I have been researching making my own decals, and truthfully am confused by all I have read. I understand I can use waterslide or stick on media. My main questions are what printer to use, and how do you get silver, gold text? These questions come from having clear media, however my printer cannot print silver, gold, or white. I found silver ink cartridges, but they are not offered for my printer.

So bascially I am hoping someone can just spell it out for me. Thanks for your time.

Have you read the decal articles in RodMaker, or simply gleaned the internet for information?

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Tom,
I have not seen the article in Rod maker. I have been looking on the internet for the last couple evenings. I just am not understanding the ink part of things with printing on clear media.

Your printer is capable of printing silver, gold and copper, although they won't be a true metallic. One of our decal articles had the correct settings for getting these colors.

To print on things like water slide or clear stick media, you're going to have to experiment a bit with your printer's settings. It may require that you choose the gloss paper setting, or it might take (if it offers this) the transparency setting.

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Tom,
Thank you. I will mess with the settings. If anyone else has more suggestions please feel free. Thanks. Shane

and -

Spell it out for me may mean start with the A, B, Cs!

One of the articles in Rodmaker presented a way with an inkjet printer on special media

Do a search on this forum for "electric decals" and change the date to all - also do the same in the Photo Phorum

Three years old and used by many -

or

Go to the Swampland Site and read all about it!

[www.swamplandtackle.com]

[www.swamplandtackle.com]

Use the contact us link on the site if you need some help.

Shane my suggestion, you have two choices get the rodmaker issue that talked about it or order from a company like decal conection. That article has EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know about decals and more. But I will warn you its not easy. I do it but a lot of trial and error before I setled on what works for me. I like the vinal as it is forgiving and my printer works with it. That white background is the only way I can get white lettering.

Agree with Billy on white. I do most of my decals on white background. It prints well, shows up well, and I can get white. I design the decal with the background matching as best I can the color of the blank and it almost disappears on the blank. If you use the whole area between the butt knob and the grip on a split grip rod, matching is less an issue, and you might even want to contrast it. I have used simple photos on such decals, with lettering "on top" of the photo, and it can be very handsome. The photo has to be simple, the right proportions to make sense on a small diameter column (the blank).

I have found that clear prints well in most colors, not white, and applies very easily. I use these mostly for my logo on the underside of "ramps" made of reel seat shims, painted ivory, with feather inlays on the top. The colors that show best on most blank colors are red, orange, yellow, colors that are not really light nor really dark.

I agree that you probably will have to mess with the manual color/contrast settings on your printer, and use the right media settings-matte photo paper for the white media and glossy photo for the clear.

I've had little luck with metallics and don't recommend that you start there.

Get the back issue of Rodmaker for a starter.

Thank you for your comments. I am only looking to put text on my labels. I would just like to make a custom label for each rod depending on model, spec, etc. Since posting I have been working with the settings with little luck on a silver or gold. I believe white lettering with a background matching the rod blank will be the best at this point. Simply silver text over a clear media is all I am really after. I think time and getting the article in Rodmaker will be my best options at this point.