Waterslide Decals, Part II: Decaling Your Effect Pedal

[duhvoodooman***]

As a supplement to THIS INFORMATIVE POST by Dreadman re: the use of waterslide decals, I thought I'd pass along a bit more information on using them for DIY effects pedals, with some examples from the project I'm going to be using these decals for next.

Just a note up front--I understand that this may seem very complicated and a lot of work upon first reading. Just keep in mind that (1) things always seem more complicated when you've never done them before, (2) I've tried to include a lot of detail to make the various steps clear and anticipate possible questions, and (3) a lot of this stuff only needs to be done the first time, and thereafter can be copied or modified for subsequent decaling projects. So it's not as bad as it might seem!

Individual Graphics vs. Full-Face Decals:

I recently built a modified Fuzz Face clone (see THIS THREAD) and am now at the point of wanting to apply graphics and label the controls. I've used waterslide decals for this purpose in the past, and will do so again this time. On the first several DIY pedals I made, I printed, cut out and applied the individual graphics and controls labels much as you would do on the old Revell model car and airplane kits (so you can see what my experience base was!). This method is convenient and efficient for the initial creation of the decals--you just squeeze them into a compact area on your graphics program, which minimizes the quantity of the expensive decal printer paper used--but it has real disadvantages when it comes to applying them and finishing the pedal. Cutting out all the individual graphics and labels and applying them is tedious and time-consuming, and all those individual decals give slightly raised areas on the pedal finish, due to the thickness of the decal media. Even after 3 or 4 coats of clear lacquer or enamel, the "relief" of the decal edges is quite noticeable, unless you sand them smooth between coats or use some type of decal solvent/softener to "feather" out the edges after the initial application. Either way, it's extra time and effort to get a really good looking result.

But for the last couple of pedals, I went to "full face" decals, i.e. a single, large decal with all the graphics properly positioned, which covers the entire face of the effect enclosure. Here, the extra time and effort is spent upfront, getting the big decal laid out very precisely, so that the graphics and labels will be in exactly the correct positions on the enclosure face when the decal is applied. The more graphics used and the more complicated the pedal construction (number of pots, switches, LED's, etc.), the more difficult this becomes. It puts a premium on precise measurement of the enclosure dimensions and the position and size of each pot and switch. Measurements down to at least 1/32nds of an inch are critical, and I even go to 1/64ths in some cases. This technique also uses more decal paper, because you obviously have to print the decal to the actual size of the pedal face, which means that you typically end up printing a sizable amount of unfilled space.

The advantage of the full-face method becomes obvious at application time, because it makes this step relatively fast and easy. Cut it out to the size of the enclosure face, soak it for 30 seconds or so, and then slide it off the paper onto the enclosure, being careful not to trap air bubbles underneath. I also recommend using decal "mounting fluid" that the decal paper suppliers sell--spread a thin layer of this soapy-feeling liquid on the enclosure face, and it helps the decal to go on smoothly and be easily slid into the correct position. If you place the back of the well-wetted decal paper against the enclosure and slide a bit of the decal off and into place at one edge, you can then hold the decal edge with a couple of fingers and slowly pull the paper out from between the decal and enclosure. This does an excellent job of keeping air from getting under the decal. But even if it does, you can use a sponge or soft, flat tool (the decal paper suppliers sell specific rubber squeegee tools for this purpose) to squeeze the air out the sides. The wet decal can then be carefully slid into the exact position desired, and the excess water squeezed out from under the decal with the sponge or squeegee tool. Blot it as dry as possible with a paper towel and allow to air-dry overnight. By the next day, it should be dry enough to over-coat with clear lacquer or enamel. Two or three coats should be adequate.

To keep this one from getting ridiculously long, let's look at the process of creating the decal graphics in the next post....

[duhvoodooman***]

Creating Your Enclosure Decal Graphics:

As far as the actual creation of the graphics file that I use for printing the decal on the paper, I rely on that most capable and sophisticated of graphics programs: MS Paint!! Yeah, I know--hard to believe! So if you're handy with Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw or Jasc Paint Shop Pro, by all means, use those! They'll probably do a faster & better job. But since (1) I'm familiar with Paint, and (2) it has the fairly simple functionality I need for this task, that's what I've used up to now.

Anyway, I first measure and layout the basic enclosure dimensions. For the pedal I just built, the enclosure is 3 5/8" x 4 5/8". The resolution I'm using in MS Paint is 102 pixels per inch, so that works out to 371 pxl x 473 pxl (I always use odd numbers, so that there's a discreet center point; an even number puts the center point between two pixels!). Next is the process of measuring the precise locations & dimensions (diameters, usually) of all the hardware populating the enclosure face, and "drawing" those onto the enclosure template in the correct locations. At this point, I also fill in the color of the enclosure face as accurately as I can, giving me an accurate graphic representation of the assembled pedal. See the examples below of this graphic for my Fuzz Farm pedal compared to a photo of "the real thing":



Next, it's time to create the graphics. Here, you can use whatever sources of fonts and graphics you like. If I need a picture or drawing of a particular object, I generally poke around on the internet or check various clipart collections. For fonts, there are many, many sources of distinctive/ornate/artistic fonts available on the web. I've downloaded and installed some types to work in Windows programs, and I've made some with online font generators and downloaded the output files. Use whatever works for you. I recommend just doing the whole thing in BMP file format. Though the files end up bigger, by doing this, you avoid any unwanted effects generated by file compression techniques. The colors and appearance stay just as you create them, pixel for pixel.

