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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Hydrographic Printed Covers
Hydrographic Printed Covers
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florida-trader
1218 posts
Nov 10, 2017
7:30 AM
Here’s another little project that I am working on. I will be using Water Transfer Printing (aka Hydrographic Printing or Hydro dip printing) to add graphics to cover plates. These four sets of covers are just random samples and would probably not be my first choice(s). The vendor that I will be using just wanted to give me an idea of the quality, precision and detail achievable using this process. I am very impressed on all three fronts. I won’t get into the details of how they are made, but I will say that after the image is transferred to the cover, a clear powder coat is applied, and the covers are then baked to cure the clear coat.

The dilemma I now have is deciding what to put on the covers. There is virtually no limit, other than perhaps copyrighted images, to what can be printed on the covers. Blue Moon has always been a market driven business, meaning, my best ideas come from you. So, if you have any suggestions about themes or subject matter, feel free to make them. I can’t guarantee that I will take your advice, nor will I pay you if I use your idea, but I’d like to hear them.

Here are a few photos. You can click on any of the pictures and it will take you to a photo album on PhotoBucket.com

 photo Mangi Snake 1_zpslsuzrvq2.jpg

 photo Manji Wood 2_zps0jvswjou.jpg

 photo SP20 Face 1_zpsdlpoxurd.jpg

 photo Sp20 FlagW5_zpspplfamhj.jpg

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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Blue Moon Harmonicas
Flbl
30 posts
Nov 10, 2017
8:43 AM
Looks interesting, Snake skin, lizard skin, or tropical fish scales could all be options, so could plant leaves with different textures and colors, or for laughs some sort of cactus or thorns.
Grey Owl
855 posts
Nov 10, 2017
10:29 AM
Nice!
Practical Graphics :- Circle of fifths
Jokey:- This way Up

Grey Owl
YouTube
florida-trader
1219 posts
Nov 10, 2017
10:37 AM
Grey Owl - Yeah - I've thought about the Circle of Fifths or some other cheat sheet type of thing.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Blue Moon Harmonicas

Last Edited by florida-trader on Nov 10, 2017 10:37 AM
knight66
53 posts
Nov 10, 2017
10:56 AM
I like this a lot and a couple of things spring to mind keeping it topical, reed plates. music staff with the corresponding notes on to each hole.
Is it versatile enough to put on whatever the customer wants so they can personalise the harps they buy off you.
And obviously your trade mark wrapped around a real harmonica.
knight66
54 posts
Nov 10, 2017
11:04 AM
Another springs to mind,stylised letters to represent the key of the harmonica.
Bass410man
162 posts
Nov 10, 2017
12:51 PM
Tom,
Very cool, how about a collage of small faces of the best blues harp players to ever pick up the instrument.
AppalachiaBlues
83 posts
Nov 10, 2017
2:23 PM
Stylish key letters, large enough to easily see.
florida-trader
1220 posts
Nov 10, 2017
2:39 PM
I doubt seriously that I would put the key on the covers. That would more or less limit them to one key. The covers have to be universal so they can be used on any key. I will, however, consider making some stylish key stickers that can be added to the comb or covers.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Blue Moon Harmonicas
Garlic Breath
95 posts
Nov 10, 2017
7:06 PM
I've always considered your hand crafted custom harps to be not just a great playing instrument, but also a tribute to your special craftsmanship. It's a point of pride to show someone a sweet sounding, really cool looking harp, and tell them "This is a Tom Halchak custom build". Whatever you offer for one side, please offer the option of the other having the Blue Moon logo and your signature.
JInx
1344 posts
Nov 10, 2017
8:36 PM
Jumping the shark. Just kidding, pretty cool!
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florida-trader
1221 posts
Nov 11, 2017
6:25 AM
Garlic Breath - Thanks for your kind words (you to JInx). I do feel that the top and bottom covers need to be slightly different from each other so you know which way is up. The coating pretty much obliterates the stamping on the covers so it is hard to tell which side is which.

By the way, the hydrographics are only on the outside of the covers. The inside is still bare metal so in case anyone was wondering whether or not a coating on the inside of the covers would impact tone, etc., it shouldn't be an issue.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Blue Moon Harmonicas
Andrew
1717 posts
Nov 11, 2017
6:35 AM
@ grey owl "Jokey:- This way Up"

There's many a true word spoken in jest!

