Classic & Vintage - Suugestions to Make a Decal?

Any suggestions on how to make a replicate frame decal with standard office equipment... ie Inkjet Printer?

I have a new Tubing decal, and I thought before using it, I would like to try to make a copy of it first and maybe print it on sticker sheet paper.

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/4836/gilcoei2.jpg

I looked into this once and I found a place on the net that sells a clear plastic sheet that you can put into a printer that can then be transfered to a bike. Can't remember the website, sorry.

Try here:

http://decalpaper.com/inkjet.html

I have used this before, and it performs very well. Once printed, just spray some light mist coats of clear enamel over it, and you're good to go.

Or you can contact Mike at

http://home.comcast.net/~velographic/VGhome.htm

He does fantastic work.

There's a procedure at http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8313

Also, I've seen samples of Velographic's decals here before...VERY impressive.

You guys are the best... Thanks!

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/785/gilco2ft8.jpg

Here is another I'll make as well.

Try here:

http://decalpaper.com/inkjet.html

I have used this before, and it performs very well. Once printed, just spray some light mist coats of clear enamel over it, and you're good to go.

Or you can contact Mike at

http://home.comcast.net/~velographic/VGhome.htm

He does fantastic work.
I used the Bel (decalpaper.com) laser printer decal paper to reproduce the Reynolds 531 sticker on my chrome Paramount (the original was scraped off in several places).

I had great results using a standard color laser printer. Using the laser printer and decal paper instead of inkjet printer/decal paper, the clear enamel coat to prevent smearing isn't required.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7/k4drd/Bicycles/CIMG2028xsmall.jpg

Thanks for the links! I've been stripping a frame all day and was wanting to make some decals.

I used the Bel (decalpaper.com) laser printer decal paper to reproduce the Reynolds 531 sticker on my chrome Paramount (the original was scraped off in several places).

I had great results using a standard color laser printer. Using the laser printer and decal paper instead of inkjet printer/decal paper, the clear enamel coat to prevent smearing isn't required.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7/k4drd/Bicycles/CIMG2028xsmall.jpg
How did you get it gold? That's pretty impressive.

How did you get it gold? That's pretty impressive.
Thanks. I just color matched the original decal using the Photoshop color palette. It's actually a yellow that has a metallic gold appearance.

I have seen decal material for computer printers at a hobby shop that specialized in radio controlled airplanes. One problem with inkjet printers is the colored ink does not stand up to sunlight very well. Certain colors are worse, like red. Black doesn't seem to fade at all.

The decal paper comes in ink-jet and laser types. Ink jet ink is water soluble, and the color will run if the protecting clear coat gets scratched at all. Laser colors do not suffer from this disadvantage.
Copy centers should be able to copy onto the laser decal paper if you can provide them with a good master and the laser type decal paper.

The other thing to consider is that the decal paper comes in white (which is not transparent) and produces an opaque image the size of the decal, or transparent (which lets the background color show through). If the decal os solid colors, or contains any white, you should use the white paper.

-a.

You guys are the best... Thanks!

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/785/gilco2ft8.jpg

Here is another I'll make as well.
Viper, one thing I remember reading on the Bel website (but can't seem to find now) is that if you're printing a decal with white in it, as your Columbus images have, they recommend using an ALPS printer. Otherwise, the white areas print as transparent, not white. I guess you could paint the decal area white, wait for the paint to cure, then apply the decal over it.

Viper, one thing I remember reading on the Bel website (but can't seem to find now) is that if you're printing a decal with white in it, as your Columbus images have, they recommend using an ALPS printer. Otherwise, the white areas print as transparent, not white. I guess you could paint the decal area white, wait for the paint to cure, then apply the decal over it.

See http://www.beldecal.com/laser-instructions.html

-a.

See http://www.beldecal.com/laser-instructions.html

-a.
Ah Ha! I don't believe they had the white paper when I placed my order a while back. Thanks for letting me know.

I used some inkjet decal stock a few years ago to make duplicate decals for my Raleigh Competition. They were OK when placed over silver paint as I did on one frame, but much less OK on one that I painted a teal color. The decals printed on clear stock were quite transparent and allowed a lot of the underlying color to show through.

Here's an inkjet waterslide decal I made for my Motobecane Le Champion. It's printed on white waterslide paper and sprayed with clearcoat enamel.

Viper, one thing I remember reading on the Bel website (but can't seem to find now) is that if you're printing a decal with white in it, as your Columbus images have, they recommend using an ALPS printer. Otherwise, the white areas print as transparent, not white. I guess you could paint the decal area white, wait for the paint to cure, then apply the decal over it.

Thanks for pointing that out :)