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I'm hoping to put some calligraphy on the deck of my MC 16.5. So I tested the "laser print on rice paper" approach on a bit of scrap. The rice paper is expected to wet out and become fully transparent like fiberglass when treated with epoxy.
Well, it didn't disappear completely. Laid down a thin layer of epoxy first, set the graphic in, and then fully wet with epoxy but still a bit of a shadow. BTW, put fiberglass over it just to confirm everything is normal and the fiberglass wetted normally.
Any experience? Any advice? Is it the rice paper brand, perhaps? The one I bought has a shiny side (good for printing) but it occurs to me that this may prevent wetting with epoxy.
8 replies:
RE: Rice paper/ graphics
In my case the "shadow" depends very much on the lighting. It's easiest to see in low-angled light and totally invisible in bright sunlight. It also blends with the grain and for most people it's not noticeable unless it's pointed out.
Since it follows the edge of the paper you can minimize it by creative cutting. That is, you can cut the paper in a curve instead of a line (since eyes laser-focus on atraight lines), you can cut the edge to match the general grain pattern in the application area or you can cut the paper so that any shadow works with instead of against the graphic.
The side of the paper doesn't make any difference that I can see. On my WD12 I put the mirror image of the duck graphic on each side of the bow by simply flipping the paper and they look the same.
Laszlo
RE: Rice paper/ graphics
Thanks for the replies, folks.
@Randy - My test results are comparable, I reckon, in that I can't make out the "shadow" in your photo and mine is very light, also. One of those "you only see it if it's pointed out" flaws, I guess. It won't be the only one on my boat!
@Laslo - Yes, cutting a nice smooth oval around the caligraphy is my plan.
I'm a little disappointed, having gotten the idea from the surfboard crowd online that the rice paper would become as transparent as fiberglass, but what the heck! Gonna do it anyway!
RE: Rice paper/ graphics
I’ve just been down the same path and the rice paper was key. I tried a couple different packages of paper I found on Amazon. Same results as you. The paper didn’t wet out clear. I then bought some (expensive) paper from Greenlight Surf. Night & day difference. Just glassed my Shearwater deck this morning and the graphic turned out perfect.
RE: Rice paper/ graphics
Are you concerned about the red fading when it's in the sun for awhile? I've got an image I would like to use, that has alot of blue in it, but was told it wouldn't hold up under UV
RE: Rice paper/ graphics
Debris,
Thanks for the tip on the silk tissue. Your dragon is quite striking. What kind of printer is that? Laser or some kind of ink?
Laszlo
RE: Rice paper/ graphics
I used the printer/copier at work for the black image and added the red with a sharpie pen. Probably not the best best approach but the image is inside hatch so not exposed to much UV that could fade it.
RE: Rice paper/ graphics
» Submitted by Randy Hamilton - Wed, 8/11/21 » 9:03 PM
AndrewLB,
I did that with rice paper and although I can see the paper shadow it is so slight that I am satisfied with the transparency of it. This is it covered with fiberglass and three coats of epoxy but no varnish. How does this compare with your test?