my random trawling of the information super highway hasn't provided near as many results as I would have hoped but I have gained a new appreciation for window washers and screen-printers.

-The Rvinyl Team!

The Rvinyl Team!'s Custom Decal Appliances

The Rvinyl Team! Racing Fridge

Question: How fast can you microwave a Swanson Fried Chicken Dinner?
Answer: Not much faster than your fridge will look with these sporty adhesives applied to its doors!

This fridge is feeling frosty in an Rvinyl Neon Green racing stripe accented by a matching Rvinyl custom text decal (Blade Runner font). The lower door sports a Neon Green flame decal which stands as a vivid counterpoint to the frigid interior. Our freezer door is wearing yet another Rvinyl custom decal in Neon Green but in our Wide Awake font.




Do Not Eat The Vinyl!

Who let the dogs out! The Rvinyl Team! did, that's who! The Rvinyl Team! proud to pioneer the fusion of culinary technology and vinyl graphics. Now all of your pestos, purees and smoothies will have that distinctive Rvinyl flair!

Let your dogs out with Rvinyl's Bulldog 009 decal in Precious Plum. Precious Plum and Porsche Yellow together! Does it work?! Don't ask me, I'm color blind but check out the sweet Cobra Kit Racing Stripes up top. Of course, theres the distinctive paw print in Porsche Yellow on the hopper-thing (why should I know what that's called?) and the Bello Bottom custom decal at the bottom which sums up this chef's preferred method of food prep. Don't ask about the Rvinyl decal because you actually have to buy something to be eligible to receive it.


Cowgirl Coffee Maker

Yeehaaaw! I'm fixing to make y'all a steaming cup of joe and cow pies! Now even your humble coffee maker can allow you to showcase your distinctive cowgirl style. The Rvinyl Team!'s Girlie Girl Pink provides the perfect chromatic accompaniment to standard issue coffee-maker whites, blacks and (if you're scamming Gevalia for their coffee makers too) brushed aluminums.

This cowgirl's fixing to "git 'r done" with Rvinyl's custom text Corleone decal in Girlie Girl Pink and, once she's done with that, she's moving on to her professional bull-riding match. You may not have known it, but there's an actual association of people dedicated to causing massive subdural hematoma by being thrown off the backs of angry bulls. Anyway, why don't you "Cowgirl Up" and make me a cup of coffee!

If You Own A Toaster Like This Don't Put Decals On It!

This toaster IS hot! So, hot that our vinyl decals would probably melt if you applied them so don't (you may be interested to know that our vinyl is extremely flame-retardant so you most likely would not be consumed by a raging bagel blaze).

In order to get across the point that you shouldn't be applying our decals to toasters or V6 engines, this toaster comes relete with Bad Boy Police Officer But, who wants a toaster that's all rules!? Not me, that's for sure. Luckily, our toaster does have a lighter side as is evidenced but its playful Porsche Yellow Flower 029's. In addition, this playful yet stern toaster also seems to want to let us know that it's a 4x4 although I'm not quite sure what this is in reference to. And, oh my Lord Krsna, what is that I spy? Yeah, that's yet another custom text decal proudly proclaiming our toaster's name in Mustang Maroon (yes, Ghoti, alliteration's always an ally).

-The Rvinyl Team!

What is Vinyl Doing To Fight The War on Terror (and Janitors)?

The Rvinyl Team! usually tries to steer clear of any subject matter that could be seen as controversial in any way. This makes sense since we don't want to piss you-our potential customers-off until well after you've bought and paid for something. Notwithstanding my better judgement, earlier this morning I received an email from The Rvinyl Team! member Ghoti asking just what The Rvinyl Team!'s contribution to the WAR ON TERROR is. Initially I was completely dumbfounded; I mean, it's not as if the US Army has contact us about making dash kits for their Humvee's (although we have made a few custom text windshield decals for Hummers in general). But, as I got to thinking about it I realized that, as The Vinyl Institute has sagely stated, "vinyl has infinite uses" so why can't some of the uses be extremely misguided and violent? Well, not only is vinyl cool but it's also potentially deadly as is evidenced by the plagiarism below:

Air-droppable blood bags, portable hangars, airplane wraps, toxic substance detectors, decontamination showers. Wondering what connects all of these objects used in today’s troubled times? The answer is vinyl. Whether used in military applications or anti-terrorism (Italics courtesy of The Rvinyl Team!) devices, vinyl saves lives and property.

