unworthy1

I'm not a lawyer (I know, I know, might as well be with the money I pull down! ) but when you make copies of art (like decals) that have a valid copyright you run the risk of violating or infringing a copyright that might be vigorously defended by the copyright holder.
Specialized is one company that's notorious for their "vigorous" defense of copyrights, real or imagined!
There is a term of law called the "Doctrine of Fair Use" which may be a valid defense in your favor (the copy-ist, not the copyright-ist) depending on 4 factors including whether you make a copy in order to profit, whether you have "transformed" the original into something new/different (enough), whether the copyright is valid (in the countries/juristictions involved) and how your copy may affect the market for the original...that's a "nutshell simplification" of the doctrine's tests.
Re-drawing art by hand tends to help support the "transforming" test; copying an old vintage decal tends to be "safe" since an old copyright MAY have expired or not ever have been valid in your country; making a single copy for your personal use and not a product to be sold for profit certainly helps support an argument that the market is not affected by your making such a fair use of somebody's copyrighted art.
BUT, where a company with a legal department like Specialized is concerned....beware!

Wileyone 

I probably wouldn't have had a problem with poster "GS Decals" if he had posted through appropriate channels. But to have high jacked the OP's thread to tell us how great his product was didn't sit well with me. Especially as he had just joined the Forum.

Flog00

The OP asked for help.

Flog00

Check it out




13621440_1805086879724965_96824420_o by flog00, on Flickr

Wileyone 

Why was he banned? I certainly didn't want that.

qcpmsame 

Until a moderator, or administrator, chooses to let us in on exactly why he was banned, it is all conjecture. What can be picked up is that he registered a second account specifically to promote his business, that is two violations right there, A sock puppet, and business promotion without paying advertising fees. He did pay for a premium account for his second registration, and that allows some benefits, I guess that the staff saw that he exceeded the allowances granted by the premium account. Again, this is purely guessing about the premium account's benefits and if he exceeded them, to the staff.

Perhaps the staff and the offending party can come to terms so that he can be "unbanned", and become a valuable asset to the C&V Forum members. I for one hope that this is what is happening, but it isn't up to me in any way, form or fashion. One thing I have been able to learn here at BF, is that continuing to post about a banning of someone only serves to harden the staff's resolve about keeping the banning in force. Folks talk about freedom of speech being a right, but that doesn't make it the wisest way of doing things. and, this is a privately owned website, not a public entity.

End of speculation and rambling.

Bill

ussalmon

Hello Friends,

I am back. Thank you to Siu Blue Wind for being understanding. I supposed not reading the rules can be a bad thing and I paid the price.
For those who don't know me, I have been lurking thru Bike Forums for a very long time but it was until 2012 that I became a member.
It was suggested by a friend to change my nickname for one who most of them know me by. I did not know how was done so I created a new account . That's where I went wrong.

Now it's all clear and would like to apologize for any inconvenience it may have cost. My intention was not to promote any sort of business but to help and to answer questions, because what I do is more of a hobby.

That being said, let's not talk about any of that stuff in here. if you have any questions, I will be happy to reply to your messages.

All the best.

Gus

Kactus

I'm glad this got worked out. Welcome back Gus, it would have been a shame to lose your input and talent.

ussalmon

I would like to press the like button but there isn't one so let me tell you. "I Like that"

Thank you.

Big Block

Gus has earnt an excellent reputation on the Classic Rendezvous group. And we know how tough Dale is with the members there.
I too look forward to Gus's contributions here.

rootboy 

Aww..that Gus is nothing but a rabble rouser.

But he makes fine decals .

;>

Flog00

I just used their thin decals on my Roberts. The clear "almost" smooths the decal out, the decal rise is negligible. I would still prefer water slide if available but I am happy with velocals.

unworthy1

^Velocals DOES offer waterslide, probably at extra cost compared to vinyl, as well as 2 gauges of vinyl substrate: the common 2mil and "extra thin 1mil" with a choice of UV laminates or not...so says the website.

Flog00

On my last project, no waterslide was available. I used the 1 mil.

ussalmon

You want to go with the 24 micron water slide type. Note that this thin decals will require clear coating, if left alone, they will get scratched, it's inevitable.
In small decals I use a soft brush and coat the decal with clear then let dry for at least day.
Water slides are far more luxurious than vinyl and obviously more expensive to make. Not all water slide decals are printed the same way, some are screen printed and some are thermal printed.
But the bottom line lays on the quality and accuracy of the artwork. There are other small ingredients that add up to produce an excellent decal, one of them is the opacity of the colors, the other details are secrets of the trade.

Cheers.