Professional-Looking Labels with Spray Lacquer

I stumbled onto an easy trick for making really sharp-looking labels:

After printing and cutting out your custom labels, spray them with two or more coats of spray lacquer (available in the paint departments of hardware stores). This does several things: 1) Deepens the color in the label and gets rid of that fresh-from-the-ink-jet look; 2) Gives the labels a nice-looking sheen, and 3) Makes the labels water-resistant, so the ink doesn't smudge as soon as condensation occurs. Each coat takes only 30 minutes or so to dry.

I found full-sheet label stock (like Avery number 8165) very handy for printing, and it took the ink-jet ink very well.

This works great for gift bottles, though might not be worth it for everyday drinkin' brew. I haven't yet tried to remove the labels; it could be a PITA.

Cameron

Reply to
Cameron Lee
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It is a PITA!!!!!!!! Ol "glue stick" is my choice for attaching labels. Dick

Reply to
Richard Kruse

I read somewhere that milk was great for putting on labels. They come off really easy with water and leave no glue residue.

Just a thought.

Rob

Reply to
Rob M

My method is rather simple, print labels on a laser printer, cut and attach with a glue stick. Skim milk also makes a good adhesive. Colour labels can printed at kinko's rather cheaply I imagine.

Reply to
Charles H

I think the OP is referring to the glossy finish of the lacquered labels. I am actually tempted to try this myself...

Cheers, Alec

Reply to
Alec Wood

Another approach for water resistance is to use a recent Epson printer

- their "Durabrite" inks are waterproof from the get-go. You can also use some of the photo papers if you like the shiny look.

- Mark W.

Reply to
Mark Willstatter

Milk contains casein, which is a gluey protein your body digests rather slowly. Whey is the other protein. Casein is one of the ingredients you can use to make natural glue. It makes for a good science project, or attaching beer labels it would seem! ;)

Reply to
Ken

I just use a photocopier to print my lables on "water-mark" paper (usually gold, but I've tried other colors). It works quite well if you hit it with a single coat of cheap polyurethane spray. It will not only soak into the paper(water proofing)and make the watermark color really stand out, but it won't soak into the ink; instead it sits on top and raises the lines. It looks pretty cool, too.

Let it dry _before_ you cut it out. The large sheet of paper is a lot easier to spray than a lot of little pieces.

`Can't beat glue stick for attaching to the bottles, either.

Jim L.

Reply to
jim l

Well yea, but how much does it cost per print out of a durabrite ink versus a regular color ink jet and a can of spray lacquer?

I imagine the ink jet costs less.

Reply to
J. Brazer

My bottles never stay full long enough to bother labeling them. I just write a number or letter on the cap. Disappears fast at my house. ;)

BEER!!!!!

Reply to
Roger

I don't think Epson ink costs are hugely different from any other ink jet on a per-page basis. Of course, I wasn't suggesting that somebody who already has a printer should rush out and buy Epson - a spray can is obviously much cheaper than a new printer. But if you're in the market for a new printer anyway, this is one advantage Epson has over the others.

Reply to
Mark Willstatter

I am most happy with my Epson C82 printer. I do find their cartridges a bit over priced. You can in fact buy "copy" ink cartridges which still have the waterproofness ( sic) of the Epson Ink cartridges at about 1/2 the cost. There is of course likely to be a distinct change in colour reproduction but even that can be got round

Reply to
Pinky

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