Vinyl Terror Tent

The image above was stolen from The Vinyl Institute. It is intended to "protect valuable military equipment" from terrorists. I, therefore, feel that VINYL TERROR TENT is perhaps the most apt and dramatic name for this sweet vinyl application.

Now, after further reading, I discovered that vinyl (in its infinite uses) is not simply limited to fighting terror but it also comes highly recommended by janitors, postal employees and people making crank in clandestine mobile home labs in Pontotoc, Mississippi. Let's see what Monsterjanitorial.com has to say about the wonder material we know as vinyl:

Using vinyl gloves is a common practice in any industry where bacteria and viruses can be transmitted. The food service industry is a large user of vinyl gloves because they are very affordable and extremely effective at preventing the spread of germs, bacteria and viruses. Vinyl gloves are economical and stronger than latex gloves. The vinyl used in vinyl gloves is a synthetic polymer than is more resistant to tearing and puncture than latex. Used widely in the food preparation and food handling industries vinyl gloves can give you an almost bare hand feel when grasping items. Unlike latex, vinyl is a synthetic substance that very rarely causes an allergic reaction. Vinyl gloves are also used widely in the cleaning industry as barrier against bacteria and infection in restroom and hazardous biological material cleanup.

Vinyl gloves come in a variety of sizes and come in both powdered and powder free forms. Powder is added to some types of vinyl gloves so that they are easier to put on and the powder can also help in preventing perspiration of the hands. It is an industry wide standard that there are usually 100 gloves per box and the one glove will fit both hands. Glove sizes range from small to medium. Small gloves will fit a hand size of 8 and below. Medium vinyl gloves will fit a hand size of 9. Large vinyl gloves are suited for a hand size of 10 and extra large gloves are to be used for hand sizes of 12 and above.

Vinyl gloves and latex gloves are now being used by the US Postal Service as a precaution against terrorism. Vinyl gloves act as a barrier against viruses, bacteria and germs that could potentially be sent in letters and packages. Overall vinyl gloves are an effective way to stay safe in an unsafe world.

Just imagine how much more hygienic your vehicle's dash will be with an Rvinyl vinyl dash kit. Furthermore, during shipment through the US Postal Service, your vinyl kit will be handled by people wearing vinyl gloves affording them an added level of protection! You see, it's a win-win scenario for everyone except the dirty terrorists!

So, what have we learned? In short we've learned that you should feel secure when purchasing Rvinyl products because the material from which they are made is in some way related to things which, when used in an approved fashion, can aide in the prevention of bacterial and viral infections, is capable of protecting valuable military equipment and can hold somebody's blood amongst many other infinite uses which I do not have the time to delineate.

-The Rvinyl Team!

Rvinyl Custom Text Decals

The Rvinyl Team!, as you all know, is concerned primarily with making things out of vinyl. The Rvinyl Team! (and most especially Vinylbot 3000!) are excited to present you, our vinyl public, with the most innovative self-adhering vinyl graphical application yet (aside, of course, from our Butterfly and Cowboy Decals).

At Rvinyl.com, Inc. we have one of the extensive (I purposefully left "the most" because that has yet to be independently verified) selections of fonts and colors available in the Western Hemisphere. From sporty to urban, from classy to not-so-classy we have the Custom Text Decal for you!!! Just take a look at what The Rvinyl Team can do for you (or your mom):

*Drop-shadows are included only to show the die-cut nature of the decal. Your actual decal will not have a drop-shadow effect which may or may not anger your mom.