How about "My other harp's a Spiers"
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Andrew.
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Last Edited by Andrew on Nov 11, 2017 6:38 AM
Raven
117 posts
Nov 11, 2017
7:38 AM
Tom, how resistant to the effects of use and cleaning would the printing be? Even though I try to play with a clean, food-free mouth, I quickly build up surface scum that I need to remove from the covers regularly. I've taken to use typical dish-washing pads that are mildly abrasive to remove the build-up easily, but painted and anodized surfaces are subject to erosion in this manner. I know that the general answer will be not to use the pads but resort to soap and water techniques for cleaning. I have an ultrasonic cleaner that I use for my reed plates, but it's not powerful enough to remove mouth scum from the covers.
Flbl
33 posts
Nov 11, 2017
12:19 PM
Would you consider doing this for chromatic harmonicas as well?
florida-trader
1222 posts
Nov 11, 2017
1:13 PM
Raven - Conversationally speaking, I don't understand why you would want to use anything abrasive to remove mouth juice build up. It comes off very easily with Dawn dishwashing detergent (or something similar) and nothing more aggressive than a toothbrush. An abrasive pad just seems like overkill to me/

Moving on.

I disagree about the anodized surfaces - but that is another conversation. And these covers are not painted. They are powder coated - which is much stronger/tougher than paint.

After the graphics have been transferred to the covers, a coat of clear coat powder coating is applied and then they are baked to cure the powder coating. I have been offering powder coated covers for over 6 years and although the coating may chip now and then, it won't scrub off.

Flbl - I would be receptive to doing some chromatic covers, but bear in mind that it is cost-prohibitive to do just one set of covers. The hydrographic film is expensive and when I get stuff made, whether it is combs or powder coated covers or double reed plate components or T-Shirts, or even if I am just buying supplies to make this stuff - Corian, Acrylic, Brass, Exotic Hardwood, Cover Plates, Harps, I do volume transactions to get the best price possible. I an not the guy doing the hydrogrpahics. I have a vendor who will be doing it for me. I have to give him a decent size order to get the best price I can. So, if your timing is good and you are happy with a graphic I am already planning to use, maybe the stars will align and I can include a set of your covers in with a batch that is already in the works. I know that is a long-winded offer. Bear in mind that I wasn't planning to offer this service a la carte, but I do want to be as accommodating as I can be, espectially to guys on this forum who have been so very kind to me.


Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Blue Moon Harmonicas
Flbl
34 posts
Nov 11, 2017
2:01 PM
Tom I thought it was a long shot anyway, I know there's nothing chromatic related on you're site, but thought I'd throw it out there, thanks.
nacoran
9654 posts
Nov 11, 2017
2:07 PM
Tom, on the topic of stylish stickers... I don't know if you could tap brads into the ends of wooden harps without splitting them, but I've always though small brass tags for keys would look spiffy. Sort of something stamped through, so the key sort of looks like a stencil, or even just raised like a dog tag, although that might not stand out as well.

I'd thought, actually, about decorative strips along the back edge of the harp too, sort of brass friezes.

Splitting would be the big issue, I think. I'm not sure if that's solvable, but stamped key tags, I don't think, would be terribly expensive to make. More expensive, obviously than stickers, but still not prohibitively expensive. There is a site selling little charms with a letter stamped on them, maybe not quite the right size for harps, but in the ballpark. (Just as an idea)

https://www.etsy.com/listing/285856279/add-initial-charm-personalized-charm-add?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=letter%20tags&ref=sc_gallery_2&plkey=46abdfafbfa10ebe570a34f7b9b9aa4360fe6eb3:285856279

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Nate
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First Post- May 8, 2009
florida-trader
1223 posts
Nov 11, 2017
2:38 PM
Nate - I would go for laser etching or engraved letter filled in with a little white paint. I don't like to add more stuff to the comb. Just incorporate a key signature into the comb.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Blue Moon Harmonicas
nacoran
9656 posts
Nov 11, 2017
3:41 PM
Laser etching would be nice. The question, I think, from the manufacturing point of view, would concern having combs be marked for one key without a way to change them. I know when you order a Lee Oskar replacement comb, for instance, they don't even put the key marking on it.

I know Chris Reynolds did some nice rope work engraving into the backs of some of his brass combs.

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Nate
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First Post- May 8, 2009
florida-trader
1224 posts
Nov 13, 2017
6:34 AM
Andrew. Duly noted.

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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Blue Moon Harmonicas
Raven
118 posts
Nov 13, 2017
7:09 AM
Nate, The way to avoid splitting the comb is to drill small pilot holes first, slightly smaller than the diameter of the escutcheon pins used to secure the plate.


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