The Shattered Web Custom Appliques Review
Date : Tuesday, 21 May 2002
Author : Stygian
Provided By : The Shattered Web

Introduction

Sometimes, even the smallest things can make a difference. One may think that having a fully-decked out box complete with the latest hardware and most novel mods may be all that there is. However, even a minor addition can make your box just that much more personalized than it already is, and add that "final touch" that you've been dying to have. That is where appliques come into the equation. However, purchasing a mass-produced applique might not be what you've been looking for if you're into the personalization thing. So what do you do if you are just a plain old gal or guy who doesn't have the resources needed to produce your own decal? That is where The Shattered Web comes into play. They can produce for you a custom-designed applique of different sizes, suited directly to your box, and your identity. Let's take a look at their productions and whether it's worthy for your rig or not.

Firstly, a little information about the company:

The Shattered Web is currently a small company based out of Yelm, Washington. Our main objective is to provide quality graphics to our clientele and strive to be the number one graphic supplier in the Pacific Northwest.
The Shattered Web works in conjunction with Oracle Graphics, a company that produces banners, decals and logos of all sorts, and they are also based out of Yelm, WA. Check out their site if you need any custom work done.

Specifications

After a few conversations and correspondence, Terry from The Shattered Web sent me two custom-designed appliques; one is a 7.5" meant for application to a window, and the other is a 10" meant for application to the non-window side of a case as a decal. They make both 7.5" and 3.5" appliques for windows and for other custom work they can make just about any reasonable size for a non-window decal.

The etched colour will look best with most windows, but as you can see other colours are available should you wish to have something different. Definitely a plus if you're customizing your case. In addition to the appliques you get an instruction sheet and a credit-card sized piece of plastic for use during application. All of this came in a huge envelope that had a thick layer of bubble packaging around it to ensure the appliques weren't damaged during shipping.


Instructions, appliques and plastic card.
7.5" 'etched' window applique.
10" non-window side blue decal.

Installation and Testing

Because of the way the appliques are made, they have to be applied to the outside of the window, not the inside. This is apparent when you remove the opaque backing. I'll first be applying the window-side applique, and the first thing that must be done is a cleaning of the surface to ensure there is no dirt or other residues on the surface that may impede the applique from adhering to the window. The Shattered Web recommends using soap and water, but I used isopropyl rubbing alcohol, which seemed to work well without damaging my window, and it dries fairly fast without leaving much residue.

UPDATE:
"Just received an update from Terry from The Shattered Web, and he's said that they've now changed their appliques so that they're applied on the inside of a window, rather than the outside as seen in this review, by default."


Select an ideal spot.
After cleaning the surface, peel back the opaque layer from the transfer backing.
Use the plastic card to smooth out any air bubbles.

You then peel back the opaque layer, making sure that the applique stays on the transfer backing, which is slightly translucent. With the design I suggested, there were several small parts (such as the periods) that sometime stuck to the opaque part when I was removing it. This is no big problem; all you need to do is squeeze that part of the backing against the opaque part for a few seconds, and the applique will remain stuck to the transfer backing. Once you have the transfer backing along with the applique detached from the opaque backing, carefully lay it on the window in the position you want. This can be tricky, so the instructions suggest putting a very fine mist of water on the surface to allow some re-positioning should you misplace it.


You can see the logo's imprint.
Peel back the transfer backing.
Done!

Now all you need to do is use the supplied plastic card to squeeze out any air bubbles. When you're done, you should be able to feel the imprint of the applique, and in the case of the etched appliques, you should be able to make out the logo as well. Now just carefully peel back the transfer backing, and the applique should stick to the window. Done! Pretty damn easy, if I can do it! One last note: There may be some small air bubbles (you may be able to see them in the last picture) underneath the logo. Do not poke holes in the applique to let out this air, as it will result in rough edges around that area. All this is clearly stated in the instructions. The air bubbles will subside after a few days.

Installation and Testing

Because the appliques must be applied to the outside of a surface to obtain the proper orientation, they can also be used as decals on the non-window side of the case, which is the case with the 10" blue applique seen below. The procedure is roughly the same, with a few minor changes. Firstly, because the applique was being applied to a fairly large open area of the side panel, I used masking tape as a guideline to make sure I positioned the applique properly.


Use masking tape when possible as a guideline for application.
Peeling back the backing from the opaque part.
Apply to the case, and smooth out with the plastic card.

The next part is the same; simply remove the transfer backing from the opaque backing making sure again that the applique stays on the transfer backing and doesn't peel off onto the opaque part. As I stated earlier, this may be more or less difficult depending on your design. A more straightforward design that doesn't have too many tiny parts such as periods will be easier to work with, but that doesn't mean that designs with small parts are out of the question. Once that is done, the transfer backing is laid upon the side and then flattened out with the plastic card.


The transfer backing is removed.
Nice!

The last part is the trickiest, especially if your case has a texture on the side. The appliques work best with a flat surface such as a window, so the more textured the side of your case is, the less the applique will potentially adhere to it when removing the transfer backing. The side of my case is fairly heavily textured, and so there were some difficulties getting the smaller parts to adhere to the surface, however, once that was sorted out, the applique remained in place. Extra pressure was needed to get the applique to stay in place, but it has not peeled away at all since I've applied it. Definitely high quality stuff here.

Conclusion

These appliques are definitely not needed, but they do fall into the "wants" catagory for me. They add a nice finishing touch to any case, and if you have a window I'd highly recommend The Shattered Web to you for a custom designed applique. They can make just about any design for you in a variety of colours, and different sizes, so you're bound to find something you like. The appliques are easy to work with, and I didn't find any hint of an inferior quality in them.

Pros

Cons

I would like to thank Terry from The Shattered Web and Miguel over at Oracle Graphics for making this review possible. The Shattered Web had very good customer service in terms of prompt e-mails to confirm the design I wanted, and they were quickly able to implement it. Thanks again!

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