Some important tips about the pedal color itself. First, if you're using standard clear decal media, I strongly recommend a light-to-medium enclosure color choice, and a dark font or graphic. This is because the way standard PC printing works (and I assume the same goes for Macs), the lighter the color, the more transparent the print. That's because white isn't white when printing--it's clear, i.e. the absence of color/pigment. So don't try printing white lettering on decals for a black pedal, 'cuz when you're done you'll have....a black pedal. I learned this the hard way when I tried printing chartreuse decals for a dark purple pedal. Once applied, they were nearly invisible. Dark purple graphics on a chartreuse pedal would have worked great, though. If you want to do light graphics on a dark background, you're better off with paints or opaque inks, not decals. You can also get white-film decal media, but then you're back to cutting out the individual graphics. No thanks.

Secondly, whenever possible, create your graphics--lettering especially--right on the same color background as your enclosure. That's because when you create the lettering, the font edges are smoothed into the background color by a process called "dithering". If you create them on a blank, white background, that's what color they'll blend into. Then when you paste them onto your enclosure template, they'll have these awful looking light "auras" outlining them. Do it on the correct color background, and they'll blend right in. Here's a sample of what I mean:



The "correct" graphic was created right on the red background using the MS Paint font tool. The "wrong" one was created on the white background and then copy/pasted onto the red. You can see what I mean about the "aura" effect. Though the lightest colors won't show up on the actual decal (they're transparent, remember?), you'll get a smoother looking graphic if you create them on the correct color background to begin with.

BTW, for those occasions when you do create a shape or graphic on a white background and then paste it onto your enclosure template, be sure to set up your graphics program to treat white as transparent, not opaque. This makes the process of positioning & pasting infinitely easier to do!

So when you get all done creating and positioning your graphics onto your template, you may have something along these lines:



Now comes the actual printing of the decals and preparation for applying them....

[duhvoodooman***]

Printing and Prepping Your Enclosure Decal:

What I do next is to take that nice finished template graphic and wipe out about 98% of it! Seriously, I make a copy of the full labeled enclosure template and delete/fill in all the hardware shapes until nothing but the graphics remain on the background color:



Next, I just use the MS Paint "fill" tool to convert all the background color back to white (i.e. transparent). This includes background color "trapped" within the graphics and lettering. The last thing I do is change the fine outline around the perimeter of the enclosure graphic from black to light gray. This will become my "cut-out" line when I print the graphic to the decal paper. Here's the finished graphic that will be used for the Fuzz Farm decal print. Take note of the black-to-red dithered colors around the edges of the font characters--that's what smoothes their appearance in the final decal:



I then set up the print job on whatever color printer I'll be using. One absolutely critical item here is that you have to be able to accurately print the graphic to actual size. A program I use for this purpose is a freeware graphics viewer and converter called IrfanView. This nifty program, among many other useful functions, allows you specify the precise size of your printed image, making it a snap to get the correct size the first time. Once I have the print job set up, I initially print it to plain printer paper, not only to check out that the print comes out as expected, but also to check it vs. the actual enclosure. I cut it to size and overlay it on the enclosure to verify that all the graphics are properly positioned and that the overall decal dimensions are correct. If I've made any mistakes or miscalculations (and I almost always catch one or two), this is the time to discover and correct them, before you waste any of that $1-a sheet decal paper!

IMPORTANT: Decal printer paper comes in two main types--for color inkjets and for color lasers. Each has its advantages and disadvantages that I won't go into here. Up until now, I've only used the inkjet stuff with my Epson home printer, but I just bought some laser decal paper from Hemmi Papilio and will be using that on an HP LaserJet here at work for the Fuzz Farm decal job. In any case, be sure you have the right type for the color printer you'll be using, because they're NOT interchangeable!

If everything checks out from your print "dry run", you can go ahead and print your decal at this point. Just be careful to get the decal paper loaded into the printer properly, and set up the print quality as desired. I've read warnings about using the "best quality" setting on laserjets, because some will melt through the decal media, but I won't be able to confirm that until I try it. It varies from printer to printer, so don't be too surprised if you waste a page or two of decal paper in the initial learning phase.

Once printed, allow the decal to dry thoroughly if you used an inkjet, and then you're ready to clearcoat it. DON'T ATTEMPT TO WATER-SOAK AND APPLY THE DECAL BEFORE CLEARCOATING!! Even with non-water soluble inks, you can get the colors running and smearing. Use a clear lacquer, acrylic or enamel spray to coat the decal; I'd recommend just using whatever you plan to use for the final enclosure clearcoat. Start by spraying a light "fog" over the decal surface, let dry for 15 minutes or so, and repeat once or twice. Once you have a good base coat down, you can give it a final "wet" coat to really seal the surface. Let dry overnight, and the decal should be ready to cut, soak and apply by the next day. For that, use the technique described in the first post at the top of this thread. After two or three clearcoats on the finished decaled pedal, let it dry thoroughly and your pedal should be ready to reassemble and use!