Looking for a more masculine (yeah, I know, "masculine" is a relative term) type-face? Well, we've got those too but they aren't as interesting nor as patriotic as this one:


Although I don't have the time or inclination to present each and every permutation of the fonts and colors available on our site suffice it to say that we got lots of permutations (almost as infinite as there are uses for vinyl). Furthermore, these decals are available in sizes ranging from extremely small and illegible to incredibly gigantic and suitable only for application on trash barges! For example, if you're in the market for a 0.875 inch high custom text decal we've got just the size for you.

As always, all of our Custom Text Decals are professionally packaged in high-quality polyurethane bags replete with full-colored installation instructions. Also, if you're lucky, we may even include a free Rvinyl Graphics Decal (but only if Vinylbot 3000 is feeling generous that day).
-The Rvinyl Team!

What is Rvinyl’s Vinyl Anyway?

You know, after years of working in the vinyl business you would think I would’ve asked myself “Hey, what is vinyl made of anyway?” Surprisingly enough, neither I nor Vinylbot 3000 (nor, for that matter, have our Vinyl Minions) have ever had the thought cross our minds. Conspiracy? Probably not, but it could be the fumes from the adhesives.

According to The Vinyl Institute vinyl has a “Complex Chemistry Based on Common Salt”. But what is this “chemistry: of which they speak and just what is so “common” about salt? Allow me to quote the following from The Vinyl Institute’s expertly written and incredibly engaging section entitled “How Is Vinyl Made?”:

Like all plastic materials, vinyl results from a series of processing steps that convert hydrocarbon-based raw materials (petroleum, natural gas or coal) into unique synthetic products called polymers. The vinyl polymer is unusual, however, because it is based only in part on hydrocarbon feedstocks: ethylene obtained by processing, or cracking, natural gas or petroleum. The other half of the vinyl polymer is based on the natural element chlorine.

Chlorine gives vinyl two advantages. First, chlorine is derived from brine -- a solution of common salt and water, and a readily available, inexpensive commodity. Thus, vinyl is less sensitive to fluctuations in the world oil market than are totally oil dependent polymers.

Second, chlorine has excellent inherent flame retardant properties. These properties are passed on directly to vinyl end-products, making vinyl an excellent choice for applications such as electrical conduit and wiring that require high resistance to ignition and flame spread.

Wow! Although I never imagined that vinyl had anything to do with “feedstocks” I’m ecstatic to learn that ever dash kit and decal we make is a little part of the sea! It’s like every Ford Probe dash kit is Flipper’s second-cousin. Still, all of these chemicals make me wonder: “Should I be putting this stuff in my mouth?” Luckily, The Vinyl Institute anticipated my concerns and have provided us with a handy little page on their site called “Vinyl and Health”. And I quote:

Worker health hazards resulting from prolonged, high exposure to vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) came under scrutiny by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the EPA in the late 1970s. Through new manufacturing technology, industry was able to address those problems.

Great! So I guess that’s already been taken care of. As long as I know the EPA’s on the job I’ll just keep chewing wads of vinyl in between dash kits. Speaking of dash kits, did you know that, according to The Vinyl Institute, vinyl has infinite uses!!! Yeah, apparently “infinite” is a technical term which means really means “six broadly defined categories” (in layman’s terms). Yet, of these infinitely interesting applications perhaps the most infinitely-to-infinity interesting category is that which goes by the name of “Vinyl In Action”. Is your interest piqued yet?

Vinyl In Action Equals:

Cool Roofs Save Energy

Electrical Fires Declining Thanks to Fire-Resistant Materials Like Vinyl

Patients Today Need More Than An Apple a Day to Keep Healthcare Costs Down

Consider Vinyl Christmas Tree and Greenery for Safe Holiday Season

Leisure Time Increased, House Maintenance Chores Reduced with Vinyl

You see, it was worth it after all. Why don’t we combine some of the actions of vinyl and see what happens: We can use vinyl to stop electrical fires from burning down our vinyl Christmas trees thereby preventing our already cool vinyl rooves from heating up and, in the end, increase our leisure time! Amazing! Still not sure how a vinyl apple a day keeps health care costs down though...

