Help with screen printing water slide decals
Suzy Jackson
I don't usually post here, but thought someone amongst you might be
able to help me.
I've started making bicycle frames (full-size ones), and additionally
am restoring a really old racing bicycle. Both tasks require me to
make water slide decals to decorate the frames. In the case of my own
frames, I have a lot of latitude as to what I do, but in the case of
the restoration I'm trying to duplicate the original transfers as
accurately as possible.
I read everything I could find on the net about making decals, and
decided to go with a screen printing process, as I've never in my life
seen an Alps printer, and need to be able to print white (not to
mention being sceptical about the ability of inkjet inks and laser
toners to survive in the sunlight for any appreciable time).
My first try is a four colour transfer for a track racing frame I've
recently built. See
http://www.atnf.csiro.au/~sjackson/frame/transfers.html for a few
details. I designed the artwork in Corel Draw, and set about making
screens.
The screens I'm using are all 77T, except for the last colour (black
outlining) for which I bought a 100T screen. I bought sheets of decal
paper from Bel Decal. I asked for decal paper suitable for
silkscreening, and they sent ink-jet decal paper.
I coated the screens with emulsion (Ulano LX660 dual cure diazo
photopolymer), left them for 24 dours to dry, and then exposed them
with my artwork and washed out the unexposed emulsion. So far so
good, though I did have a few areas on the screens where the emulsion
was thicker which dried with a sort of wrinkled appearance.
I left them overnight to dry, then tried a test print, with just one
colour and my finest screen. I used "artists acrylic", which I bought
from the local artists supply shop, with "printing gell", as
recommended by them for silk screening.
My first print, on paper, worked ok (though was fairly light). I
tried a second print on the decal paper, and that's when the wheels
fell off. The decal paper adhered itself to my screen with
astonishing veracity. When I tried to remove it, the decal film
seperated from the backing, and some of the emulsion came adrift from
the screen. The print was terrible. there wasn't nearly enough ink
where there was supposed to be ink, and fine lines didn't come out at
all.
So what am I doing wrong? Is the water based paint causing the
adhesive on the decals to go? Is it an issue with humidity (it's been
very humid in Sydney the last couple of weeks)? Should I use enamels
rather than acrylics?
Regards,
Suzy
David Calhoun
Sounds to me like you are using the wrong inks. It's been around 20 years
since I took screen printing in school, so don't take this as gospel, but it
sounds like you are using the correct Ulano material screens. You should
probably use the Ulano solvent based inks, the acrylic based inks may be
reacting with the decal paper. I used the Ulano inks to do 1 & 2 color
decals with no problems. These inks should be available at the same place
that you got the screen & photopolymer material, or your local graphic arts
supplier (check your local yellow pages, I am in the US so don't know a
local source for you.
Hope this helps.
Dave
"Suzy Jackson" <Suzy.J...@csiro.au> wrote in message
news:5cd9a0a6.04021...@posting.google.com...
Chek
For help with the silk screening process, check with your local community
arts organisations or possibly local city council for specialist art print
groups or workshops.
They commonly use that method for limited edition printing.
Having visited a local group myself on a similar quest I decided there was
too much wet material around to go well with waterslide decal paper.
You might also consider a clear peel- off / press- to- apply self adhesive
vinyl film as a medium, which is what most UK bicycle manufacturers supply
when I've requested new decals for restorations.
Laser printing works really well, except for its lack of ability to deal
with white. Often it's possible to cut out a white undercoating decal to
overlay the colour layer onto. It's a good idea to increase the durability
by overcoating with a clear varnish or lacquer to finish, but be sure to
test for compatibility beforehand - I've had ink dissolve with one brand of
acrylic lacquer spraycan.
There are anti UV coatings available from your local autostore/carshop for
vinyl and such like products which can be wiped on afterwards to protect the
pigmentation.
Alps printers are allegedly very good, though I've never seen the results in
person, but close up photographs show impressive definition.
Before buying one though, I'd suggest contacting Mike Grant at
http://mikegrantdesign.com/decals/
and either request a sample or send your artwork file to him for appraisal -
it may at least give you a precise and cleaner alternative to wet silk
screening.
Hope this helps
Chek
--
Change' boos' to 'bos' in address to email directly
"Suzy Jackson" <Suzy.J...@csiro.au> wrote in message
news:5cd9a0a6.04021...@posting.google.com...
Peter W.
I can't help on the screen printing part (although I suspect that the
water based paint might be the culprit). There are more decal paper
manufacturers out there - might give them a try. You might also want to
ask for decal paper with thicker clear coat. It might be less affected by the
water based paint. Also, if your decals are large, thicker clear layer might
be beneficial (it won't tear easily when being applied).
Try:
http://www.tangopapadecals.com/
They can provide you with decal paper (with thin and thick clear coat).
