Fitting a waterslide Decal

Hi guys

Im Fitting a waterslide Decal on the headstock. whats best the way to achieve a pro result

Thanks in advance
Mike

Check this video out. I found it online a while ago. It's really pretty easy to do. I sprayed a couple mist coats of lacquer on my decal before applying it too, which I've heard protects the ink from scraping off during application.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McfApNWoQck&feature=related

My number one tip... put a drop of elmers glue in the warm water you are using to soak the decal.

AND right before you put the decal down on the headstock, wipe a little puddle of the water on the headstock so you are setting down the decal over a wet-spot. This will reduce the airbubbles under the decal and make it easier to get any air bubbles out.

I recently have done several decals, and I did them just like JBennett described. It did work very well. If you're using an ink jet printer, you'll need to coat the decal with 2 or 3 coats of clear before you put it in water.

My number one tip... put a drop of elmers glue in the warm water you are using to soak the decal.

AND right before you put the decal down on the headstock, wipe a little puddle of the water on the headstock so you are setting down the decal over a wet-spot. This will reduce the airbubbles under the decal and make it easier to get any air bubbles out.

+1
Don't know what elmers glue is but when we do them at work we put a drop of pva glue in the water.

+1
Don't know what elmers glue is but when we do them at work we put a drop of pva glue in the water.

Elmers is a brand name for PVA here in the US. Same stuff...

Ah, I see.

I thought Elmers was universal. I guess just in the USA.

http://www.elmers.com/images/products/large/E1322.jpg

I thought Elmers was universal. I guess just in the USA.



Never heard of it. This is the big one over here.

So what does the white glue (Elmer's, Evo-Stik, etc...) do to enhance the process.

One thing I will mention to the OP is don't move the decal around much once it's down. That will only dilute the glue on the back of the decal. Figure out where you want it. Stick it down. Smooth out the bubbles and be done with it.

So what does the white glue (Elmer's, Evo-Stik, etc...) do to enhance the process.

One thing I will mention to the OP is don't move the decal around much once it's down. That will only dilute the glue on the back of the decal. Figure out where you want it. Stick it down. Smooth out the bubbles and be done with it.

It does just that. It adds more glue allowing you to move it around on a layer of the glue mixed water but still ensuring good adhesion.

Ain't that Elmer's white glue, just corn starch?

Edit: Um, no it is not. I was thinkin' of the school paste. Thanks Google.

Yup, it just introduces a little more glue to the decal. Great if you've used my method of soaking and flipping the decals to fill them with opaque colors.

I found wetsanding the receiving surface to a near gloss before you lay down really helps too.

Glue is OK with commercial decals but can foul up waterslides if you coat them with acrylic; the glue (Polyvinyl Acrylic) uses the same plasticizers as acrylic paint (in fact, you can - I used to teach this to new employees) make basic paint with PVA glue, water (the solvent), a couple drops of dish soap (a "wetting agent" aka surfactant that breaks surface tension for adhesion and bubble release) and ground up dirt (pigment).

Any time I get decals from non-commercial or unknown sources I use a drop of dish soap, not glue. It decreases the bubble problem dramatically by lowering surface tension, helps the decal suck down onto the surface and has no negative affect.

The best method I've found (and used since the 70's) is a drop of dish soap in warm water, soaking the decal for no more than 30 seconds or so (or you lose the glue. Leave one for a minute and your glue is probably gone - it'll still stick via surface tension but probably have bubble problems and may form a whitish "blush-like" look as it dries ), then setting it aside on a non absorbent surface for another 30-60 seconds, testing it lightly for slip every 5-10 seconds. The second it moves get it on the surface without any sliding around (every movement removes glue) and blot it with a cotton ball.

I also do not recommend spraying just any decal with lacquer - if it's already coated you're just thickening it and it will stiffen...and if it curls a bit when the lacquer is dry good luck - the adhesion is going to suck no matter what you add to the water.

We used to put soap in our water as it was a method handed down through the years but eventually ditched it and never found a problem.

This is how I do it.


1. I design my logo ( actually JBennett designed my logo, I just change things around)
2. Put it on a WORD document in multiples (fill up the page) and inverse the images.
3. Print it off on LASER waterslide decal paper.
4. Allow to dry, color in the middle part with silver or gold. Allow to dry.
5. Trim the decal close to the perimeter of the letters.
6. Mix about 6 drops of white elmers glue into warm water in a cereal bowl ( about half full).
7. Dip the decal in the water for 10-15 seconds.
8. Place the decal, face down on my clean (sanded smooth) lacquer, and slide the backing off the paper.
* I add glue into water because I print my decals inversely so Its easier to color the center.
9. Pat dry with a paper towel. Allow to dry.
10. Daub on some white vinegar, and pat dry with clean paper towel. Allow to dry ( until the vinegar smell goes away)
11. Bury in lacquer. Allow to dry. Buff.

Since adopting the laser paper and vinegar, I no longer have any sort of decal lines or visibillity. Literally looks screen printed. When I was using inkjet paper, you could always see the perimeter of the decal if you looked closely at certain angles.
__________________

Micro Sol and Micro Set (http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=FINPROD) are the friends of model builders everywhere.

They are essential tools for applying decals.

Those little bottles are a life-time supply.

practice on spitfire model kits:P

Micro Sol and Micro Set (http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=FINPROD) are the friends of model builders everywhere.

They are essential tools for applying decals.

Those little bottles are a life-time supply.

Essentially I use the vinegar like microset, and it makes applying decals a lot easier.