[tunghaichuan***]

Awesome thread, Vood. Thanks for posting. : :

tung

[mrmudcat]

Awesome thread that is a great addition to Dreads post !!!!: : :

[luvmyshiner]

WOW. Great thread Voodoo. I can tell this is one of those subjects I'll have to print out and study.

[Dreadman]

Awesome DVM!

That was a lot of work, with all the links and pics and everything. Great job.

[duhvoodooman***]

Thanks, guys.

I tried the laser printer decal stock on two different HP LaserJets here at work, and both were a total washout. I'd read that the paper just won't work with certain laser printers, and these two HP's must be among those. Both jammed up at the output and ruined a sheet of decal paper. Hey, you don't know until you try! Live & learn....

Anyway, I just went ahead and printed the Fuzz Farm full-face decal to inkjet decal stock on my trusty Epson Stylus Photo 750 color printer at home and got it clearcoated last night. I'll do the cutout, soak & application this evening. Hope to have a photo of the finished pedal to post here in a couple of days....

[Bloozcat]

You've put a lot of effort into this DVM, with very professional results...:

[duhvoodooman***]

OK, here's a pic of the finished pedal. Came out pretty well, but there's one minor error that I didn't catch & correct in my "dry run" print--the horizontal alignment on the "Ge" and "Si" labels for the two toggle switches is offset to the left a bit. Not too bad, and the labels are still readable, but that's something I would correct if I built another one of these some time. BTW, those silvery-white spots are light reflections from the camera flash, not anything on the surface of the pedal:

[Tone2TheBone]

Fab thread Voo! Tons of information there this is great. Your Fuzz Face is one of a kind buddy excellent job!

[mrmudcat]

Vood id like to see both yours and dreads thread on waterslides stickied.(no stickys as of yet in mod section)

Also the fret dressing thread by Dread would be a great sticky. Just a suggestion and or my opinion!!

Oh yea great looking fuzzzzzzz:

[duhvoodooman***]

Vood id like to see both yours and dreads thread on waterslides stickied.(no stickys as of yet in mod section)

Also the fret dressing thread by Dread would be a great sticky. Just a suggestion and or my opinion!!

Good idea, Mud! : We needed a couple of stickies in this forum. I've "stuck" those 3 and also a couple of other "how to" threads re: pickup wiring that I had posted quite a while back.

If anybody else comes across any older instructional threads of this type, let me know, and I'll check 'em out for potential stickyhood....

[mrmudcat]

Wow ask and ye shall receive !!

You da man....... da big bad voodoo man:

[Adrian30]

great thread DVM!

[Katastrophe]

Great thread DVM, and another example of what I'm sure is quality work! Keep giving us the info, and I might actually learn something someday.:

[duhvoodooman***]

Thought I'd tack a bit on to this sticky. Tunghaichuan recently bought a BYOC Triboost pedal (a very cool kit, BTW--see THIS thread) and asked me if I would handle the painting & decaling for him. In return, he was nice enough to agree to send me some preamp tubes from his stockpile for my services. How could I refuse???

Anyway, he specified the color scheme, font, and basic design idea. He's opted for a nice clean, simple layout that I think is quite elegant. So I'll post some "progress pics" as I proceed on this. The pedal enclosure should arrive shortly, but since I already built one of these of my own, I already had the pedal finishing template laid out. So after a few minutes of graphics work, here is the mockup of what the finished pedal will look like, along with a preliminary decal graphic. This will need to be printed to scale and the layout confirmed against the actual enclosure (variations in drilling can screw up the layout in a hurry!), but this gives me a leg up on the work before the box arrives. Here are the two graphics:

[duhvoodooman***]

First step in the process--after "freshening" the oxidized aluminum surface with Scotch-Brite abrasive pad and wiping well with paint thinner to remove residual crud, grease and oils, I primed and painted the enclosure. The photo below shows the main body of the enclosure seconds after it was sprayed with yellow Krylon enamel, along with the back cover of the enclosure with the flat brown primer. They're both yellow now (brighter/darker than the photo makes the color appear), and will get two more coats this afternoon....

[tunghaichuan***]

Looks awesome!

I guess I better start populating and soldering the parts on the PCB.

tung

First step in the process--after "freshening" the oxidized aluminum surface with Scotch-Brite abrasive pad and wiping well with paint thinner to remove residual crud, grease and oils, I primed and painted the enclosure. The photo below shows the main body of the enclosure seconds after it was sprayed with yellow Krylon enamel, along with the back cover of the enclosure with the flat brown primer. They're both yellow now (brighter/darker than the photo makes the color appear), and will get two more coats this afternoon....