Decal Types    I only supply waterslide decals. This is the type I have always used and I am most familiar with. I have the decal type the rodbuilders currently call the “new” style which is a clear film on a cream paper base that is very easy to work with.

I tested many different waterslide papers before starting this part of my rodbuilding business and found that all are similar but only a few are acceptable for placing on fishing rods. The main concern with a waterslide decal is the apparent “fogging” when placed on a dark blank. During my testing, even when all of the instructions were followed to the letter, some fogging did occur in some of the papers. Outside in daylight it is certainly not readily apparent unless you are actually looking for it, but I like to make sure it’s not there at all. Always apply a thin coat of epoxy at the location you intend to place the decal. This will prevent the potential for fogging by filling in the porosity in the surface of the blank and leave a slick and shiney surface on which to apply the decal.

Decal Colors: We can supply Gold and Silver Metallic and White. The gold and silver metallic decals are just a single layer of gold on the waterslide paper.

I can also supply a high gloss FOIL decal in Silver and Gold. These are produced by printing the gold foil over a base of the other primary colors. They are much brighter and very shiney. The foil decals are similar in appearance to the embossed look on a business card. Even though the imprinting is somewhat heavier on the foil type, I have used them with no problems with the epoxy finishes covering them properly.

Signature Decals: On some occasions, the customer may like to not only have his name on the rod, but maybe his unique signature. This can be accomplished by having the customer sign a blank piece of white paper several times and let him or her choose which one looks best to them. Indicate this on the paper and I will scan the signature and create the decal of the signature. Indicate the size of the area in which the signature will fall so I can size it properly. The signature paper must be mailed to me because FAXing does not have the quality necessary for this purpose.

For a quick sample sheet, get this layout showcasing a few designs that will give you an idea of what can be done.