Silhouette printer paper review (make your own decals and stickers)

As I near my 100th post, I find myself busier than ever with hands on work.  I had hoped to document more of the Matchless build but find it difficult to stop and capture everything on film.  I have chosen to do an extensive write up once rolling and include the photos and notes that I have taken.

In the meantime I wanted to quickly review a product I picked up last year but only started playing with.

I am not a always a fan of decals/stickers on vehicles, but sometimes they work well.  That vintage 'STP' on an old desert sled oil tank can add the right level of character.

Ebay has lots of old stickers and water slide pieces, however these can be a gamble.   I have been lucky a few times (the one on my Matchless tank worked out well) and unlucky on other occasions where the decal disintegrated.

That was when I thought about making my own and decided to do some research.  What I ended up investing in was something called Silhouette Paper acquired from Hobby Lobby ($9.99 for 8 sheets).

This is a clear vinyl sticker paper that can be used with any home laser printer.  I gathered a few random vintage images and put them all on the same screen in MS Paint (I like things kept simple!)

As you can see, I foolishly wasted a good portion of the first sheet.  Next time I will load every inch to get the best bang for the buck!   I would also recommend running a test page on regular paper to make sure everything looks right.

I am impressed by the quality of the end result;  The paper holds colour well and there was no bleeding at all.  The fact that it prints onto a clear sheet is a huge benefit.  My 'Made in England' decal was the only disappointment, I did a test fit on the frame and it could barely be seen.  On a brighter background it works well but the edges can clearly be seen.

Where this product really shines is with more 'solid' images such as this BA sticker.

For the money, this is a great product.  Perfect to produce a good number of stickers for a toolbox, project bike, etc. 

Until Next Time......

Nardi steering wheel restoration

I picked this up about ten years ago for my father's 1989 Miata.  It was never in mint shape (made in 1981) but it was certainly good enough to use. 

The poor old Miata has had a rough life.  I think my father is the 8th owner or something near it.  Nonetheless, it has always run well and delivered boat loads of fun.  Especially after the turbocharger, upgraded wheels and suspension was done. 


A couple years ago, I noticed some horrible rot in the floor and my dad, rather than scrap her, had the work done.  When the car came back, the clutch stopped working.  So it sat still most of last year.   I had been meaning to fix things up for a while, but was sidelined by all my other projects.  This year the little roadster will have a great summer.  Starting with a freshened steering wheel. 

Not good!

It looked a lot worse in my hands than in the photo.  The old varnish had virtually peeled away, leaving exposed wood underneath.  

Step one was to scrape off as much as possible, then apply some paint remover.  I had expected the remaining material to come off quite easily but I was mistaken.  Back to scraping!

Looking better already!

Step two was to sand down with 220 grit sandpaper, being mindful not to remove too much material or create flat spots.  I also filled some minor cracks with wood filler.

I fished around the solvent cupboard and found a can of  Cherry wood Minwax.  I decided to give it a go.  

Coat one.

I added the first coat and was immediately taken with the dark tone.  I let it cure for a couple days before the next treatment.  The stain didn't seep into the wood filler but I had a plan for that.

I found a furniture repair pen in my drawer, the type used for fixing minor scratches.  On to the next round.

I picked up some Marine grade varnish (small can) from Canadian Tire for $8.00.   I did two coats with 24 hours of curing in between.  

  I am very pleased with the way this one turned out; it looks good and fresh, without looking too new.  The last job is to apply some autosol to the spokes.

Until Next time.....