| Before Graffiti Removal (larger photo) | After Graffiti Removal (larger photo) |
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Type of Vandalism: Graffiti bombing | Difficulty: EXTREME |
Techniques Used: Chemical stressing, cutting | Typical Mistakes: Detailers use cleanser (harsh abrasive), using distillates/thinner,gasoline high speed buffing burns the original paint. AutoVandal removes the paint with controlled smearing. |
Benefits to AutoVandal Service: The AutoVandal technique provides a minimum down time while restoring the original paint and is more cost efective. | 1. Assess risk to original paint before starting 2. Save removal and restoration without "body shop" work at 80 to 100 dollars an hour not including unit downtime 3. Insurance record intact, no "Bad Carfax" 4. 2-4 day service in most cases 5. Commercial equipment back on the road without 3-week downtime do to body shop work and insurance claim |
This is NOT GRAFFITI ART. In most cases you come across a lot of tagging, but GRAFFITI BOMBING is the most difficult. This graffiti bomb with the over sized letters called the “Graffiti Alphabet” and is mostly spray painted in a 3D look resulting from 5 to 22 layers of spray paint. The smaller single stroke spray painted lines are TAGGING, the signature used by the offenders to spread their name for bragging rights. This case was my worst removal so far. Jobs like this will not be same day service, but a 3 to 4 day turnaround which is better than many weeks in a body shop for repainting, branding, etc.
The removal techniques used include chemical stressing with very harsh chemicals (that burn to the touch of the skin and is handled with protective gloves), and then cutting and blending the graffiti paint and ink by stressing the unwanted graffiti to the point of total emulsification. The final touch will re-seal the original paint. The goal here is to remove thick layers without burning the original paint.
The longer the paint and ink remains untreated, the more difficult the process becomes. It is almost impossible to remove tagging paint that has been exposed to extreme sun light or dew (water saturation) on the unit, which magnifies the temperature as high as 200%, leaving a staining effect with smearing on the second and third layer of the original paint. Removal of graffiti as soon as possible will offer the best possible restoration to the original finish.
Uncut
Graffiti Removal Process: First Cutting With Controlled Smearing (below)
Graffiti Removal Process: Second Cutting (below)
Graffiti Removal Process: Third Cutting (below)
Graffiti Removal Process: Fourth Cutting (below)
Graffiti Removal Process: Fifth Cutting (below)
After Autovandal Graffiti Removal
Do you do cars too?
Yes, this is vandalism, the best part is there was no body shop repaint or 3-7 week down time. Lets do the math, most truck drivers have a 1,500 dollar deductible on their insurance policy and a 3-7 week down time in the body shop.
Ok now the fun part, most truck drivers clear about 1,400 dollars a week, most commercial body shops will tell you there labor rate is 80 dollars an hour. that's not including materials which brings you up to 179 plus an hour. So the insurance company is not going to like the bill.
So 3.5 weeks times 1,400 is 4,900 dollars, lets throw in a truck, trailer and insurance note another 4,500 dollars that's 9,400 dollars it's August 1st and your 2290 heavy use tax is due and its last quarter so time to pay the fuel taxes. Were well over the 10,000 dollar mark. (NOTE THIS FIGURE DOES NOT INCLUDE WHAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY PAYS FOR REPAINT)
The chemicals are not for the everyday do it yourself type of person. Sometimes the decals must be replaced because of burning (dis-coloring) and is always recommended by autovandal.com, that a decal kit be ordered in advance prior to cutting the unwanted graffiti.
Most body shops can not remove the staining/smearing that is caused by excessive stressing of the factory paint and the dulling effect caused by over cutting. The autovandal.com method has taken graffiti removal to a new level and restoring the factory paint with out dulling caused by vandalism, in most cases same day service.