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Decal printed dial
- Thread starter Bart Cordell
- Start date
Decals paper. You should read the entire thread
[emoji632]
Yes, thx but my English is not the best! How much would you charge for printing a "simple" white/black dial for me?
- 21/2/16
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Hi Bart. Your work has inspired many members. I am obviously one of them.
1. Took your advice and ordered that 369 dial on ebay from the link you gave me, took paint off, sanded it, and viola, it was indeed brass contrary to what the owner said!
2. I have test-printed one in 29mm, and another in 27.5mm on decal paper for ink jet. Letting it dry for 8 hours now.
3. Question. Do I spray the 540 Clear Lacquer on the printed decal next? How many coats? 3 layers? BTW, the brand available where I am is RJ London Acrylic Epoxy Spray Paint. I hope it's similar to yours.
4. Next step is mounting it on the test brass dial. I'm having a brass dial gold plated, hoping for a popping gilt effect like yours. Do I spray the 540 Clear Lacquer again after it's mounted?
5. Assuming I'm done with the lume (I dread this part as well, but will have to try). do I spray over the lumed dial the 540 Clear Lacquer again?
Looking forward to your reply! TIA, Bart!
1. Took your advice and ordered that 369 dial on ebay from the link you gave me, took paint off, sanded it, and viola, it was indeed brass contrary to what the owner said!
2. I have test-printed one in 29mm, and another in 27.5mm on decal paper for ink jet. Letting it dry for 8 hours now.
3. Question. Do I spray the 540 Clear Lacquer on the printed decal next? How many coats? 3 layers? BTW, the brand available where I am is RJ London Acrylic Epoxy Spray Paint. I hope it's similar to yours.
4. Next step is mounting it on the test brass dial. I'm having a brass dial gold plated, hoping for a popping gilt effect like yours. Do I spray the 540 Clear Lacquer again after it's mounted?
5. Assuming I'm done with the lume (I dread this part as well, but will have to try). do I spray over the lumed dial the 540 Clear Lacquer again?
Looking forward to your reply! TIA, Bart!
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@thinwhiteduke
Yes you're near good.
When decals print are dry, I spray a first acrylic varnish layer to protect ink.
Then when decal applied on brass dial, I spray 3 varnish layers.
I wait about 24h between each layer to dry.
If after third layer you get some dust , you can sand with 2000 paper then apply a fourth layer.
On my last dials I spray five layer sanded after third and fourth.
No varnish after lume work.
Yes you're near good.
When decals print are dry, I spray a first acrylic varnish layer to protect ink.
Then when decal applied on brass dial, I spray 3 varnish layers.
I wait about 24h between each layer to dry.
If after third layer you get some dust , you can sand with 2000 paper then apply a fourth layer.
On my last dials I spray five layer sanded after third and fourth.
No varnish after lume work.
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[MENTION=108254]Bart Cordell[/MENTION], cool!
I just finished spraying the printed decal. The darn thing stopped after my second run (very light spray, upright, 10 inches away). I pinned the printed decal on the wall to make sure the can is upright. But I guess it's a blessing in disguise so the last layer was after I cleaned the nozzle in a paint thinner bath... still wont work, so I took a nozzle off another spray can and applied the last coat. I may have some useable prints. Again, thanks!
I just finished spraying the printed decal. The darn thing stopped after my second run (very light spray, upright, 10 inches away). I pinned the printed decal on the wall to make sure the can is upright. But I guess it's a blessing in disguise so the last layer was after I cleaned the nozzle in a paint thinner bath... still wont work, so I took a nozzle off another spray can and applied the last coat. I may have some useable prints. Again, thanks!
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The sand paper thingy after 3rd and 4th coat scares me! Won't I ruin the dial? We only have 1200 grit sand paper here, so that doubles my worry.
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[MENTION=108254]Bart Cordell[/MENTION], here's my 1st "successful" attempt (my actual 1st crashed and burned: the black ink bled). I first tried it on a Zippo lighter, then the 27.5mm dial. Obviously I have to redo my template cuz the "SWISS" simply is not legible.
Here, it's obvious my SWISS failed:
Here, you can see how messed up the notch at 3 o'clock marker. Also, I need to redo the lume guides as there is not enough gilt showing on the outmost border of the markers.
Here's my "new" template to hopefully address the above concerns.
Any thoughts, Bart, on how I can improve? TIA!
Here, it's obvious my SWISS failed:
Here, you can see how messed up the notch at 3 o'clock marker. Also, I need to redo the lume guides as there is not enough gilt showing on the outmost border of the markers.
Here's my "new" template to hopefully address the above concerns.
