Need basic info on decal making

Hi

Does anyone make their own decals for exterior exposure on painted metal surfaces?

I’ve seen some videos and there seems to be a lot of folks who recommend “Oracal 651” for so called permanent decals. I just want to start simple and cut the stencil by hand with an xacto knife. Do I need to buy the stencil film and a separate transfer film?

suggestions welcome

Thanks

 

You can make your own decals easily. Either water slide transfers, or vinyl stick on's.

Decal paper is available on ebay or at hobby supply stores. Use a good inkjet printer.
When you print them, let them dry well and then spray with Krylon (or similar) clear
or semi-gloss. Download the picture your want to capture, choose "print" with a right click,
and you should see all of the sizes, large to wallet-size and smaller. Also, you should see
a box for "fit picture to frame", which you can figure out.

I have about 1,000 images in my library currently. Lots of fun to make you own bumper
stickers, too. The disclaimer, as usual: Some images may be copyrighted, so you may
have to ask permission to use the image.

Bob

 

You want to use a lightfast ink . Acrylic ink has a high lightfast reading

 

I started back in 2002 making water transfer style decals using an Alps Printer because they used waterproof ink.

Around 2008 Alps decided to stop making these printers, so they became very hard to find and to purchase.
I owned four of the Alps Printers along with about $8,000 dollars worth of the ink you needed to use them.

In 2009, I purchased a wide format printer which cost about $18,000 dollars, and it prints on vinyl only.

The larger problem with making decals or stickers is you have to create all images you make using vector graphics if you want them to look perfect.

You need to learn all that you can about graphics and then purchasing a graphics program line AI or Coreldraw and both of these programs are now purchased on a monthly basis for between $18.00 and $25.00 dollars.

I have created thousands of old racing decals over the past 20 years.
It takes a great deal of time and legal work to make sure you are doing things the right way.

I use a Oracal Vinyl for my products.

This year I am retiring so if you are looking for a great working wide format printer let me know.
This is a link to me site do you can see my work. https://www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

Jim Hill

 

I have a decal cutter and all I use is Oracal 651 for decals and Oramask 813 for making masking templates.

 

What are you using for a printer? Or are you just using a plotter?

Jim Hill

 

Not sure if your asking me but I bought a 28" plotter from Sign Warehouse off the Amazon. I've had it for three years and it works awesome!

 

A plotter is a great tool but the ideal thing to have is something like a Roland Printer and cutter for making decals.and I have an SP-300V with an optical eye that cuts out all the decals.

With just a plotter you have to keep changing rolls colored of vinyl and then layering them over each color which makes decals feel thicker.

Jim

 

If you need a vector file I can help you. just PM me. But Jimbol7 seems to have everything you need.

 

Do you make custom decal If I send you the files. Sorry to ask here but I dont see a email link on your website

 

Yes send them to nostalgicracing@gmail.com

 

I had to remove the link on the website because when you include a link everyone who has something for sale contacts using Robo sending emails software which sends you messages 24/7

Jim