But, how is this vinyl the thin, self-adhesive film which applies like a decal? It seems like we’re missing something? Well, according to The Vinyl Institute, we completely forgot to add plasticizers and stabilizers! Everyone knows you can’t bake a cake without plasticizers! Plagiarism:

Many polymers, including vinyl, require additives during the manufacturing process. Individual additives include heat and light stabilizers, colorants, impact modifiers, processing aids and plasticizers.

Additives typically constitute a small part of the overall vinyl formulation and their use is closely regulated by a number of agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). All additives used in food and drug applications must have specific regulatory clearance from the FDA.

Plasticizers

Plasticizers are used as softening agents and provide low temperature flexibility and weldability. Phthalate ester plasticizers have been safely used for more than 50 years and are some of the most studied compounds in the United States from a health and environmental viewpoint. These plasticizers are used in wire and cable products, medical devices, toys, flooring, shower curtains and synthetic leathers such as automotive upholstery, as well as in pharmaceuticals and personal care products such as cosmetics and lotions. Their versatility and excellent performance prolongs products' service life, gives them resistance, and helps reduce spoilage and waste.

Independent scientists, international government bodies and phthalate producers have conducted extensive studies on the safety, health and environmental effects of phthalates. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse health effects in children or adults from phthalate exposure. A blue-ribbon panel of leading physicians and scientists chaired by former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop concluded in 1999 that vinyl toys and medical devices made with phthalate plasticizers are not harmful to children or adults.

Stabilizers

The principal metals from which stabilizers are made include tin, barium, zinc, calcium and, decreasingly, lead and cadmium. Most stabilizers are used in rigid vinyl applications such as construction products thanks to their processability and durability. Lead-based stabilizers are used principally in vinyl wire and cable insulation.

Because the additives are firmly bound within a rigid vinyl matrix, there is no mechanism by which these additives can escape into the environment at levels that pose a health risk to humans. Lead and cadmium stabilizers are not used in food packaging or toys. In fact, strict regulations on the use of lead in toys exist both within the international toy industry and under U.S. federal law. Building wire, usually used inside walls and away from regular human contact, must meet strict insulation standards.

New studies affirm that disposal of metal-stabilized vinyl waste in landfills poses no appreciable risk to human health or the environment. In fact, vinyl sheet is used as landfill liner to help prevent leachate from contaminating groundwater, specifically because vinyl is so resistant to the aggressive conditions typically found there.

In short, the demonstrated performance and scientific facts about stabilizers confirm that they are the right choice for most rigid vinyl processing. Extensive testing and review have shown that there is no risk to processors, consumers or the environment when these stabilizers are used as intended.

* Vinyl plasticizers are well-researched; found to be safe.

* Heavy metal stabilizers are used selectively and do not represent a health or exposure risk.

* Additives do not hamper the recyclability of vinyl.

Please let me know if anyone actually read all of this. If you did, and you can say phthalate esther five times fast, I’ll give you %15 percent off of your next purchase.

-The Rvinyl Team!

The Art Of Rvinyl Vinyl Dash Kit Installation: Annotated Edition


SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS:

*Why is it that no one ever reads these precautions? Maybe if we used a better word than "special". Maybe if we called them "Extremely Special" or, better yet, "Xtreme Precautionz" we'd get more of a response.

• Ideal ambient application temperature is 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (contact me for a link to Celsius conversions if this is really important to you).
• Do not bend dash trim kit pieces back and forth as this causes the adhesive to wrinkle when applying.
• If any part of the dash trim kit is installed, the dash trim kit becomes the sole property of the purchaser.
• Install the complete dash trim kit at one time. (That's right don't start on your Dodge Neon and, halfway through, switch to your Ford Probe. You're sure to get confused)
  

CLEANING:

Clean the surface where the dash trim kit pieces will be applied. Use a clean, lint-free cotton
cloth with denatured alcohol or Prepsol (available at your local hardware store) and repeat two to three times. If the dash has been treated with any dash preservative, such as Armor All, it will be necessary to clean the dash at least three more times. Cleaning outside the dash trim kit coverage area is not recommended. For the vinyl to properly adhere the dash must be free from oils and residues.

