The Hodaka Club Forum

Got my set of decals from SH, but I'm confused. Its polly just me and they're closed for the weekend, so I'll post my question here. Thinking they are backwards or should the vinyl lettering stay on the paper side? If I were to apply the sticky plastic side, they'd be reversed? The plastic side having the letters oriented correctly is smooth and on the outside. The vinyl letters are actually on the backside, if I am stating this well. Or am I missing something. Thanks

While I haven't applied any decals in years and years, the stick 'em has GOT to be on backside when the decal is readable. That is a good starting point for figuring it out.
Ed

This is the way that decals are made. The front paper is just the carrier, and the decals just loosely stick to it. The strong adhesive is on the backside of the decal.
Peel off the clear protective backing, position the decal + carrier on the tank and press and rub ("burnish") the decal with firm thumb pressure through the paper carrier. Then carefully peel.the backing away. If the decal starts.to lift with the backing, set the backing back down and burnish the decal some more.

Bill2001 wrote:This is the way that decals are made. The front paper is just the carrier, and the decals just loosely stick to it. The strong adhesive is on the backside of the decal.
Peel off the clear protective backing, position the decal + carrier on the tank and press and rub ("burnish") the decal with firm thumb pressure through the paper carrier. Then carefully peel.the backing away. If the decal starts.to lift with the backing, set the backing back down and burnish the decal some more.

Yeah, I know that. But if the paper is just the carrier, look at the top decal, is the paper on the wrong side or is it me? The paper would be on the outside not on the tank side . . . hence my question. Am I missing something?

It sure looks to me like the top decal IS with paper carrier on top. Aren't we looking through paper at the "right reading" HODAKA logo on the top decal?

And on the bottom decal (which is "wrong reading") we are looking through the clear plastic backing. Per other instructions offered in this thread, carefully peel off the clear plastic backing, pick up the decal (now only on its paper carrier), hold it so it is "right reading" -- position in place and burnish.

Ed

The plastic side peels away from the sticky side. The paper is easy release so that once the vinyl letters are on the tank, the paper will peel easily away from the decal. Paper is the last thing you remove after burnishing the decal on. ; D Victor

viclioce wrote:The plastic side peels away from the sticky side. The paper is easy release so that once the vinyl letters are on the tank, the paper will peel easily away from the decal. Paper is the last thing you remove after burnishing the decal on. ; D Victor

That's what I thought to except the letters want to stay with the plastic with the paper peeled, but I've only tried a corner of each.

I got it. Its pretty hard to peel off the plastic and have the letters stay with the paper, but if one lays the paper flat on a counter and peels of the plastic of the top that way, it takes some doing but it comes off -- very carefully. Job done. Thanks

Sounds like they may have sat for a while! Glad you got it done. How about a picture or two? Victor

Well, if you go back to my earlier post you will see I had the same problem.....

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2719

Yeah, Rich. I had mine made locally, so they were a lot t fresher. When I needed them made I just took the tank & air box & battery cover to a local shop which custom makes them. He took pics of the 3 items with his phone, uploaded to his computer, cleaned them up and printed them out. The first batch went on real easy on the Green Toad. I suspect now that they are older, they may not separate as easily for the Red Toad! Victor