Any thoughts, Bart, on how I can improve? TIA!
It's difficult to give you advices. I don't know what photoshop resolution and print setting you used. But a good template is essential.[MENTION=108254]Bart Cordell[/MENTION], here's my 1st "successful" attempt (my actual 1st crashed and burned: the black ink bled). I first tried it on a Zippo lighter, then the 27.5mm dial. Obviously I have to redo my template cuz the "SWISS" simply is not legible.
Here, it's obvious my SWISS failed:
Here, you can see how messed up the notch at 3 o'clock marker. Also, I need to redo the lume guides as there is not enough gilt showing on the outmost border of the markers.
Here's my "new" template to hopefully address the above concerns.
Any thoughts, Bart, on how I can improve? TIA!
My last dials, ready to be lumed.
PM
[emoji632]
- 17/3/06
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First gold leaf 6538. Don't know if it will render as good as my 1675...
[emoji632]
- 17/3/06
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Man, you have got this dial making down!
My hats off to you for some awesome work
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[MENTION=9607]bart[/MENTION], my PS project used 1200 pixels per inch, and the printer was set at "Photopaper glossy" which was the highest resolution. Your prints are stunning and I cannot seem to get that very sharp result. I ordered paper-slide decal for Laser Printer (as opposed to ink-jet) hoping this sharpness issue is resolved. Will update you if there's any improvement. Thanks, Bart!
[MENTION=121448]thinwhiteduke[/MENTION] Settings seems good.
I use decal paper for inkjet without issue.
Meanwhile my last dial is ready for the case.
The gold leaf is a big improvement
[emoji632]
I use decal paper for inkjet without issue.
Meanwhile my last dial is ready for the case.
The gold leaf is a big improvement
[emoji632]
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[MENTION=9607]bart[/MENTION], your dial work keeps getting better! It's just so stunning, and your lume job is very consistent it looks like a machine did it, just like the MQ dials! I think I will try this particular option you show: leave out an outer border gilt space. This solves my problem of aligning the dial feet via the 3-marker notch! Your example shows I don't have to butcher the 3-marker outer boundary so I can align the dil.
I have a 27.5mm dial. I must print the artwork about 0.5mm smaller, leaving some 0.5mm area blank in the outer boundary. Is this correct?
Lastly, what chemical do you use to bind the gold leaf to the dial? I think your gold leaf option is better than my plan to have the dial gold-plated.
I have a 27.5mm dial. I must print the artwork about 0.5mm smaller, leaving some 0.5mm area blank in the outer boundary. Is this correct?
Lastly, what chemical do you use to bind the gold leaf to the dial? I think your gold leaf option is better than my plan to have the dial gold-plated.
@thinwhiteduke Settings seems good.
I use decal paper for inkjet without issue.
Meanwhile my last dial is ready for the case.
The gold leaf is a big improvement
[emoji632]
[MENTION=121448]thinwhiteduke[/MENTION]
I leaved a border because my PS is too large and I want the minute marker ring close as gen 26mm diameter. So I reduced print from 29mm to 28,5mm.
I will need to print on a 27mm dial soon for a new gen size high end case project.
I can assure you the lume job is not as good as MQ. But it's very nice indeed. Take me 1,5h hours to achieve this result.
The gold leaf need a water mixtion, you can see the bottle on a picture.
[emoji632]
I leaved a border because my PS is too large and I want the minute marker ring close as gen 26mm diameter. So I reduced print from 29mm to 28,5mm.
I will need to print on a 27mm dial soon for a new gen size high end case project.
I can assure you the lume job is not as good as MQ. But it's very nice indeed. Take me 1,5h hours to achieve this result.
The gold leaf need a water mixtion, you can see the bottle on a picture.
[emoji632]
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[MENTION=9607]bart[/MENTION], thanks for the insight! So I got this all wrong from the start. I was focused on the dial size - 29mm samples at first, then when I found out my donor watch could only take in a 27.5mm dial, I went ahead and printed it accordingly. So now I will focus on the Chapter Ring Diameter at 26mm like gen, and not worry about my 27.5mm dial! It's all good since THST solves my problem of aligning the printed decal with the 3-marker notch for the dial feet. And thans for the special paste. I will see if it's locally available. Agai, thank you for your generosity in sharing with us your extensive knowledge and expertise in producing gilt dials! Take a box, Bart!
It's all the purpose of this forum, sharing knowledge.
You should find gold leaf and mixtion in all good creative hobby shop.
Wish to see your achievement soon.
EDIT : don't you forget to use micro set to apply decals on dial ?
[emoji632]