Labels for Fishing Rods

Specialty Labels

I am a maker of custom fly fishing rods when I'm not lobbying. It's a business, not a hobby.

I've been using water-slide decal labels for some time, but they don't really look good to my eye and never have. [ Note to our other readers: read more about waterslide decals. ]

I recently bought a dry transfer kit from Pulsar/DecalPro [ Pulsar DecalPro allows you to create your own mylar transfers and apply them with spray adhesive. ], and found that this really doesn't work ... or didn't work for me. I also tried the dry transfer papers offered by Bel [ Bel offers waterslide decals as well as rub-ons, but the rub-ons can be easily removed with water - not good for fly fishing rods! ]. They don't work well either.

I can e-mail a sample of a one of my labels. They are very small, as a fly rod's circumference is less than an inch where a label would go. Rods are made of graphite with a baked enamel or painted finish. High heat would melt the rod.

I have color laser printer's, an ALPS MD1300 [ A dye sublimation printer. Read about dye sublimation ], and an inkjet, and lots of graphic software.

What I don't have is a great way to make professional labels.

Please, can you help me?

Doug

Yes, please e-mail a sample. I would like to post your label on the website alongside your letter.

I also want to apologize for taking so long to respond. You really put me to the test!

My first thought was to suggest some relatively low-heat methods for curing your waterslide decals; until a fly fishing fanatic friend told me a graphite rod can melt even if left inside your car with the sun shining on it. (Yes, he knows from personal experience.)

The rod doesn't actually melt but the resins impregnated in the rod soften and release their hold on the graphite. Whatever - the rod is ruined.

So, as you suggested, heat setting is not an option.

Are you familiar with the Dye Sublimation and Specialty Imprinting Association (DSSI)? They have a very informative website which includes articles and a discussion forum.

The association was formed to allow dye sub printers (whether professional or hobbyist) to exchange information about inks, papers, substrates, presses and techniques.

If you scroll down about a half page, you'll find an article which may be just what you're looking for.

Click on the title by Terry Morris (March 2005): "Vinyl Cutting with Dye Sublimation Printing". Terry provides step-by-step instructions for using a vinyl cutter to cut out stickers which are transfer printed with dye sublimation.

Interestingly, the example he uses is for quite small labels (like yours) - 50 labels to a page, each measuring ½ by 1 ¼ inches. He goes into precise detail on how to line up your labels with the cut adhesive sheet - avoiding the mess of spray adhesives and the difficulty of positioning waterslide decals.

I consulted with our contacts at Martronics Corporation, thinking their chemical etching system might work. However, they explained that their system can only mark items which conduct electricity to activate the chemical reaction, but none of the materials in your rods are conductive.

One other suggestion I have is to consult with the engineers at Universal Laser Systems. They design and sell computer controlled laser engraving systems which work on a wide variety of materials from plastic to ceramic to leather to stone.

I hope this has been helpful. If you have a few spare minutes between lobbying and making fly fishing rods, please let me know what solution you decided on.

I'm going to have them made by a company in Arkansas. It's expensive but I'm not sure I have a choice at this point. I do have an ALPS dye sublimating printer and use it for water slide decals. It's fine, I just want something better. Rub-on's are the way to go, but I can't seem to make them work for me. I have all the toys to do it, but just can't seem to be successful.

BTW, graphite or fiberglass of rods do not melt from the sun unless there is some source that would magnify the heat on one spot.

However, they will melt from direct heat if one is not extremely careful. That is why you should not use anything more volatile than a paper match for most purposes. I will, on occasion use an alcohol burner with a blow tube, but the rod must be rotated so the heat is not applied on one spot for very long.

I guess it could be possible for one to "melt" in the car, but my sense is that your friend was using a very inexpensive fishing rod. The only place that is could be susceptible would be the tip of the rod, as there is little material there. The melted portion could be cut off, but no more than an inch.

All graphite and fiberglass rods are made using epoxy impregnated cloth. After wrapping the cloth around a machined mandrel, a plastic strip the thickness of a cigarette package wrapper, is wound around the cloth to keep the epoxy from leaking out when it is baked in an oven at a rather high temperature. The rod is then left to cool, the remaining plastic and epoxy ridges are then sanded off very carefully, leaving the finished rod. Some rods are painted, some use colored epoxy cloth.

I'm sure this is more than you needed to know. I've been doing this a long time (age 12)...jeeez, that's almost 50 years!

Thanks again for your help.