decoration on pedals (graphics etc)

[jigsaw_devices]

Finally gave resin a try, i was reaflly impressed withe the outcome, but my technique still needs some work. So what's the secret to getting the resin distributed evenly on the sides without it dripping off and thinning out? Or Alternately, how do you get it to stay only on top and not drip down the sides? I tried the latter using painters tape to cover the sides of the enclosure, but that was a horrible fail.

[JohnnyC]

ive gotten great results using micro sol to get that painted on/melted on look then clean coat
http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/mer ... _Code=MI-2

[jigsaw_devices]

ive gotten great results using micro sol to get that painted on/melted on look then clean coat
http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/mer ... _Code=MI-2

Where abouts can you buy micro sol in Australia? I managed to buy some Mr Mark Setter from Hobbyco, is this the same sort of thing?

[eatyourguitar]

ive gotten great results using micro sol to get that painted on/melted on look then clean coat
http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/mer ... _Code=MI-2

ahhh yes, I need this. I just started using these waterslide decals and I have heard about various edge softeners available. Officer Bukowski asked me to post a tutorial on my decal process but its really very simple. I buy the laser back-on decals from here with the squeegee. I do my design in photoshop or GIMP. I tile it so I get 6 1590B on a page. I cut them out with a straight edge and use a corner rounding punch tool to trim the corners. after that you just follow the directions that come with the decals. I'm not going to retype it. you'll get it when you buy the decals. I use my big oven.

[jigsaw_devices]

first attempt at resin pics. I am really happy with the top surface, can't fault that save for a few stray specks of dust, but it's the sides i'm really struggling with. No matter how hard I try, I can't get it to stick to the sides, it just keeps running off, as seen in the bottom pic. I tried leaving the resin mix for about half an hour so it would thicken up considerably, but it still dripped off. I also tried masking the sides with painters tape, but that was an epic fail, drips still ran, and when I tried to peel it off, bits of blue tape were still caught in the resin. Any resin experts got some helpful suggestions for me?

[smallsnd/bigsnd]

clear high gloss lacquer from home depot (maybe rustoleum?) is what i finally settled on after many experiments with different clear coats. i usually spray something like 7-10 coats depending on the thickness of the source material (photo paper, magazine cutout, etc).

don't use a matte clearcoat on paper graphics, by the way. i tried it on a batch of super puzzles - they looked totally fine but a few of them came back to me a month or two later all curled up and crummy looking.

[McSpunckle]

first attempt at resin pics. I am really happy with the top surface, can't fault that save for a few stray specks of dust, but it's the sides i'm really struggling with. No matter how hard I try, I can't get it to stick to the sides, it just keeps running off, as seen in the bottom pic. I tried leaving the resin mix for about half an hour so it would thicken up considerably, but it still dripped off. I also tried masking the sides with painters tape, but that was an epic fail, drips still ran, and when I tried to peel it off, bits of blue tape were still caught in the resin. Any resin experts got some helpful suggestions for me?

Paint it on the sides first, then pour lots on. Use a plastic spoon to scoop up what drips off and put it back on top. That should get you a relatively even coat on the sides. If you can do two coats, sand the sides smooth then do the second coat. It'll never be perfectly smooth when poured, but it won't look like drips. Ultimately, to get perfect sides, you'd need to either spray the epoxy, or sand and polish it.

You -may- get away with sanding it smooth then spraying another clear coat on the sides. You'll need to let it cure first, though.

I've never done pedals with resin sides, though, so maybe someone that leaves the resin on the sides has some good tips. My experience is with tables and bars and such.

I've started using plexiglass instead of epoxy recently. It has its own challenges, but it gets a similar look and with the right setup it's not so finicky.