Homemade decals? - Printable Version
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Homemade decals? - TonyJSenior - 12-22-2007
I received a decal sheet from AES the other day and my wife saw it and asked why didn't I make my own. She said she saw decal paper advertised in a scrapbooking magazine for inkjet and laser printers. Has anyone here tried to make their own (assuming you have decent artwork to being with)? While the decal sheets aren't that expensive, was interesting to be able to possibly make just what you need, or even a scale for a dial glass.
- Ron Ramirez - 12-22-2007
The drawback to that is, inkjet and laser printers do not print white, nor do they faithfully reproduce gold.
To do that, you need an ALPS dye sublimation printer. These are expensive when available...and getting old, so supplies might be a problem, not to mention useful life (i.e. how long will a used printer last?).
Just checked eBay, I only saw two and the prices range from $137.50 to $202.50. Some supplies and driver disks are also available.
- TonyJSenior - 12-22-2007
Didn't think about printing white - good point. With the prices of the used printers, it would take a lot of decal work to break even. I think I'll stick with buying a sheet here or there as needed
- englishradioman - 07-13-2008
Realise that this is an old post, but my last project before my Philco was an English HMV 1117. This had preset buttons along with wave buttons. My set was missing the Long Wave logo that was escutcheoned within the rectangular button.
Whilst finding the correct font, size and deep brown colour of the script on the computers wordpoint was easy, I found it nigh impossible to get the white background right. When I did finally find something near there were many cases of the ink running when applying it with varnish to thicken it. I settled for a carefully placed piece of clear plastic. Still stands out visually.
There is another method if you can find the right logo, that is on a white background in magazine/book/etc print form, (ink/laser will run too easily). For obvious reasons this is easier to find in B/W.
It's a method of producing decal. The vehicle is Acrylic Polymer Emulsion the one I have is sold as Acrylic Gloss Medium Varnish.
Cut the piece you require out of the magazine/book/etc. with inches to spare each side. Pin the item to a board so it will remain as tight as possible. Paint the varnish on lightly with a very fine brush, working quickly from the middle work outwards and skim off any excess in one direction across the piece, top to bottom or left to right.
Repeat this process four or five times ensuring the varnish is dry each time. Work a different way each time when skimming off the varnish.
Leave overnight, again when dry!, in a dish of soapy water. Then place upside down upon a flat surface with no impurities and gently, rub the paper with ever wet fingers until the paper is completely removed. Special care is required at the end of this process. More care is required when cutting to size and only cut when dry, with a knife of course.
The varnish will have lifted the ink. When applying the decal simply brush the rear of the decal with the same varnish and apply carefully. This can be varnished over once dry.
Much easier to purchase decal though!
Very late here, the 'screams' upstairs will be terrible.
Must go.