Ok it finally time

[jimbob]

Its finally time to add decal to my pedals. Since ive started this has been the one thing I had yet to do. I have the lazer printer paper sheet from small bear but im not sure what to do with it. I assume i place it in a laser printer and just "print". Im curious if the ink smears or sticks well to this clear sheet. Im thinking bout going somewhere where you do it yourself and pay a users fee (kinkos?)  All i really want to do is produce the important words that ill need like ( gain, volume, ect...) in various shapes colors and sizes. I also bought the liquid that you place on the decal afterwards.

So can anyone explain what i dont know or should do?

thanks

[Torchy]

I just bought a colour laser printer as a present to myself (well, they stopped us using the one at work). Its a Konica/Minolta but the innards and controls are pretty standard. The biggest problem I found was that the newer laser printers run hotter transfer drums etc than the older printers did. You MUST select "Transparency", "Coated Stock" or "Heavy Stock", otherwise it takes ages to ungoop the rollers ... dont ask how I know this. For this reason, a lot of copy shops wont use decal paper in their leased printers or copiers.

I lay out the artwork with a 1590 template, then print it on plain paper. Once Ive adjusted the layout to fit, and Im happy with it, I load a sheet of decal paper and just print (heavy stock setting". Easy

[MartyB]

I do mine like Torchy.  Since you want to use as small a piece of your decal sheet as possible, print a "draft-quality" print of your final artwork, then cut out a slightly larger sized piece of decal stock and tape it so that it covers your draft image without getting tape over the final image area.  Put the paper back in the printer in the same orientation as it came out.  (If you're not sure make a small pencil mark on a corner, such as "UR" for upper right) Change the copy quality to a high quality photo setting, and select a photo stock paper setting.  After you print the decal let it dry completely then coat it with two or three coats of clear spray lacquer.  The cheap stuff works just fine for me.  Make sure each coat is fully dry before re-coating.  That last bit is important.  If you don't coat at least twice and let each coat completely dry before you apply the decal, and and you then try to clear-coat over the entire box, you'll get a wrinkled finish.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

Is it really a good idea to run taped down stuff thru a printer?
I know people do it, but I'm thinking that loose tape would be pretty ugly stuff to get on a drum... anyone?