Author Topic: Custom decals/lams. Print your own or use a service?  (Read 3672 times)

anonsurfer

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Custom decals/lams. Print your own or use a service?
« on: September 30, 2016, 12:13:26 PM »
I am designing my first board and would like to make some decals/lams for it. 

Are you guys making your own or using a print company?  Advice, suggestions, and recommendations are appreciated.





Home Break: Doheny
Tic Tac v3 (Hoglet): 6' 6" x 23" x 3.6" x 67L
Omni: 6' 9" x 23" x 3.75" x 68L
Tic Tac (OG): 7' 0" x 22.75" x 3.5" x 70L
In The Pink (Incoming): 8' 0" x 22.9" x 3.25" x 70L

Blackproject Surge S77 (Soft Flex Shaft, T-Grip, +0" OH)

surfinib

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Re: Custom decals/lams. Print your own or use a service?
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2016, 01:49:02 PM »
Depends on a number of things. If you plan on doing more than a few boards and know the logo then a service may be the way to go. Home printed lams work fine but will fade faster than professionally done lams. I've used both but have mine printed now. Boardlams.com does great work and if you want white in the logo you'll want to use a pro service as white parts go clear on a home printed lam...

supsurf-tw

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Re: Custom decals/lams. Print your own or use a service?
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2016, 04:34:30 PM »
If you use your printer first run one of the lams on a regular piece of paper then rub resin on it to see if any of the colors bleed. If you don't do this and you get bleed under the glass you're screwed. It's usually the reds that may bleed. You'll spend about 200.00 for the minimum amount of real lams with screen charges, camera work, printing.
Boards:

 
8-10 x 31 Egg
8-11 X 32 Double wing Fangtail Tom Whitaker
8-6 X 30 1\2  Inbetweener Tom Whitaker
8-4 x 30 Hyper quad Tom Whitaker (wife's now)
8-4 X 31 1\4.  Round (wide) Diamond Tail Quad Tom Whitaker
 9-4 X 30 1\2. Swallow Stinger Quad Tom Whitaker (ex wifes now)
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anonsurfer

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Re: Custom decals/lams. Print your own or use a service?
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2016, 05:01:32 PM »
Depends on a number of things. If you plan on doing more than a few boards and know the logo then a service may be the way to go. Home printed lams work fine but will fade faster than professionally done lams. I've used both but have mine printed now. Boardlams.com does great work and if you want white in the logo you'll want to use a pro service as white parts go clear on a home printed lam...

Thanks for the input.  Glad to hear you are happy with boardlams.com, I'll give them a go.
Home Break: Doheny
Tic Tac v3 (Hoglet): 6' 6" x 23" x 3.6" x 67L
Omni: 6' 9" x 23" x 3.75" x 68L
Tic Tac (OG): 7' 0" x 22.75" x 3.5" x 70L
In The Pink (Incoming): 8' 0" x 22.9" x 3.25" x 70L

Blackproject Surge S77 (Soft Flex Shaft, T-Grip, +0" OH)

anonsurfer

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Re: Custom decals/lams. Print your own or use a service?
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2016, 05:05:54 PM »
If you use your printer first run one of the lams on a regular piece of paper then rub resin on it to see if any of the colors bleed. If you don't do this and you get bleed under the glass you're screwed. It's usually the reds that may bleed. You'll spend about 200.00 for the minimum amount of real lams with screen charges, camera work, printing.

Thanks for the input.  That was my biggest concern.  Taking all the time and effort to make a board, then have a home printed lam ruin it.  I'll either skip the custom lam or go with a professional printing service for my first board.
Home Break: Doheny
Tic Tac v3 (Hoglet): 6' 6" x 23" x 3.6" x 67L
Omni: 6' 9" x 23" x 3.75" x 68L
Tic Tac (OG): 7' 0" x 22.75" x 3.5" x 70L
In The Pink (Incoming): 8' 0" x 22.9" x 3.25" x 70L

Blackproject Surge S77 (Soft Flex Shaft, T-Grip, +0" OH)

TallDude

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Re: Custom decals/lams. Print your own or use a service?
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2016, 05:20:46 PM »
The Staples in San Clemente has printed them for me. I bring them the jpg or pdf and your own rice paper, they will run them. They tape the rice paper to a heavier paper backer to feed through their printer, and they usually come out clean. Buy extra sheets.......

http://shop.fiberglasssupply.com/Surf_Sail_components-Rice_Paper.html

FYI, there is a thicker rice paper you that will run through a standard inkjet printer. Don't get it. It doesn't wet out enough and you'll see a white film outline through the glass. Even more so if the foam is painted.

« Last Edit: September 30, 2016, 05:25:00 PM by TallDude »
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

Bean

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Re: Custom decals/lams. Print your own or use a service?
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2016, 08:43:09 PM »
Here is another source, these guys are just down the street from me.  Also check out their FAQ section on logos.

https://greenlightsurfsupply.com/products/surfboard-custom-logo-rice-paper?variant=1052041407

jrandy

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Re: Custom decals/lams. Print your own or use a service?
« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2016, 09:41:07 PM »
Screening mo bettah color, laser mo bettah easy...

Large lams are acrylic artist paints ran through silk screens
Small 'vendor' lams are black laser prints

All on 15 gsm 'rice' (mulberry) paper from the local art store. Make sure to back thinner rice papers with something heavier like regular blank office paper to act as a blotter during printing, whether it be screen or laser.



« Last Edit: September 30, 2016, 09:51:12 PM by jrandy »
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Bean

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Re: Custom decals/lams. Print your own or use a service?
« Reply #8 on: October 01, 2016, 04:21:57 AM »
Has anyone tried printing logo paper on a color laser as opposed to ink jet?

peterwSUPr

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Re: Custom decals/lams. Print your own or use a service?
« Reply #9 on: October 01, 2016, 04:49:11 AM »
Yes, I have done small logos on both and inkjet and a color laser printer.  Both worked fine for me. 

Peter

Bean

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Re: Custom decals/lams. Print your own or use a service?
« Reply #10 on: October 01, 2016, 06:50:05 AM »
Thanks Peter, I'm going to give that a shot on a small non-SUP lamination project I'm working on.

anonsurfer

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Re: Custom decals/lams. Print your own or use a service?
« Reply #11 on: October 01, 2016, 10:40:10 AM »
Great info guys, thank you :-)
Home Break: Doheny
Tic Tac v3 (Hoglet): 6' 6" x 23" x 3.6" x 67L
Omni: 6' 9" x 23" x 3.75" x 68L
Tic Tac (OG): 7' 0" x 22.75" x 3.5" x 70L
In The Pink (Incoming): 8' 0" x 22.9" x 3.25" x 70L

Blackproject Surge S77 (Soft Flex Shaft, T-Grip, +0" OH)

 


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