OdinOneEye

Recipes 

I'm designing my own label using linoleum-block printing for that hand-crafted/symbolic/mystical/old school look.
And I don't have any fancy computer programs, nor the inclination or money to purchase them.
What would be a good method to waterproof my labels, since my plan basically is to carve out the stamp, get a good print and then scan the sucker onto my computer, shrink it down to beer-bottle/wine bottle size and go from there.

For those who are curious, my design is an Ouroboros (circular snake-eating-tail symbol) surrounding a Celtic trinity with an apple in the middle (Ok, ok, this is for my cider, I admit it) and in the open spaces, Norse runes Jera for the harvest, Ansuz for omens and Wunjo for joy.
I can post a picture of it later, soon as I get it carved out and perfected.

But yeah- what would be a good means to waterproof my labels is what I really want to know.

disaffected

Recipes 

The linoleum block printing is an awesome idea. I'm really interested in seeing what you come up with.

RENAISSANCE WAX/POLISH is arguably overkill for beer or wine bottle labels. It is, however, used by the best museums and conservationists in the world.

This Lumijet ImageShield Protective Spray for Inkjet Prints seems expensive at $20 per can, (good for 60 8x10 photos), but I doubt you need three coats and you could coat your labels before cutting them up off the original sheet.

This Sureguard Archival UV Protective, Glossy Print Spray is probably more like what you need.

Search for photo lacquer and you'll probably find more choices.

OdinOneEye

Recipes 

Why thankee, B4B! I'll keep that under my hat fo shizzie

casebrew

Recipes 

If you must carve the block, just print one. Then take it to somebody with a lazer color copier. I took mine to the print shop nexr door, he put 6 to a page on his color copier. Lazers use powdered ink that is fused together, so water proof. Then, I use a glue stick to paste the labeles on.

__________________
So far, I've had more experience thinking than I've had brewing....you don't think they are mutually exclusive, do you?

57 batches so far,
33 wine, mostly Loquat, peach, plum, prickly pear
22 beers and ciders
1 sauerkraut
1 Tequila, from a prickly pear wine experiment that didn't work. I call it "Prickly Heat"

OdinOneEye

Recipes 

There is no real "name." It's all about the symbolism. EDIT: I ran it through Photoshop and polished her up a little bit. This is more like it.

bikebryan

Recipes 

Laser printers aren't the catch-all answer. I use a color laser to print my labels, and sometimes the graphics tend to "flake" as I'm applying the label to the bottle. It happens.

OdinOneEye

Recipes 

So, maybe use a combination of lazer-printer and the anti-moisture spray?

bikebryan

Recipes 

I've tried many combinations, and found only one foolproof method of labels that didn't flake or run when they got wet - but it was expensive. I had 50 labels made for me by a local BOP place that accepts either custom designed lables or you can pick from their templates. They have them professionally printed for you on specialty label paper. They worked great but boy did it cost more than my laser printer/Avery label solution.

Waldo

Recipes 

Back in grade school we used ordinary hair spray to set our chalk drawings, works great on beer lables as well.

__________________
Life is to short and the liver can only handle so much, so why waste it on bad beer.

TheJadedDog

Recipes 

Isn't it sticky when it dries?

__________________
And now we go AG!

On Tap: Nadda
Primary: Nadda
Planning: Extra Special Bitter