INSTALLATION:

1. Work left to right or vice versa. Do not work from the center out when applying pieces. Also, do not work upside down as this tends to make all of the blood rush to your head causing a headache or fainting. The Rvinyl Team! will not be responsible for any injuries sustained while installing dash kits in an inverted position.

2. Do not touch or allow dust or dirt to touch the prepared area or the pressure sensitive backed adhesive. Body oils (including Jerry Curl Juice) and contaminates will promote delamination.

3. Be sure not to bridge any areas by sticking the top and bottom and then trying to stick the
middle of the kit as this will create air bubbles.

4. Start at one edge and work through bends using the palm of your hand (rather than your thumb or forehead) apply the kit. Large sections of vinyl may be applied by using a squeegee or other similar object to evenly apply pressure and greatly reduce air bubbles. Large pieces may be cut into several smaller pieces to ease installation overlapping the seams.

5. If air bubbles are present they may be popped with a pin and gentle pressure may be applied to smooth out air trapped underneath the vinyl. As the vinyl breathes, small bubbles will gradually decrease.

6. Vinyl is flexible, thus no two installations are alike. This is why some pieces require
trimming.

• Allow 48 hours for the adhesive to fully bond to the dash before trimming.

• Certain dash kits cover large volumes of area and as such may be cut into smaller pieces for ease of installation. Carefully consider this before applying the kit. If pieces are to be dissected, this must be done so when the kit is still attached to its white craft liner.
  

TRIMMING:

Allow the kit to cure for 48 hours (makes it sound like meat doesn't it?), trim any extra covered area with an Exacto blade/razor blade. Pieces may be heated after application with a hair dryer to insure adhesion and aid in the trimming process.

Click here for the entire catalog of Xtreme Installation Instructions!!

-The Rvinyl Team!

About Us (The Rvinyl Team!)

If you ever care to visit our site you'll see, in the left-hand link bar (okay, although there may well be a technical name for it I don't know what it is), directly below the title of Rvinyl Site Links, a cool little link entitled About Rvinyl. So, what is it about Rvinyl anyway? Well, that's what this informative little page is intended to convey. Through the use of what many in academic circles call letters, we were able to make words and, with just those words, sentences which, through the magic of semantics, somehow create little pictures in your heads. These little "pictures" then create a "movie in your mind" which, it is hoped, illustrates what Rvinyl is all about. Now, that we've gotten that taken care of let's move on to the exciting and informative adventure that awaits us in the About Rvinyl section (I've taken the liberty of copying and pasting all of the text for ease of browsing).

Since 1999 Rvinyl.com Inc. has specialized in aftermarket automotive vinyl graphics. Rvinyl.com Inc. is a small, employee-owned company dedicated to customer satisfaction, low prices and innovative products.

We are a company that is passionate about both its customers and its products (not so passionate, however, as to invite litigation). We are committed to building lasting relationships by providing unparalleled service and availability. As any of our past customers can attest, we encourage you to contact us at any time about any of the products listed on our site as well as any custom orders (please don't take this as an invitation to call us at home). It is our promise to you that, unlike most other online retailers, you will receive fast and friendly answers to all of your questions about our high-quality products.

We pride ourselves on quick and reliable service with turn around times of less than 24 hours for most orders received during normal business operating hours. This translates into an average delivery time of only three business days for U.S. residents. Furthermore, we use USPS Priority Mail for domestic deliveries because of its speed, its reliability and because each mail piece is accompanied by a delivery confirmation number (not to mention that we're die-hard, blue-blooded patriots who would never betray our country's postal service unless Fedex lowered their prices and actually figured out how to ship things to their intended destinations).

From bumper to bumper we are the industry leader for new and exciting vinyl graphics.

In our next installment we'll take a look at some of the gif's and jpeg's which we find on the About Rvinyl section of the website and explore their symbolism in the context of post-modern modes of production or some other wildly inappropriate hermeneutic scheme.

-The Rvinyl Team!