Not sure where to start with this question....

I would like to print a decal for a rod I'm building for a Christmas present and I was wondering if anyone has been using decal connection's decal paper with a color laser printer? If you have how well has it worked? Have you found that the paper takes and holds the ink well enough for the finish or have you been putting something over it like the Krylon clear acrylic stuff?

I've tried the water slide decal paper and had marginal results with it. The ink didn't seem to properly cover/color the surface. However, I'd have to stop short of blaming the decal material. I tend to think I just haven't found the right ink setting for my machine.

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One Rod - One Christmas Present - Design What You Want - Order It From DC -

I'd do what Tom & Bill said . I had a printer gum up and ruin because of the ink setting too high to get a better look. I think that it is cheaper and better quality to just order what you need.
But it might have been the humidy where I live too , I also ran 4 sheets back to back - but I won't do it again.
Tight Lines
Bill Rice

One thing that I have done - after I got the setting correct on my laser printer - is to make sure that I have numerous copies of the decal on the sheet/drawing that I will print onto the waterslide paper. That way I 'm sure to have at least a few that come out with a good quality.

Then I cover the decals with CP before I attempt to trim them from the waterslide paper. I usually let that sit overnight, but that may be overkill. Better safe than sorry. The CP seems to do a good job of protecting the decal color and it seems to help protect the waterslide sheet as I cutout the decal. The CP makes it a bit "sturdier".........

Doing them yourself gives marginal results IMO. I have tested several methods and have found that DC is the best option.

Use Decal Conection. Why take chances that it will run or fade?

If you print your own you may get better results if you spray the decal with clear acrylic before you use it. I use the decal paper when I want a hand written inscription on the rod. Big fingers and small blanks don't make for a neat job. But you can write in the decal, then spray with clear and apply to the rod as usual.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I use an Epson Color 200 inkjet for all my labels. It's an $80 printer and works GREAT using decal transfer paper supplied by Decal Connection. Wrap silver, gold, or really any color thread on your rod where you want to put the label, CP over it, then make your label. I measure the length of the wrap as well as the circumference of the rod where the label will go and I create a new image with those dimensions. Using your graphics program, make a black background with white text. When you print the decal, it will leave the white letters clear as a printer doesn't print white. When you apply the decal over your thread, the thread will show through and your lettering will be that color...as a bonus, your label will look like it was made with the thread. If you make the letters another color, it will tint the thread that color....so you can do color faded labels, pictures, graphics...pretty much anything.

Just print it onto the waterslide decal paper then spray it with Krylon Crystal Clear and let it dry for 10 min. or so. Soak the decal in water for 60 seconds and slide it onto the thread. Using a paper towel, wipe the label to remove air bubbles and excess water. Let it dry for a couple of hours and then coat it with rod finish. I have made some labels that took me 5-10 minutes that looked like I spent hours on them.

Just my 2¢.

If anyone wants to see an example or maybe I could make a tutorial, let me know. I have had nothing but perfect results from this technic.

David. you said you printed black background with "white" or clear letters. That I understand, but do you leave the background black when you print? If so how does the thread show through the black without some discoloration?

O Larry Thomas Wrote:
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> David. you said you printed black background with
> "white" or clear letters. That I understand, but
> do you leave the background black when you print?
> If so how does the thread show through the black
> without some discoloration?


The thread does NOT show through the black....and that's what you want. The thread will only show through the clear(white) letter area and the rest will be blocked by the black.

This label was done the exact way I described above.

[www.cabochonrods.com]

The great thing is, any color other than black will let the light shine through and "tint" the silver or whatever color you use under the decal. This means you can print a fish, graphic, picture or anything else and the thread below will show through. It's a poor man's (or lazy man's) weave. This weekend I will make a tutorial as to how I do it and put it on my web site so all can use it.

I've done a bunch of decals with my inkjet recently and I like the way they've come out. I can lay them out to fit whatever size is available, print onto plain paper, and lay it out on the rod to see how it looks. I can then make adjustments to the colors, spacing, etc until I get what I want, and finally print it onto the transfer paper. The Inkjet ink doesn't dry very quickly on the transfer paper so I let them sit for an hour or so before putting the fixative on it. I'm using a Papilio fixative (Dioctyl Phthalate) just because it was supplied by the same guys I got the paper from, and that coating has to dry for quite a few hours.

I just finished one where I used metalic gold for a butt wrap, gave it a nice thick coat of epoxy, then the decal with bold face black text, CP, and another coat of epoxy. The black text appears to be floating above the gold background and will even cast a little shadow on the background giving it some real depth. I also have a rod where I made small monograms and put them on the ferrule wraps and I'm working on a fly rod now where I've used the transfer paper to inlay a monogram into the butt cap; gold paint, monogram, CP, epoxy.

If I only had to do one rod I would let DC make the label because I know it would turn out exactly as I describe it to them and it'd be perfect.

Printing my own allows me to play around with different things and be more creative without spending a fortune.