I am trying to find a quicker and more consistant method for labling rods with line ratings and personnalized names. Right now we hand sign everything that we build using a gel pen with metalic ink. It works well on matt finish blanks but can be a real pain on gloss blanks. I want to do something that looks good and can be done consistently. We have used stickers or decals in the past but they can be expensive and we can not do an individual run for each name. Has anyone had luck using an ink jet printer or some other kind of computerized printer with metalic ink on to stickers. I am concerned that the ink will smear when I put the sticker on the rod. I am also considering writing on sticker material then applying the sticker but again I am concerened with smearing the ink. Any suggestions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

You landed in the right place to ask the question:

Hope this is not information overload!

[www.swamplandtackle.com]

[www.swamplandtackle.com]

[www.swamplandtackle.com]

[www.swamplandtackle.com]

Click on Search on this forum - type in "Electric Decals" and change date to All press enter.

Then use the Contact Us link on the Swampland Site.

The Holo Shine has been discontined -

Bill Z,

From the information I've gathered on this site with regard to making your own decals, I've come to the realization that paying for the decal to be made for me by Decal Connection is ultimately the most efficient way to go. The printers used to create these high quality decals are both expensive and require a great deal of maintenance. I'd rather spend my time focusing on building rods than "tinkering" with computer and printer hardware and software. If you're a commercial builder, passing on the expense to the customer for each decal made by an outfit that specializes in doing them for you - will be very economical, and justifiable. I personally like the waterslide decals over any other incription type available. Bill's Electric decals offer a very visually "apparent" Billboard that will catch the attention of onlookers from a mile away. They don't meet the needs of everyones taste. On the majority of rods that I build for both myself and customers (mostly flyrods) they would not be well received. But, to each his own.

Torin your last sentence is very applicable.

Can be as simple as desired or as complex. Anyone who can use a word processing program can set up name, lure wt, blank ID in seconds and print it on existing home printers very easily and in a very cost effective manner.

Bass fishermen really like a set of rods with the actual bait of choice on the rod grip. This tinkering is a lot less painful than trying to write it on a blank with a gel pen.

This one is selling rods for me at present - on white vinyl

[www.rodbuilding.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2010 05:18PM by Bill Stevens.

This is even classy enough for fly rods!

[www.rodbuilding.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2010 05:34PM by Bill Stevens.

Like Bill said, the paper comes in gold and silver also. They can be as plain understated or as wild as you prefer. Very simple to scan your handwritten info into the computer and print onto the gold paper. Just use white for the inscription and black (or whatever you want for the background) printers don't print white so the decal paper will show anywhere that you put white

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2010 10:02PM by Mike Barkley.

I have done several electric lables.
Work out what you want and save in computer.
To change the info it is just a matter of typing in the new stuff. Also print on a plane sheet of paper check size ect. then cut lable materal to size +1/4 inch and tape on white paper ove print with scotch tape and run paper through printer again only this time you print on label.
Do not run lable stock through printer more than once. It scraches it.

Herman I wasted enough of the stuff to do 1,000 rods before I figured out your trick!

Good post!!

Thank you for all of the help. The look that I am trying reach is a transparent backing material that will only show the metalic writting. Our logo is set up that way so I really want to stay consistent with that look. We have used preprinted clear stickers or decals with the technical rod data and they are slightly expensive but work well. The challenge (and the pleasure) comes with building a one of kind rod that needs specific information and with peoples names. I did talk with a person from Swampland and they have a very nice product. Unfortunately it does not look like it will provide the transparent background with silver metalic writting that I am looking for. I did have someone suggest that we apply a coat of color preserver before trying to write on a glossy blank. I will be trying that today. I have not worked with water slide decal material either. I am going to see if I can find some of the that paper in the Seattle area that I can just pick up from the store. I will try that as soon as I have the paper in hand.

Thanks again for the help. I will post my results as we move forward.

i find it nice to wright on a blank over a dried coat of finish not CP. I scoff it with a fine scotch pad then wright on it. No sanding when using a decal, it makes it foggy.

Also try here for clear decals in any color, size and fones you want [www.decalconnection.com]

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2010 10:37AM by bill boettcher.

Bill,
You mention not being able to write on a glossy blank.

I had the same problem until I went to Testors model paint for the media. I then use a fine tipped scripto quill to do the lettering. Be sure to use fresh paint, and mix it frequently. If necessary to clean, use the testers brush cleaner or use Xylene to clean the brush and be sure to keep the paint at the right consistency.

Practice a bit on some scrap glossy blank material and I think you will be well pleased.

--
The other ideas about the computer and printing on the appropriate labeling material make it nice when you have many rods and want to put the same information on the rods.
Also, if you can use the same font for the computer and simply type the appropriate font on the label, it should be much quicker than actually writing on the blank.

Your choice.

[www.dickblick.com]

Take care
Roger

I'm with Torin. I use decal connection for waterslide decals for every rod. I have the customer's name on one side of the rod, and Rod info. on the other side of the rod. That's two decals per rod, which equals around $10 with shipping. Yes, that is rather expensive when compared to the $4 for a gel pen. BUT, considering all the time that I spent writing, wiping off, writing, wiping off, saying bad words, etc., $10 per rod is pretty reasonable, IMO. Plus, a cool font on a decal is SOOOOO much better looking than any inscription I ever did.