Printing on powdercoat?

[Joe Hart]

What's the best/easiest way to do this? How do T-shirt transfers work on powdercoat? Should I do one big one (with all the tone, drive, volume labels) or do lots of little ones (one for each knob, etc.)? Any suggestions?? Thanks.
-Joe Hart

[thumposaurus]

I've been useing waterslide decal paper with good results, but my printer that I do the graphics with is a little different than most. The website I had ordered the decal stock from had instructions on how to seal the actual decals before wetting them if printed with an inkjet.
I can post up some links and pictures if you're interested.

[Ansil]

sweedish chef lol i just noticed that. lol

[The Tone God]

Printing on powder coat can be tricky. It depends on what type of coat it is, the porousness   of the coat, and what you want to put on the pedal like graphics or text.

The best answer I think I can give to cover all basis is some type of silk screening. Otherwise maybe labels like laser labels. Not the greatest finish but works well.

Andrew

[brett]

Good question.  After a couple of years away from powder coating I'm going back to it again.  It's just sooo tough.  Anyway, concerning your question, I use decals.  They're made by my local copy shop for about US$5 for a sheet (I do the original artwork at work on a colour laser).  A sheet has 4 pedal "tops" (ie labels for each control, my "company" name and the pedal name).  Once the decal is in place I use auto clear coat to seal and protect the whole thing.  Seems to stand up to bedroom-level abuse, but I don't know whether this would be tough enough for pedals on the road.

If you find a better system, let us know.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

The chap who screen prints my boxes commercially puts some kind of hardener in the ink & bakes the box after it is printed, I had no idea it was so elaborate. I found this out after one batch had printing that 'fell off' (only one stuff up after a lot of jobs, I'm still happy, & caught it before any got out). Ordinary ink won't work on powdercoat, it is totally non-absorbant.