I'm just starting out and I'm trying to find the best way to sign the blank. I get good results with the ball point gel pens, but they NEVER dry. I've also played around with a metal "quill" pen. I can't get it to do what I want. Does anyone use the gel pens and put a clear coat on it before the epoxy? What's the preferred method for signing?

On the gel pens I run a hair dryer over them , and also put a " DUST " coat of hair spray or clear lacquer
Don't put the spray on wet or it will run the gel pen ink.

You could also have decals made up. Decal Connection.

Thanks Bill. I thought about doing the laquer thing, but I didn't get to experiment with it. I'll try it out tomorrow.

Decals may be worth looking into.

I have not tried the quil pens yet, but always have wondered if they could make some nice shaped lettering ?

A friend swears by the quill pen. I just couldn't get it to do the same thing two times in a row. IMO it's unpredictable even after a lot of practice.

Hey Kevin. I just put my first signature on a rod the other day. Nothing was working for me either. But here is what did work. Get a sanford iniball gel. Thats all it say's on the pens. They are available at Michael's. They have a nice fine point and one of the tricks is to make sure you write on a piece of paper to get the ink going. Don't wright to fast and finish your inscriptions. I let it dry for maybe 10 minutes and then spray fix a tiff by krylon over the area. Just a couple of sprays is all you need. Rotate the blank to cover all ink of coarse. I let that dry for ten minutes and then apply finish. The results are great. I went back and put inscriptions on the rest of my prodjects. It took me quite a while to get it wright so don't feel bad. Tom

Kevin, It should be Sanford uniball. Sorry for the misspell. I don't spell well.

Put a coat of finish on, let dry, them lightly scoff it to give you some grip so the ball keeps moving and releasing the ink.

That's the pen I'm using...it just never really dried even after a full week. I like the pen a lot, so the top coat should take care of my issue.

Sanford also makes another pen. It's available in many colors and extra fine, slim and larger tips, too. It's called "Gold Coat" or "Silver Coat" on the two I have left. These pens dry within minutes and rod finish can be put over the writing without spraying or coating something else over them.

If a mistake is made, it takes some stronger thinner/solvent than water or alcohol to remove it, though. I always used acetone. I used these pens for over 15 years before I started using waterslide decals. I was always able to get them at a local office supply store and they worked very well for me.

Putter
Williston, ND

I don't do any sanding bill. That pen just flows great on its own for me. I don't think I even need fix a tiff. I will try without tomarrow. That ink dries quite nice. I'm glad I have some pretty good penmenship. I learned from the nuns at catholic school. Glad I got something out of it.

I use a quell pen I got at Michaels. I got several tips and found the very fine point works the best, at least on smaller freshwater rods. I have tried gold, silver and white acrylic ink. The white ink works the best for me. The other inks seemed to not have has much pigment as the white ink. Mistakes can be easily wiped off with alcohol or acetone, even when well dried. I do not have to spray or seal the ink before applying the epoxy coat, just make sure its dry (which does not take long). I have used this ink straight on the blank and after hitting it with a fine sand paper. Both worked well, but when lightly sanded, the ink flowed a little easiler.

For non-drying gel pen inscriptions try Krylon UV acrylic spray. Can be found at all arts and craft stores - about $6. A nice even coat and in 30 minutes you can apply finish. Used to use the older product without the UV additive. This also works.
Regards,
Kenneth Prager

I use Jelly (Gelly?) Roll Ink Pens. No sanding....just smoooth writiing, steady speed. I tested about a zillion times on a scrap blank, favorite colors are white and gold, depending on blank color. I hit the inscription with a heat gun for a few seconds....dries nicely. Tried some fixative over the inscription, and under next coat of epoxy, and was very unhappy. Turned very yellow after 6 months....so much so I stripped the butt wrap off and re-did it.

Jim, what do you think caused the yellowing?