Ski Builders Forum

Looking for ideas to apply simple lettering graphics to wood veneer. I've tried stencilling with mixed results, never consistent. Sometimes I get bleed under the stencil sometimes not. I've tried low tack film stencilling too but the results were about the same.

I tried creating sticker style as well but it looks cheesy and the linear poly I use does always want to cover the sticker evenly, it gets an orange peel finish.

Also tried using thin rice paper and other similar paper but not happy with the ghosting you get.

I'm thinking of trying gold leaf with a stencil. Anyone try that? Any try vinyl letter where just the lettering sticks with no background? Does it stay on? I thought about this when I applied a alumni sticker to the window of my vehicle. Seems to hold on the vehicle and handles weather. I think the finsish on the ski needs to be glass smooth.

Thoughts, ideas?

Thanks.

Screen print. Any screen shop should mke u one for 25 bucks as long as you promise to return it when done.

I thought about screen print. It's re-usable and can capture detail. We have a few local screen print shops I'll hit up. Thanks.

I use gold leaf, works well but time consuming.

Yea, I've been reading up on gold leafing, it adds a touch of class. I've spent a lot of time with stencils and trying to get it just right and it's frustrating. In the video we made I bet we did the stencil shot no less than a half dozen times or more before it came out right.

I make a mask for every gold/silver/copper leaf application.....time consuming...I need a way to cut that time down

I use a Brothers die cutter. My wife bought it for cutting patterns in cloth. It works well in cutting plastic film, which is what I've been using to make my stencils. Like a mini light weight CNC.

Waiting for a local screen printer to get back to me on making a screen print for me.

I'm going to try gold leafing tomorrow with a stencil made from the Brothers machine.

Vin look into getting a Brothers die cutter. I can send you info or post a video on how it works.

I just need to get a drag knife set up for my cnc......

Vin its super easy do it. K8nda.
Donek.
Do it.

I like that die cutter idea, pretty cool.
But if it is just for veneers have you tried simply printing straight to the veneer. I've found it works perfectly and have never had any ink run, even in fine detailed images.
Or if you want to keep making stencils then sort out a drag knife. Actually, if you have a CNC then you need a drag knife even if you don't make stencils with it, seriously once you try it you will use it for so much. No more dragging a router around a template to cut your bases.
In my old journal I put a link up to the blades I use to make my drag knifes. Already have a flat perfectly ground on half the face, so it's super easy to grind your own drag knife blades, and they are like $10 for a 10 pack.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10x-BQLZR-3- ... Swr~lYr90x

So yesterday I bought some silver to do leafing and I saw a marker for silver touch ups, and I bought that too. Then it dawned on me, just use the marker. The stencil I have has very thin block letters (the font is called Fine Stencil). I ended up using a black Sharpie and it came out just fine. The film I use for the stencil could still be thicker so I'll continue to search for something better. After doing the stencil I did minor touch up with a super fine sharpie.

I still plan on trying leafing.

I contacted a local screen print shop about making a screen print for me. Waiting on that. Some day I may make a logo or other graphic where a marker won't work.

In my experience,

Sharpie will run under clear coat epoxy and maybe poly.

The leafing marker might repel epoxy also.

No bleed of the sharpie. You want to make sure it's totally dry before coating with epoxy or PU. It's working so far but I'm not settling on it for the long term.

just played around a little with screening and inlay. Pretty happy with the results. Been wanting to try gold leaf. Have also used vinyl die cuts.

In photos below, inlay was done before pressing, of course, screen was done after they came out of the press. Gave a serious wipe down with methyl hydrate (alcohol) and a scotch-brite to remove mold release that was stuck to the veneer, then a quick ~300 grit sand to smooth it all out, then screened with Nazdar ink. Once dry, 3 coats of spray clear coat (also did this with the die cuts; without it they peeled/chipped off very quickly). 5 coats would be better, but time...

That looks great! I'm assuming the black lettering is from the screening. Gold leaf looks great too.

I heard back from the screen printer. They will make a screen print for $50. He also said vinyl die cuts would be a good option. But I've had problems with the poly beading up occasionally on the vinyl.

I definitely like the looks of the gold leaf and the screen print, crisp and clean. Thanks.