Lettering and Decal help

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

What software (&hardware) do you use to make decals and lettering for handmade rods? Any tutorials would be appreciated also. Thanks!

ML

[.RM.]

I don't. They are made by the fine folks at...

Decal Connection

Unless you have got an ALPS printer, there isn't anything that comes off of most printers that will hold up fade wise....

Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!

[Scott A]

I am using MS Word to design my decals.  I know you could get better results with some other programs.  I am printing on clear water-slide decal paper and painting the area of the blank under the decal silver before applying.  I spray the decal with acrylic clear before soaking it in water.  After applying and it dries, I apply two coats of ThreadMaster in lengthwise strokes.

I'm not sure about the fading as Reel Mechanic stated above.  My oldest rod is 3 months old but so far so good.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Scott,

What do you have for a printer?

[flechero]

I fooled around with making my own in the beginning but never even got close to the quality of decal connection.  Really, when you factor time, it's way cheaper to buy them.  I would spend an hour or more per decal, by the time it was said and done- for substandard results...  with Decal Connection, I pay $0.25- $3 each depending on size, qty. & text or graphic, and they are perfect every time.

Not to mention Debbie is pretty fast... most orders arrive 2-3 days after I place the order.  Just email it in a few days before you need them.  

I thought about buying an ALPS printer but I'd need to make about 1000 decals to justify the cost over time...   and that doesn't even consider the value of my time.

[Scott A]

I fooled around with making my own in the beginning but never even got close to the quality of decal connection. Really, when you factor time, it's way cheaper to buy them. I would spend an hour or more per decal, by the time it was said and done- for substandard results... with Decal Connection, I pay $0.25- $3 each depending on size, qty. & text or graphic, and they are perfect every time.

Not to mention Debbie is pretty fast... most orders arrive 2-3 days after I place the order. Just email it in a few days before you need them.

I thought about buying an ALPS printer but I'd need to make about 1000 decals to justify the cost over time... and that doesn't even consider the value of my time.

I am using a HP7160 inkjet printer.  I normally print a predominatly black background with some type of design (diamond plate, or some type of cool image from the internet) in it and leave my text clear so it shows up silver.  I wish I had pics but I suck at photography.

flechero, from Decal Connection, do you have pay a setup fee for each decal or how does that work???

[LooksLikeSinbad]

I am printing on clear water-slide decal paper and painting the area of the blank under the decal silver before applying. I spray the decal with acrylic clear before soaking it in water. After applying and it dries, I apply two coats of ThreadMaster in lengthwise strokes.

I would love to see photos of your work.

FYI guys I'm a graphic designer so if anyone needs help designing a logo/decal send me a pm.

[Scott A]

I am printing on clear water-slide decal paper and painting the area of the blank under the decal silver before applying. I spray the decal with acrylic clear before soaking it in water. After applying and it dries, I apply two coats of ThreadMaster in lengthwise strokes.

I would love to see photos of your work.

FYI guys I'm a graphic designer so if anyone needs help designing a logo/decal send me a pm.

I guess I need to get the camera out before these rods get broke in too good. The fish bit good this week .

I have only built three so far but this works for me so far.

I have some white, gold and silver adhesive backed media that Swampland sells but I haven't tried it yet. Everyone says that Rodmaker Magazine had an excellent article on "Electric Decals" a few months ago but I haven't seen it yet.

Does anyone have any suggestions on good, cheap software for designing decals? MS Word doesn't have a ton of options in my opinion. I've used AutoCAD also.

[Scott A]

Okay, here is the best picture I could take.

[rubba bubba]

I have access to color laserjets at work so buying an Alps printer is a non-issue for me. If you're not technically savvy, getting up to speed on doing something other than fonts in MS Word could prove to be a challenge (or be fun depending on your perspective).

Scott - nice work on that decal, bro.

[flechero]

I also started with inkjet and laserjets with black background and white image/text.  Actually I used about 80% black seemed to match the matte All Star Blanks I was building back then.  Even using fixatif and Tom K's instructions, I experienced darkening on them after a couple months.  

flechero, from Decal Connection, do you have pay a setup fee for each decal or how does that work???

nothing on text...  for custom graphics there is a one time set up charge, if you have them do it...  but I think it's waived if you have the files ready to go in certain formats, you can just email them in w.o a set up.  

But for example, when building Loomis blanks, I always get new logos (to match colors I'm using) since I don't use the supplied blank decal...  she has all the corporate logos on file.

I bought my Turkey Run stuff in sheets... she got 90 of on a page.  The sheet price then was like $14 for whatever fit.

[flechero]

Scott,

Forgot to mention your label looks very good.  I'd have more $ invested in time on that than I would in buying it.  ...lol  But my skills are better served in mechanical areas.  

[Scott A]

Scott,

Forgot to mention your label looks very good. I'd have more $ invested in time on that than I would in buying it. ...lol But my skills are better served in mechanical areas.

Yes, the water-slide decals can be frustrating sometimes.  What type of decal are you getting from Decal Connection (water-slides, adhesive backed).

I have just started this craft and this is my third rod which took me the longest of the three.  I tried to put the decal over silver met thread first and couldn't get it straight and it wouldn't move on the thread without stretching it.  These are my first epoxy ramps also instead of winding checks.  I had to re-do them a couple of times also.

[flechero]

No, I used the water slide decals only.  They are the best. (IMO)

It's the ink/laser jet decals on paper that goof me up so badly.  I never tried running water slide paper through the laser jet.  I didn't know they were compatible with each other.

[MickD]

I use Paint Shop Pro, and with a little practice can get some really sharp decals. But. . .it really takes a lot of practice and technique to get them to print properly because the colors you see on the computer monitor don't really come out the way you see them, depending on media. The media that gives the silver, gold, or holographic backgrounds are somewhat stiff, so applying them to fairly small rods, like bass rods, can also be problematic. They are also the ones that have the most problems in printing as the holo tends to blast through the background, and to stop that you have to really lay the ink on heavily. And that distorts colors, also. The flat white media is very easy to handle and apply, has little color distortion, and should allow good results pretty easily compared to the others. I suggest anyone starting into this get the Rodmaker Magazine back issue that covered the subject-it is not simple. Those advocating buying from Decal Connection just might be right. I have little data on color fade, but was under the opinion that the rod finishes protected them quite well. My oldest rod with a printer label on it is about two years old, has spent a lot of time on the water, and still looks like new.

The reason I like to do my own custom labels is that I only do a couple rods a year, like to include the year of build and the rod owner's name, so it seems each label is specific to the rod.

[MickD]

I forgot to mention, if you do your own labels you can base the label on a favorite fishing scene photo, if the composition is suitable to use on a  long, narrow, strip. I have done it a couple times on the matte/vinyl media, and they worked out wonderfully.  Use CP on them to prevent a slight color shift from the rod finish.

[wickyman]

My wife has a cricut, and I can cut out any design I want, up from 1/4" or less, up to 24" if I wanted...  And, I can have a color cartridge attached to it, to get shadows and such.  They are about 290 bucks, and worth every penny.  You can cut out on any material you want, in accordance to the cutting blade you have attached.