Hello all! Was doing some Googleing and found a tutorial for custom making decals. I just wanted to see if anyone here had done the same. I searched for the word decal and came up with no results for this particular method.

So it is basically a clear 2" x 4" Avery mailing label is printed with a patterned background and left white on the design where you want the label to remain clear, such as for your brand or line/lure ratings. You can print logos or whatever else. A fixatif spray is added to prevent smudging.

The rod is painted with a silver leaf paint available at craft stores. The label is applied over the silver and cut to size allowing for a small overlap. The clear areas show through as silver lettering. The decal is then rolled with a wallpaper seam roller to press out bubbles and get the seam smooth. A few coats of CP are applied to the seam and edges where it meets the blank. Thread wraps are added to either end to cover the transition from label to blank and where the leaf paint ends. I think the idea is to extend the leaf slightly beyond the label. The just apply finish.

The results shown were spectacular. I just wonder how well the ink holds up after days fishing out in the sun. Has anyone tried this?

Credit for the technique goes to a man named Kevin Proctor.

The use of Avery labels for making decals has been discussed here many times over the years. The two main concerns are that the Avery or similar type clear labels leave a bit of a frosted appearance rather than being perfectly clear, and of course, the tendency of some ink jet inks to fade in the sunlight. Modern ink jets are somewhat better in this regard than they were a decade ago. In the long run, about all you can do is try it for yourself and see how things work for you. Maybe do one on a scrap piece of rod blank and set it outside in the sun to accelerate the exposure. Within a couple months you should learn at least something about how it's going to hold up on a fishing rod.

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I use this method all the time, except I just run my finger back and forth across the decal, working my way from the center of the decal to the bottom of the blank instead of using a seam roller. Always goes on smooth with no bubbles and its quick. I use krazy glue on the seam instead of color preserver as it dries quicker and is unnoticeable after applying finish. If you want your lettering or whatever else is on the label to be in color, just print it in the desired color. The silver leaf gives it a more brilliant look than if you painted the area white under the label. I'm sure with enough sunlight over a period of time the ink will fade, but mine seem to last just fine and I haven't had any customer complaints. In addition to lettering, I've used this method to put flames on rods in front of the reel seat and other designs that have been requested.

I think most of the inkjet printers use dye based ink. I wonder if anyone has tried pigment based archival ink for this type of decals? In theory at least the pigment ink should last a lot longer and resist the fading much better.

Hi,

Have you tried custom made decals from Decal Connection? Check out their site listed on the left.

I have used their decals for many years and also they have made specialized decals for me, one of a kind.

Capt Neil Faulkner

Capt Neil Faulkner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi,
>
> Have you tried custom made decals from Decal
> Connection? Check out their site listed on the
> left.
>
> I have used their decals for many years and also
> they have made specialized decals for me, one of a
> kind.


I've been to their site. Are they full color? Can I design a decal in Photoshop? Can they do a run of a single decal?

I must not know how to use the search feature very well...I searched the word decal and came up short. I'll go back and search for Avery.

Decal Connection is EXCELLENT! Good service, product, and great people - and reasonable too!

Thanks - Marc

Keep it simple - that's all I can handle!

Hi Randy,
Call Debbie at Decal Connection. She will answer all your questions. Yes, you can order one decal at a time and she turns the order around very quickly. Order your business logo by the sheet and the cost goes way down per decal.

After ordering from Debbie for many years it was a treat to meet her and Chuck at the EXPO several years ago.

Capt Neil Faulkner

Mine is another bit of praise for Debbie and Decal Connection! They are fabulous, excellent product, quick turn around, good pricing and most helpful with questions.

I use waterproof vinyl adhesive backed sheets. Papilio is the brand I use. this has a matt white finish. I also use clear adhesive back sheet. I print on them in my inkjet printer. I use the white paper when I need white in my graphics. Most inkjet printers do not print white. If my graphics are only text I try to not use white in the text so I can use the clear paper. After I set up my graphics and print, I spray a couple coats of clear fixative over it and they are ready to cut out and install on your rod. One thing I have figured out is you have to have a good graphics program. I use GIMP 2.8 for some of my cropping. But in the end you need a program that gives you the ability to change your graphics and change them to a vector image from a raster image. Once your graphics are transferred to a vector image you can shrink and expand it and all sizes look the same. No pixilation. I use Adobe illustrator CS5. Good luck, custom graphics are a must in my opinion if you are going to make a custom rod.