Alps printers on the other hand are alive and well (even if they aren't sold
retail anymore). Many decal makers do use them. Try:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alpsdecal/
You might ask around there and if you provide the artwork, they might make
you those decals for a reasonable price (on Alps printer of course).
Those decals shouldn't fade. They might be a little more fragile than silk
screened ones though.
HTH,
Peteski
Suzy.J...@csiro.au (Suzy Jackson) wrote in message news:<5cd9a0a6.04021...@posting.google.com>...
Jim Hockett
There are a lot of variables to deal with to get success with
waterslide decals. They need to be printed with lacquer based inks,
humidity must be controlled to maintain proper registration between
colors, etc. Having watched a good friend who owns a screen-printing
business print them (both for models and for a local bicycle
restorer,) I'm convinced that it's a job best left to the pros.
Just my opinion,
Jim
rfranklin
wrote:
>I read everything I could find on the net about making decals, and
>decided to go with a screen printing process, as I've never in my life
>seen an Alps printer, and need to be able to print white (not to
>mention being sceptical about the ability of inkjet inks and laser
>toners to survive in the sunlight for any appreciable time).
>
An Alps isn't an ink jet, it's a thermal wax. The decals, if properly
over coated, last for years without apprecable fading. Did some for my
bike 3 years ago now and they're still good.
wrf
rdec water slide decals
WRF
"Nooooooo! Stop me before I build again."
Rob de Bie
Suzy.J...@csiro.au says...
>
>I read everything I could find on the net about making decals, and
>decided to go with a screen printing process, as I've never in my life
>seen an Alps printer, and need to be able to print white (not to
>mention being sceptical about the ability of inkjet inks and laser
>toners to survive in the sunlight for any appreciable time).
If you have CorelDraw artwork, why not give Alps decals a try? I recently
had a Letter sheet full of decals printed by Tango Papa decals from
CD8 artwork for a very decent price, and excellent quality.
http://www.tangopapadecals.com/
There are more small companies offering custom Alps printing. I've
understood Alps decals are sun and weather proof.
Rob de Bie
My models: www.sml.lr.tudelft.nl/~home/rob/models.htm
Me 163B site: www.sml.lr.tudelft.nl/~home/rob/me163.htm
Suzy Jackson
Thanks for the suggestions. Although it's tempting to get the decals
printed with an Alps printer, I'm keen on using the silkscreen
process, and have already put a fair amount of money into screens,
squeegees, emulsion etc.
Further tests have shown that the acrylic paint is no good for decals.
I waited a few days until the humidity had dropped somewhat and had
another try. This time the decal didn't stick to the screen, but the
print quality was fairly poor, with sort of blotchy areas where the
ink should be.
I've ordered ink designed specifically for for screen printing on
decals, from Australian Specialty Inks, here in Sydney. These are
relatively cheap, at around AU$55 per litre, though unfortunately the
smallest conatiner they sell inks in is 1 litre. This ink isn't water
based, so with luck will work much better.
Now I'll have a lifetime supply of black, white, blue, and orange ink.
Regards,
Suzy
Richard Brooks
> Hi guys,
>
> Thanks for the suggestions. Although it's tempting to get the decals
> printed with an Alps printer, I'm keen on using the silkscreen
> process, and have already put a fair amount of money into screens,
> squeegees, emulsion etc.
>
> I've ordered ink designed specifically for for screen printing on
> decals, from Australian Specialty Inks, here in Sydney. These are
> relatively cheap, at around AU$55 per litre, though unfortunately the
> smallest conatiner they sell inks in is 1 litre. This ink isn't water
> based, so with luck will work much better.
>
> Now I'll have a lifetime supply of black, white, blue, and orange ink.
>
> Regards,
I don't know what quantities that Sericol (UK) used to sell it in but we
used to use it in BBC Engineering for front panels and for masking printed
circuit panels. It was damned near bomb proof.
IIRC, they also used to make that red photoactive gel on large film for
making silk screen masks so that might be another source.
Richard.
Suzy Jackson
Once I had the proper inks, everything went much more smoothly. The
ink flows nicely, is extremely opaque, goes on very thin, and looks
just like it should. I put a set of decals on an old bike as a test
(ones where the registration between colours was a bit dodgy) and it
looks really classy.
My only wish is that the decal film was a tad thicker, as these ones
are pretty fiddly to apply, and my application (wrapping them around a
tube) doesn't require much flexibility at all. I'll experiment by
spraying a set with clear-coat to see if it makes it easier.
I've bunged details of my adventures (along with pictures of the
equipment I made) on the web at
http://www.atnf.csiro.au/people/sjackson/frame/transfers.html
Ta for the help,
Suzy
Ron
something other than the real project first!
Keeper
>equipment I made) on the web at
>http://www.atnf.csiro.au/people/sjackson/frame/transfers.html
>
>Ta for the help,
>
>Suzy
>
Wow, that's a major project! I like the "keepum fingers..." hilarity. Thanks
for the reference.
Cheers,
Keeper (of too much crap)