Labeling panel and switches

[N941WR]

I have spent a LOT of time learning how to make labels with the Pulsar label making system. It is a pain but after a while you figure it out and they actually do come out nice.

Click on this picture to see what I accomplished today.


On the panel page of my site I detail all the steps you have to go through to make them. Believe me, it is complex and it takes practice!

[thallock]

I just wanted to update the thread on my progress working with the DecalPro labels. The first time I mentioned DecalPro, I said I was having problems getting perfect results. The owner of DecalPro left me a phone message that day, so I called him back, and he had a number of suggestions to help me out. It took a few more sessions making labels, but I can now say that I am getting perfect results, just about every time. I say just about, because with any label system, it is possible to make a mistake. Even simple clear printed labels can get smeared or cockeyed, and water slide decals can be torn (I know).

The two major problems that I had were with the white labels leaving white where there was no image, and a problem with images lifting when removing the mylar backing while transferring the image to the panel surface. The white labels were fixed by using a heat gun (not a hair dryer) to dry the decal paper prior to transferring the white foil to the decal image.

The problem with parts of the image not sticking to the panel surface was solved by the following steps:

1) after transferring the foil to the decal, use a paper towel with a little alcohol to clean the foil on the decal (I think this really solved my problem)

2) get the mylar absolutely clean (very important)
3) spray the right amount of adhesive on the mylar (the website has a new video on this--light coat was better)

4) spray a small amount of adhesive on the target surface before applying the mylar-backed image (may or may not have helped)

5) firmly press the image to the panel surface using my fingernail

The real key to this system is to get a good static adhesion between the image foil and the temporay mylar carrier, but have a clean mylar surface so the image will release from the mylar carrier when applied to the final surface. Once you get the technique down, the results are beautiful.

The thing that is really great about the DecalPro process is that it is equivalent to silkscreened labels. There is no backing to hold the labels once they are applied. Only the inked parts of the image are transferred to the panel. This gives you the ability to have white labels on a dark panel.

If anyone has questions about this process, just ask, and I will help if I can.

Cheers,
Tracy.

[thallock]

Here's an update on the BelCal water slide decals that I ordered. I placed an order for 20 mixed decal sheets. That was supposed to be 10 clear and 10 white. I received 23 white sheets, so I could only test the white decals.

The good news is that they are easy to use, and they work really good. The white ink jet decal paper produced nice images and letters using a standard HP970 ink jet printer. You spray the image with Krylon clear enamel (I think that is what I have) and the decal is water proof. The decal is very thin and seemed to fill in the holes in the surface caused by the hammered finish Rustoleum that I am using for the tests. I did not try it on the Rustoleum textured paint, but I suspect it would not do so well with that paint.

Of course, the background is white, so if you want to just see white labels, then you have to match the background to your panel color. I was not able to get a good match with the Rustoleum hammered gray paint that I was using for the tests. So the white decals would be useless for my application.

What I really needed was the clear labels, but BelCal screwed-up my order, and I did not get any clear labels. I sent them an email last Thursday, and did not get a response, so I called them on Friday. Unfortunately, the Service Department was "not available". They were "not available" on Monday or Tuesday, either. When you press the key for the operator, you get a message to "leave a message". Hey, if these idiots will not answer my email, why would they call me back?

At this point, all I can say is I would not order anything else from these idiots, no matter how good their product works. If this is the kind of service that we can expect, then we should take our business somewhere else. Unfortunately, BelCal has several websites, masqarading as different companies, but they all have the same phone number. It really makes me mad when companies do business like this, and they do not deserve to be in business. My advice is to avoid these guys at all costs, but that is just my opinion--YMMV.

Tracy.

[gpiney]

Tracy,

Here is another vendor that may be able to do better.

http://www.papilio.com/index.html

Also a bit more local to you.

[thallock]

Greg,

I found Papilio last week, but when I tried to order my shopping cart was always empty. I just tried again, and now I have 10 sheets of clear on the way. I'll let you all know how the clear works out.

Thanks,
Tracy.

[N941WR]

It is looking better and better with each day.

The only thing left to label is the carb heat and that will have to wait until I have a carb heat to label.

In addition, I labeled the cabin heat, then installed the cable. Turns out it twists around so my label is not level. Either I will have to fly the -9 upside down or re-label it.

Anyway, click on the picture to enlarge: