This is probably too left field, but you have to ask. Has anyone experimented with using large laser printed transfers under tru oil finishes, especially with overlapping sections?
The story is that my in progress semi electric mandolin has gone badly wrong on the finishing. I tried a rubbed faded finish on the spruce top which looked OK on the various offcuts I used for practice, but is dreadful on the actual top. Before I sulkily rip it off and go for a new soundboard and leave it plain, I was mulling over fake binding. Real binding is beyond my skills and tools, but back in the day painted "binding" was common enough on lower priced instruments like my vintage Washburn, and really looks OK (actually I've just looked again and I think what I always thought was painted may be real - go figure!).
The trouble is my finishing skills are pretty poor, and the chances of being able to make a satisfactory job of hand painting a border are zero. I was wondering about making a laser printed transfer - or rather a series of transfers since I'd never get a single water slide transfer that size on flat. Is this something anyone has any experience of? I'll try a test anyway.
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