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While this is nothing to do with RC Helis I'm sure there are some people on these forums have done label printing (or any kind of graphic printing) as part of their job or in their spare time. So I'm hoping somebody might be able to help me out.
I've been experimenting with label printing and purchased some weatherproof gloss polyester labels off the internet and they're designed to be used with LaserJet printers. I just photoshopped up a simple label design using stock images off the internet and took them down to Staples to get printed as I don't own a LaserJet myself. Got the girl to print a test sheet using normal gloss paper and once happy I asked her to use my own labels. I was quite impressed with the quality and went off home to put the labels through some tests for the application that I want to use them for.
First test was a water test and the labels lived up to the claim that they were weatherproof.
Next test was a chemical test as the labels might come into contact with cleaning products and adhesives. So tried acetone and meths and as expected the print ran. Tried some adhesive as commonly used in the desired application and the print ran. Which was to be expected as similar labels on the market also do the same. So I wasn't too bothered about this.
Third test, and this is the one that has resulted in googling and posting on here. The durability test. Now the labels/decals in question will come into contact with various items so they have to be fairly resistant to scuffing. So I rubbed my finger nail over it and the print scratches off really easily.
Now I know some label companies say with Inkjet labels you can apply a preserving sealant/clearcoat over the top to increase durability but at the moment these labels seem to have no durability at all. I've had a look at my inkjet A4 gloss photos that I printed at home on my Canon MP600 and tried scuffing them with my finger nail and they don't come off at all. So I'm now wondering if it's just the way that LaserJets print or whether the print process didn't work that well in binding to the labels.
Any help on the matter would be appreciated. Is anybody a printing expert or works at a signwriter/printing company?
Thanks in advance.
I've been experimenting with label printing and purchased some weatherproof gloss polyester labels off the internet and they're designed to be used with LaserJet printers. I just photoshopped up a simple label design using stock images off the internet and took them down to Staples to get printed as I don't own a LaserJet myself. Got the girl to print a test sheet using normal gloss paper and once happy I asked her to use my own labels. I was quite impressed with the quality and went off home to put the labels through some tests for the application that I want to use them for.
First test was a water test and the labels lived up to the claim that they were weatherproof.
Next test was a chemical test as the labels might come into contact with cleaning products and adhesives. So tried acetone and meths and as expected the print ran. Tried some adhesive as commonly used in the desired application and the print ran. Which was to be expected as similar labels on the market also do the same. So I wasn't too bothered about this.
Third test, and this is the one that has resulted in googling and posting on here. The durability test. Now the labels/decals in question will come into contact with various items so they have to be fairly resistant to scuffing. So I rubbed my finger nail over it and the print scratches off really easily.
Now I know some label companies say with Inkjet labels you can apply a preserving sealant/clearcoat over the top to increase durability but at the moment these labels seem to have no durability at all. I've had a look at my inkjet A4 gloss photos that I printed at home on my Canon MP600 and tried scuffing them with my finger nail and they don't come off at all. So I'm now wondering if it's just the way that LaserJets print or whether the print process didn't work that well in binding to the labels.
Any help on the matter would be appreciated. Is anybody a printing expert or works at a signwriter/printing company?
Thanks in advance.