* Please note that there were 8 people on the waiting list which means that the additional class is already more than half full.  There is a maximum of 15 students so I highly recommend signing up asap if you're interested.  As with all Avery/Mutoh School of Wrap workshops all participants receive for free:  NT Cutter A551P knife, Avery tool bag and kit, 25 yards of 1005SC Easy Apply RS/1360 DOL and a 30% discount at www.learntowrapcars.com - This is a value of over $600.

To sign up please contact Linda at:

Email   grpd.technicalservice@averydennison.com
Telephone:   888-283-7955   Ext: 4043

I just finished the first two Avery-Mutoh School of Wrap workshops and they were a big success. The two hands-on workshop for both Orlando and Dallas were filled with students really eager to learn which always makes it a really fun program to teach. For these 2-day workshops along with the remaining 8 scheduled for 2011 the students learn the fundamentals of my UGIS system on Day 1 and then on Day 2 they wrap a cargo van along with learning how to wrap bumpers and door handles.

The certification tests went well. I want to congratulate Mike Colbath from Yukon Trophy and Awards, Inc. and David Norat of Brush Fire Graphics for passing the test. They are now Avery Certified Installers and will be listed on Avery's new website and given a certificate.

The next round of workshops and certification are coming up in about 6 weeks in LA and Phoenix. In LA, it will be held at NuSign and in Phoenix at Mutoh Headquarters. For more information on the workshops and certification go to:

http://na.averygraphics.com/AvGrNA_avery_wrap_school.asp

Thanks as always to everyone at Avery and Mutoh for their help coordinating this and to Sign Warehouse and Proveer for hosting. A special thanks to Linda Ebbinghaus from Avery.

The advanced class for the December Mutoh School of Wrap workshop was a true pleasure to teach.  All the students had taken the 2-day Basic/Intermediate workshop so we could really build on my Universal Graphic Installation System.  I was truly amazed at quickly the students picked up all the tips and tricks, especially when we got to bumpers and doorhandles.  The students really understood the concept that with a fluid system wrapping a bumper is no different than wrapping a hood.  Sometimes I felt like Yoda but they understood that with sound technique and the right approach all vehicles become the same which leads to high standards of quality, durability and efficiency.

I think one big factor that helped the learning process was the Avery 1005 Supercast with 1360 1.3mm overlam.  The low tack and supreme flexibility of the Supercast really gives installers a sense of confidence and flow.  Over the course of 3 days the students plowed through 150 yards of film, by far the most for a School of Wrap workshop.  This is a testament to how hard the students worked.  Thanks to everyone at Mutoh for all their help and for a great 2010 School of Wrap.  I'm really looking forward to next year which will have more dates.

The Basic/Intermediate School of Wrap workshop was a big success.   All the students were very eager to learn which always makes for a great 2-days.  Since we were at Mutoh headquarters, the students got a demonstration of the Mutoh products from Randy Anderson.  Randy answered lots of questions and provided some valuable insight that is always a plus for the workshop.  The students worked with Avery's 1005 Supercast and 1360 1.3mm gloss overlam.  The graphics were printed by a Mutoh Valuejet.  As with all the Basic/Intermediate workshops they wrapped a car completely.  In this case, it was Randy's car and it came out great.  Thanks to everyone at Mutoh for all their help for 2010, especially Randy Anderson and Michelle Pugh.  Another thank your to NT Cutter, Milwaukee, and Benzomatic for providing tools for all the classes.  The new schedule for 2011 I hope will be announced this week.  Here are the pics:

Hard at Work

Brian Phipps General Manager striking a pose:

Randy's finished car:

More work:

Today during the first day of the SGIA show Rusty Wallace came by the Mutoh booth while I was wrapping one of his race cars.  Its always cool to meet a legend and even more so when they turn out to be really down to earth.  Rusty Wallace signed autographs and posed for pictures.  I wrapped the hood of his car with Avery's 1005 Supercast that was printed up on a Mutoh Valuejet.  I demonstrated my UGIS techniques and showed people how easy Avery is to apply.   I will be doing two demos tomorrow and one in the morning on Friday before heading out to a wedding in Santa Cruz.

Today I wrapped up a BMW for the CEO of Sweety High (www.sweetyhigh.com) in Los Angeles.  The film used was Avery's 1005 Supercast and their new 1340 Supercast overlam.  The vehicle was designed by Randy Anderson at Mutoh and it was printed up on a Mutoh Valuejet.  A special thanks to Paul Roba for the film and for Mutoh for printing it up.  I went out of my way to make this wrap extra special as I am good friends with the owner.  I particularly like the pink accents on the antennae, side mirrors, hubcaps, emblems and door handles.  I hope the ladies at Sweety High enjoy.

Yesterday I wrapped two scooters.  Normally, wrapping a scooter makes me want to jump out the nearest window or quit wrapping and become a garbage man.  However, times are different.  The film I used was Avery's 1005 Supercast along with then new Supercast overlam.  What a big, big difference.  For lack of a better word, the film just kind of breathed onto the application surface.  What I mean by this is that I used very little heat on the entire wrap.  Instead, I used very subtle adjustments when I pulled on the film.  The film just kind of knew where I wanted it to go and went there.  I had used this combination of film/overlam before but it was on a fairly easy car.  To use this combination on something as curvy and challenging as the scooters, well, I have to hand it to Avery.  Thanks to Paul Roba from Avery for the guidance and hook up.  I look forward to more wraps with this film, even on scooters.

I then worked the Mutoh booth in the NBM Long Beach show.

After getting a Sunday off I then taught the Mutoh School of Wrap that was hosted by Graphics One in Burbank.  Monday and Tuesday was the Basic/Intermediate and on Wednesday the Advanced.

Thursday morning I flew to Reno to teach a 2-day private workshop for Sierra Custom Signs.

Friday I flew back to LA to hang out with family then Saturday I returned to my ladies back in Amsterdam.  Definitely a high energy run but well worth it.  It was nice to meet so many people eager to learn the art of wrapping.  Next workshops coming up are at Squeezy on September 2  and the Mutoh School of Wrap at Avery Headquarters in October.  For more information on that workshop go to:  www.mutohschoolofwrap.com.