Need Help Hello from beautiful balmy Brisbane Australia

[AndrewGT]

I have joined here following a recommendation from a local decal printer who cannot solve my little dilemma.

At this time I am singularly focused on learning how to, or finding someone who can already, recreate a special 1970 French motorcycle decal that involves a 3-color reverse print onto a clear film with intermingled 3D fine gauze type textured shapes, covered in a silver hot foil and laminated onto a white plastic adhesive backing and profile cut.

I figure there has to be someone in a specialized group of this size who knows something about this process. I have pre-orders already; just need to work out the how or the where.

If you think you can help, I'd love to hear from you as I have exhausted all my local lead options.

 

[signage]

post a photo of the original!

 

[AndrewGT]

This photo shows the detail best.

 

[unclebun]

Customers better be ready to either make a large order or pay a LOT per decal. Setup is gonna be killer. If you can even find anyone with the equipment to pull it off any more.

 

[AndrewGT]

Thanks for your input unclebun. I won't hold you to it, but what does your estimate quantity of 'a large order' or 'pay a lot' look like? What sort of equipment are we talking? I'm guessing some form of screen printer, combined with a high build UV printer, hot foil applicator, laminater and profile cutter.

 

[Bly]

I can't imaging the average sign shop being able to produce that textured foil.

 

[unclebun]

Textured die....$1000+ would be my guess, Screens for each color printed, etc., etc. They'd need to be ordering thousands, maybe tens of thousands of them to make the unit cost halfway reasonable.

 

[AndrewGT]

I can't imaging the average sign shop being able to produce that textured foil.

I've found that to be true Bly - however I am prepared to look deeper than that and find an un-average printer or even find/buy/build the equipment myself to get the job done. Hobbies are not about the money as much as the journey from start to finish. Just ask your average fisherman the cost of each fish caught, considering the outlay in equipment and time.

 

[AndrewGT]

Textured die....$1000+ would be my guess, Screens for each color printed, etc., etc. They'd need to be ordering thousands, maybe tens of thousands of them to make the unit cost halfway reasonable.

I'm hearing you unclebun but what if the texture effect was done by laying a high build UV print between the 2 laminate layers before they are pressed together. Viewing the textured parts under a strong magnifier would suggest a solid build up rather than a pressed profile - plus the texture can barely be felt on the front or back sides of the label, certainly much less so than in the middle between the 2 layers.