Using Wraps to restore surfaces?

[six9gs]

I've been contemplating less expensive ways to restore/refurbish cosmetics, in particular chrome parts, and I ran across wraps. The kinda new plastic wrap material they are using on cars these days. They even have chrome wraps. Tentatively it looks like a much cheaper way to cosmetically restore surfaces on jukeboxes. Anyone have any experience using wraps? Anyone ever do it for jukebox surfaces? Any ideas? If you are unfamiliar with the general product I'm talking about, go to youtube and search chrome wraps to see examples and tutorials.

[Ron Rich]

Hi Terry,
Someone mentioned this process somewhere in the last few months--said it was "very successful"--but I don't recall anything else---
If you try it, lettus no!! Ron Rich

[amiman66]

Hi Ron & Terry,

I used some wrap about two years ago to revamp our upper helm control panel on our shared boat.

You need scissors, craft knife and a hair drier and a soft cloth so you can force out any air under the wrap when using the hair drier.

Regards
Alan

Alan Hood
ami-man
UK

[six9gs]

Cool, thanks for the feedback. It seems a practical and much less expensive way to get the pieces that are supposed to be shiny chrome back to being shiny chrome than the expensive re-chroming path. Also think it might work well for the other external cosmetic surfaces.

I've got 2 jukeboxes (Wurlitzer 3100 & 3210) and in the 'planning' stage at the moment. Gathering up parts I'll probably need, figuring out what I'll probably need to do and how I can get those things accomplished, etc. I'm also contemplating what kind and how much 'documentation' about the restoration/renovation I should/can do. I know when I started looking I went to youtube and was very disappointed at how little jukebox restoration/renovation videos seem to exist. So, contemplating a video journal of sorts highlighting the process to maybe help someone else who comes along afterward. Or, maybe just a series of posts and pictures. Unsure just yet, like I said, still in the planning stage of sorts with this. I've got some renovations of my work area to contend with today so that once started I have a reasonable workspace for the task and reasonable organizable storage for the various and sundry pieces.

Glad I found this forum and thanks everyone for your help and feedback. Anytime I'm doing something that I don't really know what I'm doing (which I have done before with some successes and some fails), having others around who DO know what they are doing is priceless!!

Terry!

[knyli57]

Terry

Thanks for your suggestion on possibly using wraps on the chrome pieces instead of the much more costly re-chroming process. I am also new to the forum and its my first attempt at restoring a 1973 Wurlitzer Americana jukebox. I am also in the planning, gathering stage of the restore. Glad I found this forum as well!

Kevin

[Brad]

Terry, I used these wraps on my Seeburg R and it worked extremely well. It's very important to have a perfectly smooth surface because these wraps will show every little indentation or bump when applied. The best products I have found so far are made by VVivid (two Vs). Very realistic.

Brad

[jukeymart]

Hello everyone,here goes with my first post
I have recently brought back to life an NSM Century 21 cabinet with younger model parts inside from a Prestige.
The bottom of the case usually gets chewed up during many years of transportation so mine was cut back and new wood clamped and glued in with biscuits,great when you have the right tools.
At this point I nearly just painted it black but the join would still be visible so the painted wood got sanded back slightly, wiped over with spirit wipe and a grey marble effect vinyl was applied.
It did'nt seem all that sticky in case you had to reposition it but it went on great with a flat plastic scraper and pulling off the backing in small amounts.
I had no bubbles but to help the edges stick I used a little PVA glue and masking tape for half an hour, hopefully you will see a picture if I do it right.
Hope to be of assistance with NSM, AMI, Rock Ola,Sound Leisure.

All the best from Jukeymart in England

[andylevine]

Wraps are certainly an interesting idea...I've yet to see a chrome one that is a mirror type finish...chrome-like, yes, mirror no. Another alternative I've used instead of real re-chroming is powder coating. I used a local guy who uses Prismatic Powders who have a chrome color that is REALLY good... it isn't perfect, you will know it isn't chrome, but I do get reflections off of it and it looks VERY good. I used it on my Seeburg Mardi Gras for the hoops surrounding the chasers and for the lid pieces. It probably is not as cheap as a vinyl wrap but easily 1/3 to 1/4 the price of rechroming. I only paid $100 for the box, so paying $900-1300 for real chrome (based on a real quote) was out of the question.

[heats00]

I just finished an AY100 that had been repainted with thick black paint and glitter. I had a local vinyl shop make new side overlays (black with the white pinstripes), using vinyl meant for vehicle wraps. It turned out looking great!

Previous posts mentioned making sure your surface is as smooth as possible before application, very true.

I'll see if I can post pictures if needed.

[Ron Rich]

Post them in a "drop-box" somewhere-- that would be nice to see-- also, what was the cost ? Ron Rich

[heats00]

Link Here

I took measurements of the side panel and measured the spacing and width of the pinstripes found underneath the cash box door trim and counted the number of stripes based off of the original Seeburg AY pamphlet. Surface prep was filling dents, which I used gap filling super glue for, sanding everything smooth, and brushed on a coat of black Rustoleum. Once that dried completely, I gave it a light sanding with 400 grit and applied the vinyl. I would recommend 2 people, as the sheet is rather large to try to pull the backing off and squeegee at the same time. I had the shop print a full flat sheet to cover the entire side panel, and then trimmed out the coin return, cash box door and medallions. I also had the vinyl shop print a center mark in the side medallion area, and that is what I used to 'center' the panel so the stripe wrapping around the medallion was centered. Total cost was roughly $100 and the vinyl shop also put on a clear protective layer for a little more durability.

[Ron Rich]

Looks GREAT !! Ron Rich

[andylevine]

That looks AWESOME!