I have a customer who would like a HS Mascot sticker on their rod I built.....problem is the sticker the customer supplied is not vinyl or plastic, it has some paper qualities to it and the edges of the customer's decal wants to curl up after the Pro Kote finish goes over it. Any suggestions ??? Super glue?, forget about it?, try to have one made out of vinyl or plastic?? Thanks in advance for any responses. I have only 2 yrs of rod building experience.

Always put a layer of CP over such decals before applying your epoxy. I have adhered and finished paper decals successfully every time by utilizing CP. If you don't, the epoxy will absorb into the media and lift and curl it.

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Put the decal on the rod, cover it in a piece of paper and wrap thread over top. Leave it for a day or two, and the decal should be set to the shape of the rod, reducing the chance that the edges will lift. You can also try this before you peel the decal off of the backing to help it take a set before applying the decal.

A coat or two of color preserver over the decal or around the edges can help as well. CP dries fast enough for you to keep an eye on things. It will also reduce the risk of the decal adhesive causing fisheyes in your finish.

There may be a few other things to try, but these two have been helpful to me in the past.

Edit: Tom beat me to it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/14/2021 03:27PM by Joe Vanfossen.

Rick,
If Tom and Joe’s suggestions do not work, call Chuck or Debbie at Decal Connection (contact link in the sponsor list to the left). I am quite certain they can make a typical rod decal for you from your present paper one.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

THANK YOU Mark, Tom, and Joe.....Tom..while never having before worked with Color Preserver, I have some ordered.....Joe, thanks for your tip, I believe you have posted that before, it is bound to help.....Mark, I have your suggestion in my back pocket, if I fail with the color preserver, I will order some custom decals... Thanks again for your responses!!

I am such an idiot sometimes. I absolutely know how to apply Mudhol;e text decals to a rod blank, using Scotch Tape. And yet, I now have to purchace the decal a third time, as I messed up the first two, one by installing perfectly, then tring to enhance it with abalony shell from Mudhole. I applied the shell right over part of the text, not watching close enough to what I was doing. On the second one, I placed the long piece of tape on the wrong side of the decal, with the shorter piece not long enough to be able to handle, and apply the decal to the blank. Ever just have one of those days?

At least my guide wraps, and epoxy came out very nice.

Tight Lies and frisky fish

RJF