Build Your Own Clone Message Board

Seriously. I'm going insane. I just destroyed an entire sheet of 12 of the exact same logo for my fuzz builds to sell at our next show (Saturday night). The prototype went on like a dream first try. I have no idea what changed, but I've got nothing to show for the last hour or trying to decal the same pedal over and over and over.

I'm have clear vinyl stickers printed locally tomorrow and if that isn't fast enough I'm just taking a sharpie to the damn things and calling it hand-made art.

It's been a frustrating day of never-ending delays on electrical work, ridiculous threads needing to be deleted from what is usually the friendliest place on the internet (WTF?), and now these decals. I'm going to bed. Happy thoughts for tomorrow.

First world DIY problems.

Yes, I'm trolling myself...

Question: Are you using clear or white backing?

Clear is a bitch but I've got it down. White is a cake walk and I've yet to screw one up.

For clear I recommend decal applier. It makes it slide on great. Takes a little longer to dry but who cares if it is on right.

I guess I should ask, what issues were you having exactly? Stetching? Ends curling and you can't get them uncurled?

+1. Is there a "repetitive failure mode" or is it a mix of different problems?

So the pro-blablabla thread got deleted last night?!

Thanks guys, at first I was having amateur issues just from having forgotten how to do it properly, but in the end I could never get the decal applied evenly without wrinkling or folding.

I've always disliked working with them and don't actually have a regular supplier near for to buy new sheets anyway, so it's no big loss--more of a frustration. I'm going to try some hand lettered/painted on the next non-1590A builds I do.



Guess so. It seems to have disappeared.

I also hated ws decals until I started hitting them with a light coat of clear coat. No more curled edges, no more stretched out images. YMMV cuz waterslides are SATAN!

I even did that yesterday too! The main problem for me was getting them off the backing evenly without folding/wrinkling...

Has it been particularly dry up there? I used to have problems in low humidity. I switched to stickers a year or two ago and never looked back.

+1 for stickers! Both clear and white.

The clearcoat is definitely a major help in giving the waterslide decals more "body". I use the clear waterslide stock from Hemmi Papilio and have had excellent luck with it. The application method I use is to apply a drop or two of their decal mounting fluid to the enclosure surface and spread it around the entire decal area. I then immerse the decal in lukewarm water for about 30 seconds, and with wet fingertips, slide it off the backing paper by about 1/2". I then position that exposed end of the decal onto the enclosure, hold it in place with three fingertips, and s-l-o-w-l-y slide the backing paper out with the other hand. I find that if I do it this way, almost no air bubbles remain under the decal. Next, I pat the top of the decal dry with a paper towel, adjust the position of the decal as necessary (that mounting fluid really helps for this), and then gently squeeze the excess water and any air bubbles out from under the decal with a squeegee. I'll still lose the occasional decal with this method, but I've gotten my success rate up to about 90%.

It's actually been really humid lately. That said, I've had this old pack of decals for a VERY long time, so maybe they lose stability over time?



I think that's where I'm headed for now, as I rarely build in non-tins anyway...

Thanks for that! If I give it another go I'll definitely try these steps.

I guess enough time has passed for me to forget my waterslide decal trauma because I'm getting ready to have a go at a couple. I can definitely understand your frustration. Last time I burned through an entire pack of paper before I got one sheet of prints I could use. Then I sanded through the decal after I finally got it clearcoated on the enclosure. I hope it goes smoother this time around, thanks for all the tips everybody.

Ok I'll ask the dumb question since I am a water slide disaster in the works. What brand stickers are you using?

The Papilio ones DVM mentioned I use...becuase of his recommendation actually.

P, are you using clear or white? I assume clear since your pedals are some darker colors?

Sounds like you are moving on, but if you do give it a shot what DVM says of course works. He uses a squeegee to get the bubbles out. I use an eye glass cleaner and like he said wet 3 fingers and hold down the decal and push out the bubbles slowly.

The white backed ones I can do blindfolded, drunk at 2:00 am they are so easy. They are just a tad thicker and I guess it makes all the difference.

I'm using clear, but I just got an entire sheet of about 40 clear vinyl decals printed locally for $4.50, so I think that's the route I'll be going from now on!

I buy the house brand at Office Depot. But...it's expensive...and you can find them much cheaper online. I just never think to order them...I end up running out and needing one, and then go buy a new pack.

I print mine off at the church because we have a pretty fancy machine up there that renders the graphics extremely well. Fit about 6 to a page (I guess that depends on the size of the enclosure). Once you figure out the trick to getting them down in the correct position you're golden.




The Papilio water slides were the absolutely best ones I worked with. I don't know what the difference is, but the seemed to be able to slide off straight and take a little more abuse.



Nice!

I like the Papilio white vinyl for inkjet as well. I order a couple of sample sheets and plan on getting more.

I picked up some Avery stuff at Stapes (both clear and white) and I hate it.

Hey man where's the show?

I forgot you were in Toronto! We're playing at the Silver Dollar at College & Spadina at 10pm.

Cool! I was there last Friday. Well the one before last...

ok. slightly off topic. what section of the office supply stores (staples, office max) is this in. i looked once but couldn't find it. and the 17 year old brain dead employee was no help. (no offense to any 17 year old brain dead people reading this.)