Dry Transfer Lettering on pedal enclosures?

[Zork]

I built a Tone Bender in a very nice sheet metal enclosure with green hammerite laquer. Always wanted to do some kind of labeling for the controls but never got around it. Last week I had a drink too much and went at it with a marker. It looks like shit. So I'm planning to strip off the paint, put new laquer on it and do some proper labeling.

I was thinking of dry transfer lettering and apply a clear coat over it. I've looked in some model car forums and get different results. Some say you can easily spray clear over it, others say you must be very careful, others say it'll be a mess. There are some people suggesting to apply the dry transfer letters to clear water slide decals first. It seems to be more complicated than I thought it would be. Has anyone experience with this stuff? I want to use white letters, so printed water slide decals are no option.

[Zork]

Ok, according to the seller on ebay, dry transfer letters should apply to a pedal with no issues and also clear coating should work. Let's see.
Here's the pedal in question by the way:

[Phosphene Audio]

The only thing I would say wrt clear coating is that I have never had great success with any kind of spray on clear coating being very durable.

If you are just using the pedal at home and treating it gently, spray coating should be fine.


Pourable epoxy works much better, though I don't pour it. I brush it on. The downside is that it is expensive and it's hard to mix a small amount. It can also be irregular in appearance, but I kind of like that.

I wait until I have multiple things to coat and I use 2 plastic shot glasses and then a small plastic drinking cup to mix it.

[crochambeau]

I've no experience with the process you're performing, but I can say that clearcoat comes in many flavors and it makes sense to me that some types work while others do not (as evidenced by the array of reported results).

I like using oil based polyurethane cut with enough mineral oil to make it sprayable (1:1 or thereabouts). Depending on the solvent load base finish compatibility can factor in greatly toward success or failure. A lot of low VOC products are quite picky about the process and substrates they are subjected to.

As with all things, it is recommended to trial run it. Kind of hollow advice for one-offs, but it is what it is.

[Zork]

First try on a parallel looper. I guess for a first attempt it went okayish. Letters on this one were very small, though. On the Tone Bender I will use bigger ones and hope it'll be less wonky.

[Zork]

Here we go:



The dry transfer lettering looks alright I'd say. The "Tone Bender" handlettering looks a bit more amateurish than I could probably do but I chose the wrong marker.

[Jero]

I think it turned out pretty great! That color is

[dubkitty]

one could gripe about its lack of “perfection,” but i like it. adds a personal touch. the relative flatness of the black is a bit odd, but clearcoat would sort that and also secure the lettering.

[Zork]

Thank you. In the meantime I clearcoated and reassembled the pedal. Will post a pic later.