Hi there,

I am Stefano from Brazil and I learned a lot with you, so I would like to share something.

I like to make my own rod parts (butt cap, accent, trim,…) and I would like to share how I make my own metalized decals.

Tutorial is in portuguese, but there is many pictures and is intuitive (Google Translate can help too, kkkkk).

I don’t know how to post a PDF file or if is possible, so I post tutorial from Facebook (Tutorial DECALQUE METALIZADO): [www.facebook.com]

Any question… (Portuguese, Italian or English).

I hope you enjoy.

Stef, Great looking decal. I don't do facebook so I don't know how you did it but it looks great. Nice n' Clean.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)

Thanks Dennis,

Summing up:

1) Print your logo on a clear vinyl self adhesive for laser printers (PVC vinyl !!!).

2) Remove moisture from the decal (this is an important detail and made the difference for me). Place a piece of masking tape on the edge to hold the decal and the back paper. Insert the decal 3 or 4 times in the laminator. Don’t put the finger on the decal. Always get the decal on the sides or on the masking tape.

3) Appling Heat Transfer Foil. Cut a piece of Heat Transfer Foil. The foil need to cover completely the decal. Insert the decal covered with Heat Transfer Foil in the laminator. Let cool for 3-5 minutes and then remove heat transfer foil slowly.

4) Cut the edge of the decal using the ruler and the x-acto knife.

5) Paste decal

6) Apply CP

7) Apply epoxy finish

Great Job Stefano,
is the laminator indispensable ? Can I use other sources of hot energy to replace it ?

Thank you for your support
Marco Cellini

Hi Marco

In my firt tries i used iron, but I had not great results.

You need to find the right temperature for any laser adhesive vinyl and any transfer foil. It is hard to do this with an iron. Laminator make it easy.

In my tutorial I used a vinyl that was necessary to use 105° C for result. Now I changed the laser adhesive vinyl and I needed to increase the temperature to 118°C.

Note: Be sure the laser adhesive vinyl is PVC!!! Some sellers don't specify this and sometime the laser adhesive vinyl is made of PET (PET doesn't work).

Regards.


Ciao Marco,

Le prime prove le ho fatte con il ferro da stiro, ma non ho avuto grandi risultati.

Il problema é che per ogni adesivo vinile e per ogni "transfer foil" devi trovare la temperatura giusta. Ogni marca di vinile e ogni marca de foil ha la sua temperatura e sta a te trovare quella giusta.

Con il plastificatore riesci a regolare la temperatura, giá con il ferro da stiro no. Nel tutoriale usavo un adesivo vinili che con 105°C riuscivo ad ottenere gli adesivi. Adesso uso un vinile di un' altra marca e la temperatura l'ho dovuta portare a 118°C.

Nota importante: Il vinile deve essere PVC!!! In mercato trovi gente che vende vinile adesivo senza specificare il materiale e a volte é PET (su PET non ho avuto nessun risultato).

Saluti.